Corruption in the Supreme Court: what is known about the alleged suspects
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have announced new allegations. Details of the alleged suspects were published by the media, citing sources within law enforcement agencies.
On 19 May, NABU and SAPO announced an expansion of the circle of suspects in the Supreme Court corruption case.
According to the investigation, three serving Supreme Court judges and one retired Supreme Court judge have been placed under new suspicion.
The anti-corruption agencies stated that these individuals, whilst serving as judges of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court, received unlawful benefits for issuing a ruling in the interests of the owner of the “Finance and Credit” group.
Officially, NABU and the SAPO have not named the new suspects.
According to media reports citing sources in law enforcement agencies, the individuals in question are likely to be current Supreme Court judges Zhanna Yelenina, Irina Grigorieva and Igor Zhelezny, as well as retired Supreme Court judge Oleksandr Prokopenko.
The case concerning shares in the Poltava Mining and Processing Plant
According to the NABU and the SAPO, in 2002 a Ukrainian businessman acquired 40.19% of the shares in the Poltava Mining and Processing Plant from four companies.
Eighteen years later, the former shareholders filed a claim with the commercial court. They sought to have the securities purchase agreement declared invalid and to reclaim their shares in Poltava Mining and Processing Plant.
The court of first instance dismissed the claims.
In 2022, the Court of Appeal overturned this decision and declared the securities purchase agreement invalid.
According to the investigation, in order to prevent the loss of shares, in early March 2023 the businessman conspired with a lawyer from the so-called back office at the Supreme Court.
Between March and April 2023, the businessman transferred US$2.7 million to the lawyer.
On 19 April 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the businessman. Following this, according to the investigation, in May 2023, US$1.8 million was distributed among the President and judges of the Supreme Court.
What happened earlier in the Knyazev case
On 15 May 2023, the then-President of the Supreme Court and the lawyer were caught in the act of receiving a second tranche of illicit benefits amounting to US$450,000.
The case against the former senior official is currently being heard by the High Anti-Corruption Court.
In July 2023, the businessman himself was notified of the suspicion.
In September 2025, a person was charged with aiding and abetting the transfer of funds by the owner of the “Finance and Credit” group to the head and judges of the Supreme Court, according to the investigation.
On 15 October 2025, the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court granted permission for a special pre-trial investigation into the case of the owner of the “Finance and Credit” group.
The NABU and the SAPO stated that the new charges against the judges became possible following the receipt of significant additional evidence, which the anti-corruption authorities consider sufficient to bring these individuals to criminal justice.
The investigation into the case is ongoing.
What is known about Zhanna Yelenina
Zhanna Yelenina has been a judge of the Cassation Criminal Court within the Supreme Court since May 2019.
Between 2010 and 2019, she served as a judge at the High Specialised Court of Ukraine for Civil and Criminal Cases.
Yelenina was a member of the panel of 18 judges of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court, which heard the case concerning the shares of Poltava Mining and Processing Plant.
In 2023, as part of the Knyazev case, a search was carried out at Yelenina’s flat. During the search, US$177,750 and €10,000 in cash were found.
Of this sum, the investigation preliminarily identified US$50,000 as part of an unlawful benefit.
The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) seized precisely these US$50,000, but refused to seize the remaining US$127,750 and €10,000.
In 2024, the High Council of Justice opened disciplinary proceedings against Yelenina. At the same time, according to published reports, the judge herself stated that she had the status of a witness in the Knyazev case.
What is known about Iryna Hryhorieva
Irina Grigorieva has been a judge of the Criminal Cassation Court within the Supreme Court since 2017.
She has been a judge for over 30 years.
In 2023, Grigorieva was also implicated in a case linked to the former head of the Supreme Court, Vsevolod Knyazev.
During a search of her home, $50,000 was found. According to previously published reports, detectives identified these funds as part of a bribe intended for Knyazev and other Supreme Court judges.
It was also reported that Grigorieva withdrew her appeal against the decision to seize the $50,000 found in her possession as part of the Knyazev case.
In 2024, the High Council of Justice opened disciplinary proceedings against Grigorieva, but no decision had been made at the time of publication.
It was also reported that the judge had attempted to resign, but the High Council of Justice suspended the proceedings due to a suspected breach.
What is known about Ihor Zhelezny
Igor Zhelezny has been a judge of the Administrative Court of Cassation within the Supreme Court since 2019.
Prior to this, he served as a judge at the Mykolaiv District Administrative Court.
Zheleznyy had previously faced questions regarding his alleged involvement in questionable decisions and assets of dubious origin.
It was also reported that for 2025, Zheleznyy declared nearly 4 million UAH in earnings from the Supreme Court, over 4.3 million UAH in cash assets, and a further 1.8 million UAH in assets held by his wife.
According to the same data, in 2025 he gifted his wife 1.2 million hryvnias.
What is known about Oleksandr Prokopenko
Oleksandr Prokopenko is a retired judge of the Supreme Court.
He previously worked at the Administrative Court of Cassation, which forms part of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court officially announced that on 24 September 2024, the High Council of Justice accepted Oleksandr Prokopenko’s resignation from the post of Supreme Court judge.
The Assembly of Judges of the Administrative Court of Cassation within the Supreme Court twice elected Prokopenko to the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court.
In the past, there were questions regarding Prokopenko’s possible use of his official position for personal gain, in particular the privatisation of official accommodation.
It was also reported that in 2014 he purchased an expensive car at a suspiciously low price.
Why the case is important
The case began with the exposure of the then-President of the Supreme Court in May 2023, but following new allegations, its scope has expanded to include the possible involvement of other judges of the Grand Chamber.
The official position of NABU and the SAPO is that the new allegations became possible following the acquisition of additional evidence.
At the same time, the names of the alleged suspects have not yet been confirmed by official statements from the anti-corruption authorities.
NABU specifically emphasises that a person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven in accordance with the law and established by a court conviction.
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