In exchange for his release from pre-trial detention, the Ukrainian oligarch Kolomoisky decided to transfer ownership of 1+1 to his manager – a source

The decision by Ukrainian oligarch Igor Kolomoyskyi to transfer corporate rights of the media conglomerate 1+1 Media to the company’s CEO, Yaroslav Paholchuk, for a period of 5 years is seen as an unofficial start to negotiations for Kolomoyskyi’s release from pretrial detention into house arrest.

Ukrainian media outlets report this, citing a source close to the leadership of the “1+1” channel.

The transfer of the channel is one of the initial concessions made by Kolomoyskyi.

“Control over the channel is a key condition for moving Kolomoyskyi to house arrest. He has relinquished ownership of the channel and handed it over to Zelensky through Paholchuk for 5 years. Paholchuk collaborates closely with the President’s Office through the curator of the Unified Telemarathon, Vladyslav Matyash. All of this is part of the preparations for the elections scheduled for the spring of 2024. ‘1+1’ is the most powerful core of the Telemarathon. Moreover, if it ceases to exist, ‘1+1’ can become the primary broadcasting platform for the president during the elections,” the source explains.

In response to a follow-up question regarding other aspects of the negotiations for Kolomoyskyi’s transfer to house arrest, the source mentioned the “waiver of lawsuits related to the nationalization of Ukrnafta.”

Recall that the Shevchenkivskyi District Court in Kyiv recently rejected a request to change the pretrial restraint measure for businessman Igor Kolomoyskyi from full-time detention to round-the-clock house arrest.