Vsevolod Knjazjev was accused of receiving $2.7 million in bribes in 2023 in exchange for favorable court decisions. According to the settlement, the authorities will seize two properties and more than 200 thousand dollars. In addition, Knyazyev must donate 1.1 million dollars to the Ukrainian army. Riječ is about a case that is considered a key test of Ukraine’s fight against corruption, which is closely monitored by its foreign partners.
Solving the problem of deep-rooted corruption is key for Ukraine, which strives to secure international financial support and progress towards membership in the European Union.
Ukraine, where competent anti-corruption bodies have brought charges against former ministers and presidential advisers in recent years, ranks 104th out of a total of 182 countries in Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index.