Ukrainian lawmaker removed from committee chair amid bribery allegations
Source: Iryna Herashchenko
Ukrainian lawmaker Mykola Zadorozhny, a member of the ruling “Servant of the People” party, has been removed from his position as chair of the parliamentary committee overseeing state funding of fortification construction and drone production.
Zadorozhny’s dismissal follows allegations of bribery – the lawmaker was earlier accused of crimes under Article 27, 368 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code after Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine alleged that the lawmaker demanded kickbacks for not interfering with “infrastructure repair works” commissioned by the goverment in the Sumy region.
The disgraced MP has been replaced by Oleksandr Bakumov, also from the “Servant of the People” party, who was supported by 282 members of parliament. The opposition “European Solidarity” faction abstained from the vote, criticizing the decision as merely “swapping one problem for another.””European Solidarity” had proposed Mykhailo Bondar, a member of the same commission, as an alternative candidate. However, the proposal did not gain sufficient support in parliament.
“We are calling for the establishment of a temporary investigative commission, not a special one, given the magnitude of the abuses in fortification construction. It’s time to recruit investigative bodies. Moreover, this should be an instrument of the opposition, and we demand that Mykhailo Bondar be appointed as chair of this commission,” said lawmaker Iryna Herashchenko.
After the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine witnessed an unprecedented wave of private support for the army. Citizens, big businesses, charitable foundations, and international philanthropists began financing the country’s defense alongside state assistance provided by international partners. Estimates of total private contributions range from tens to hundreds of billions of hryvnias. However, determining the exact amount remains difficult. In many cases, companies combine military aid, humanitarian programs, tax payments, social spending, and employee support in their reporting.
Rinat Akhmetov’s military initiative, “Steel Front”, has delivered a batch of drones worth UAH 214 million to the 1st “Azov” Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine. This shipment is part of the Metinvest Group’s ongoing support for the unit in 2025.
On October 6, the Administrative Cassation Court within the Supreme Court of Ukraine continued hearing case No. 990/80/25, in which the fifth President and leader of the party “European Solidarity”, Petro Poroshenko, seeks to have Presidential Decree No. 81/2025 from February 12, 2025 — enacting sanctions by the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) — declared illegal and annulled. The plaintiff claims the document was falsified and that the sanctions are a tool of political persecution of the opposition, contrary to international norms. Government representatives deny the allegations and insist their actions were lawful. Journalists of Bukvy were present at the hearing.
Rinat Akhmetov’s Metinvest Group has completed the construction of an upgraded underground NATO Role 2 hospital in one of the hottest sectors of the frontline. This is the second stabilization point established under the Steel Front initiative in cooperation with the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The new facility, funded by Metinvest with an investment of UAH 21 million, is more secure than the first one thanks to its deeper location underground (over 6 meters) and additional fortifications.
Five armored vehicles “Kozak” have received a new mission – thanks to the support of Metinvest, they have been upgraded to full-fledged command and staff vehicles. These upgraded vehicles are now operating on the front line.