On August 10, 2026, a High Anti-Corruption Court investigative judge partially granted a defense motion to modify the pre-trial restrictions placed on former Presidential Office head Andrii Yermak, according to the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPC). The ruling alters travel constraints tied to an ongoing corruption investigation while keeping his electronic monitoring device in place, as reported by TSN.ua.
Yermak, who faces allegations of legalizing criminally obtained assets during the construction of a private cottage community near Kyiv, sought permission to travel outside the capital region. The legal team argued that such mobility is necessary for his participation in a military support project. Prosecutors opposed the adjustment, maintaining that his existing duties did not hinder his role as project director, but the court ultimately approved a widened geographic footprint for the defense, according to Ukrayinska Pravda.
Travel Restrictions Adjusted for Military Support Work
Under the revised court order issued on August 10, 2026, the previous mandate requiring Yermak to remain within Kyiv and the Kyiv region without official permission has been replaced. He is now barred from leaving Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, and several specific frontline and rear regions without authorization from a detective, prosecutor, or court, as detailed by TSN.ua.
The expanded list of permitted areas includes Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Kherson oblasts. Additionally, the court granted Yermak the right to transit through other regions when moving between these approved territories. However, the investigative judge declined the defense team’s request to lift the requirement for an electronic monitoring bracelet, leaving the tracking device mandate intact, according to Ukrayinska Pravda.
Military Commanders’ Letters Prompt Court Review
The catalyst for the defense motion involved a series of simultaneous communications submitted to the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPC) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). According to TSN.ua, commanders of several military units sent closely aligned letters urging consideration for Yermak’s involvement in a legal aid initiative for service members.
Prosecutors argued during the hearing that Yermak functions as the director of the project rather than an attorney directly providing frontline legal assistance, suggesting that his prior geographic limits did not prevent him from managing the initiative. The court, nonetheless, weighed the military letters and decided to broaden his permitted travel corridors to accommodate the project’s operational demands, as noted by Ukrayinska Pravda.
Background of the Investigation and Prior Detention
The corruption case against Yermak dates back to May 2026, when anti-corruption authorities served him a formal notice of suspicion. Investigators assert that he is linked to the laundering of 460 млн грн, которые были потрачены на строительство имения в коттеджном поселке «Династия», расположенном в пгт Козин на Киевщине, according to TSN.ua.
Case files indicate the development featured four large estates spanning roughly 1,000 square meters each, with individual homes estimated at approximately 2 млн долл., а земельных участков под ними — в 6 млн долл. On May 14, 2026, the High Anti-Corruption Court originally ordered Yermak detained with bail set at 140 миллионов гривен. Following the ruling, Yermak stated he lacked the personal funds but relied on acquaintances to secure bail, leading to his release from a pre-trial detention facility on the morning of May 18, 2026, as reported by Ukrayinska Pravda.
Worth a look