President Volodymyr Zelensky does not feature in a major money-laundering investigation tied to the construction of a luxury residential compound outside Kyiv, Semen Kryvonos, the chief of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, said at a briefing on May 12.
"The president of Ukraine did not and does not appear within the framework of this pre-trial investigation. Other investigative versions regarding the ownership of certain assets are being verified within the framework of the pre-trial investigation. It is ongoing," Kryvonos said.
A sitting president is immune from prosecution under Ukrainian law.
Zelensky's former chief of staff has been charged with money laundering tied to the construction of a luxury residential compound outside Kyiv, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) said in a statement.
The chief of staff in question is Andriy Yermak.
A further six suspects were charged, with a law enforcement source telling the Kyiv Independent that a close associate of Zelensky, Timur Mindich, is among them.
In this particular case, the bureau and SAPO allege that over Hr 460 million ($8.9 million) was funneled via shell companies to build four elaborate mansions, each some 1,000 square meters in size, which are estimated to cost millions of dollars.
One of the luxury houses near Kyiv financed through the Energoatom corruption scheme was meant for Yermak, the source added.
Zelensky has so far made no statements, neither regarding the charges filed against his former chief of staff nor regarding himself.
Zelensky's advisor Dmytro Lytvyn told journalists that "it is too early to assess the ongoing procedural actions."
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