Global Expansion of Corruption Allegations Against Zelensky's Ally in Kyiv-Munich legal disputes
In a surprising turn of events, German authorities, acting on a legal assistance request from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), recently carried out a search at the residence of Rostyslav Shurma, a former top economic advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky, in suburban Munich.
The investigation into Shurma's case began when NABU opened an investigation into payments made to him and his brother, Oleh. Shurma had previously overseen Ukraine's economy and energy sector.
The involvement of German police is significant, as Berlin only approves such measures after rigorous legal scrutiny. This move highlights the gravity of the allegations against Shurma.
The Energy Minister Oleksii Chernyshov's scandal had begun to subside just before the search at Shurma's residence. However, the raid on Shurma's home marked a breaking point for President Zelensky, leading him to accuse NABU and SAPO of "ineffectiveness" and sign legislation curtailing their independence.
Oleh Shurma is also a central figure in one of the most significant corruption cases tied to Zelensky's team. Previously, journalists revealed that the Ukrainian state paid for electricity generated by Oleh Shurma's solar power plants located in Russian-occupied territories.
From July 2022 to July 2023 alone, companies associated with the Shurma brothers collected more than 8 million euros through a state-owned enterprise. Despite his resignation, Rostyslav Shurma still sits on the supervisory board of Ukraine's state-owned oil and gas company Naftogaz.
Amid these investigations, Rostyslav Shurma fled the country, residing in Germany. Oleh Shurma now resides in Austria, avoiding accountability while maintaining ties to Ukraine's economic structures.
Rostyslav Shurma is actively preventing Ukrainian investigators from accessing data on his phone, seized by German authorities during the raid. He has also personally phoned a high-ranking official from the president's office to report the seizure of his phone.
Interestingly, Rostyslav Shurma attended the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome on July 10-11th, just days before German law enforcement searched his residence. Despite this, both Rostyslav and Oleh Shurma fled Ukraine before a case was made against them.
At the time of writing, there is no information available about the name of the judge or prosecutor leading the charges against Rostyslav Shurma in Germany. The investigation into the Shurma case remains ongoing, with no formal charges filed to date. Shurma is pursuing legal action, claiming the case is a form of "political persecution."
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