A Ukrainian court has established a timeline for the defense of a prominent parliamentary figure to review materials related to an ongoing corruption investigation. The decision was made by a judge at the High Anti-Corruption Court, responding to a request from detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU).
While the identity of the parliamentarian has not been officially disclosed, indications suggest that it pertains to Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the Batkivshchyna party. The court granted the defense until May 24, 2026, to familiarize themselves with the investigation materials, despite the prosecution’s request for a deadline of May 6, 2026, citing delays attributed to the defense.
The prosecution claims that the defense team had full access to the case files following the conclusion of the investigation on April 7. However, they assert that Tymoshenko has not appeared to review the materials. In contrast, Tymoshenko has accused law enforcement of disseminating false information, alleging that she and her legal representatives have been denied access to what she describes as the “main and only evidence”—the original audio recording and the equipment used to create it.
“The original recording of the conversation is persistently withheld from us. Is it because it is a forgery? Like the entire case,” Tymoshenko stated.
On January 14, NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office announced that Tymoshenko was under suspicion for offering improper benefits to other parliamentarians in exchange for favorable voting behavior. This allegation falls under Article 369 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code, which addresses the proposal or provision of illegal advantages.
Following a search of the Batkivshchyna party’s office in Kyiv on January 14, Tymoshenko characterized the actions against her as a manifestation of a “political order” and categorically denied all allegations. On January 16, the High Anti-Corruption Court imposed a bail of over 33 million hryvnias on her and established several procedural obligations, including restrictions on her travel outside Kyiv without permission from NABU detectives and prosecutors.
Tymoshenko has consistently labeled the accusations as provocations and has claimed that the case materials are fabricated. On April 8, NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office announced the completion of the pre-trial investigation into her case.
A Ukrainian court has set a deadline for Yulia Tymoshenko's defense to review evidence in a corruption case against her. The case involves allegations of offering improper benefits to fellow parliamentarians, which Tymoshenko denies, claiming the charges are politically motivated.