Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Oleg Tatarov, has become the subject of a Reuters article on corruption in Ukraine

The former executive director of “Ukrstroy” has claimed the transfer of bribes through the current deputy chairman of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Oleg Tatarov.

International agency Reuters has published an article reminding about corruption scandals involving the deputy head of the Office of the President, Oleg Tatarov.

He is accused of bribery and manipulation. Due to his influence on the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, he has been referred to as the “green cardinal.”

The corresponding article about corruption scandals appeared on the Reuters website today, September 19. It is titled “Accusations of Corruption Continue to Haunt Zelensky’s Top Aides.”

At the beginning of the article, editors quote former executive director of “Ukrstroy,” Oleg Mayboroda. He told the agency that during his tenure, he transferred bribes for the approval of construction projects through the current deputy head of the Office of the President, Tatarov.

Mayboroda, during an interview with the agency in Vienna, where he is hiding from criminal prosecution for corruption, stated that bribes were channeled through Tatarov from 2014 to 2019. Tatarov’s contacts with the police, courts, and prosecution made him an ideal intermediary. However, he did not provide evidence. Additionally, he regularly received instructions from former MP and developer Maxim Mikitas to hand over specific sums of cash to Tatarov.

In response, Mikitas accused Mayboroda of “false testimony” and behaving “like a cornered animal” after being accused of corruption himself. He claimed that Tatarov’s contacts and influence were “greatly exaggerated.”

During the interview, Mayboroda claimed that Tatarov either collected cash payments himself or sent a driver to do so. Tatarov accounted for the money as expenses for construction projects.

The former executive director of “Ukrstroy” also showed Reuters a list of bribes, recorded in an electronic spreadsheet, totaling $1.8 million, paid to Tatarov. He also presented three signed receipts that match the entries in the list. He stated that Tatarov had signed them, and the list of bribes came from “Ukrstroy” accounts. The agency notes that it was unable to verify this information.

“Mayboroda’s statements could fuel a scandal that continues to haunt President Volodymyr Zelensky even during wartime: allegations from political opponents and anti-corruption activists that influential individuals have shielded Tatarov from prosecution,” the agency reports.

It is noted in the article that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Tatarov himself have not responded to detailed questions for the article. Details regarding this matter are not provided. The agency also mentioned another scandal involving “trading in positions” involving Andriy Yermak’s brother.

“Today, Yermak is often seen with Zelensky at government meetings and public events. Among foreign diplomats, he is known as the ‘green cardinal’ due to his influence and his adoption of the same military-style clothing as his boss,” the article states.

It should be recalled that Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Oleg Tatarov took up this post in August 2020 by the decree of President Volodymyr Zelensky. At the time, the decision faced sharp criticism from civil activists, journalists, as well as lawyers and relatives of the deceased Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred. Zelensky himself stated that Tatarov should not be considered “old power” simply because he served in the Ministry of Internal Affairs during the Yanukovych era.

In 2020, it became known that the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) was investigating a case against Tatarov related to his possible involvement in falsifying expertise in the case of former MP and developer Maxim Mikitas.

In December 2020, it was also revealed that NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) had prepared suspicions against Tatarov, but Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, Iryna Venediktova, removed the prosecutors overseeing the case. Following this, civil activists staged a protest in front of the President’s Office, demanding the dismissal of Venediktova, Andriy Yermak, and Tatarov from their positions.

Tatarov has also been accused of blocking the appointment of a new head of the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), Alexander Klimenko. While working at NABU, Klimenko investigated Tatarov’s involvement in irregularities in housing construction for the National Guard.

The law enforcement sector, for which Tatarov is responsible in the Office of the President, has raised the most questions among international partners, who are dissatisfied with the absence and quality of reforms in law enforcement agencies.