“10 black suitcases”: Former Ukrainian President Poroshenko may be accused of receiving money from Moscow before the 2019 elections

A new criminal case may be in preparation against former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, linked to the receipt of “suitcases of money” from Moscow on the eve of the 2019 elections.

This was reported by lawyer Ilya Novikov after the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv arrested Vadym Chuchkovskyi, a former deputy head of Poroshenko’s security service. The court set bail at 400 million hryvnias (€8.9 million).

According to the defense, Chuchkovskyi is suspected of receiving suitcases with “election money,” which were delivered to Kyiv on March 28, 2019—just before the first round of the presidential elections—via a direct flight from Moscow.

Novikov claims that investigators possess a video recording showing ten black suitcases being loaded onto a plane in Moscow.

“The video shows how, during the flight, the luggage is opened—inside the suitcases are banknotes of €200 denomination,” the lawyer stated.

He further added that the recording captures the moment of landing at Zhulyany Airport and the transfer of seven out of the ten suitcases to a person whom the investigation identifies as Chuchkovskyi.

“The last words on the recording are: ‘Thank you! Have a successful election,'” Novikov added.

According to journalist sources, the investigation already has documentary evidence confirming the route of the money-filled suitcases, from their loading in Moscow to their final delivery in Kyiv.

A source explained that the video mentioned by Novikov was filmed by the individuals involved in the transport to document the exact amount of funds transferred.

“This is precisely why, aboard the plane, the Russians responsible for transportation opened the suitcases, checked their contents, and counted the money. To record the exact date of the transfer, they even showed a newspaper with the date March 28 on video,” the source said.

Investigators suspect that these funds may have been part of an unofficial payment for the privatization of a Ukrainian asset previously owned by the state.

“Given the timing—just before the first round of elections—it is not ruled out that the money was intended for Poroshenko’s election campaign,” the source stated.

Additionally, foreign intelligence agencies, including American ones, are involved in the investigation.

“They joined the case because the plane used for transportation belonged to a foreign company and had an international crew,” the source explained.