Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau registered criminal proceedings involving former footballer, head coach of Kyiv’s "Dynamo" and Kyiv City Council member Oleksandr Shovkovskyi. The case concerns possible extortion of $250,000 from the owner of a shooting range facility in Kyiv, former MP Anatolii Pysarenko, UNN reports.
"In response to media inquiries, we provide information regarding the circumstances surrounding the registration of criminal proceedings against a Kyiv City Council member and former coach of the football club "Dynamo." On August 13, 2026, the National Bureau received a ruling from an investigating judge of the High Anti-Corruption Court obliging the Bureau’s authorized officials to enter into the Unified Register of Pretrial Investigations information from a report dated July 21 concerning possible extortion of funds on an especially large scale under martial law," the NABU stated.
In compliance with the court’s decision, NABU detectives entered the relevant information into the Unified Register of Pretrial Investigations that same day, with the preliminary legal classification under Part 4 of Article 189 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (extortion causing property damage on an especially large scale, or committed by an organized group or under martial law or a state of emergency, or combined with the infliction of grievous bodily harm).
The article provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 7 to 12 years.
"Since, pursuant to Part 5 of Article 216 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, the investigation of this criminal offense does not fall under the jurisdiction of the National Bureau, on August 25, 2026, a prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office issued a resolution assigning jurisdiction to the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kyiv," the NABU added.
Addendum
According to the HACC ruling dated August 12, the court received a complaint regarding the inaction of authorized officials of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, consisting in their failure to enter information about a criminal offense into the Unified Register of Pretrial Investigations.
The complaint states that former "Dynamo" coach and Kyiv City Council member Oleksandr Shovkovskyi and his wife Maryna Kutiiepova unlawfully extorted $250,000, combined with Shovkovskyi’s use of his influence over law enforcement and prosecutorial officials with the aim of initiating criminal prosecution as a means of coercing the transfer of funds.
According to media reports, the case concerns basement premises in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi District.
In 2021, former MP and weightlifter Anatolii Pysarenko, through his own company "Express Plant," which is engaged in leasing and operating its own or leased real estate, leased part of a building at 10 Shapovala Street in Kyiv to the company "Tactica," 33.3% of which is owned by Shovkovskyi’s wife. The lease agreement was signed for 10 years, and the basement premises were intended to house a shooting range.
Shovkovskyi claims that the range has not operated for approximately six months because, despite the long-term agreement and 10-year lease, the building was resold.
"After the ownership changed, our electricity was cut off and access to the premises was blocked. It is important to mention one more thing. When we took over the premises, they were effectively in an emergency condition. That is why we agreed on a 10-year lease—to have the opportunity to invest in a fully-fledged shooting range. As a result, we carried out a complete capital renovation and essentially created the range from scratch. A great deal of money, effort and time was invested in the project. Many of you were there and know how it operated," Shovkovskyi wrote, publishing photos of the range’s condition before the lease.
He added that for six months he had repeatedly tried to reach an agreement and find a civilized solution.
"Unfortunately, none of the attempts produced results—instead of dialogue, we encountered aggression and an unwillingness to resolve the issue. Many military personnel trained at our range. We conducted instruction and training sessions and worked with equipment and weapons. It was important to me that this place continue operating. Unfortunately, the range is currently not functioning.
After all attempts to reach an agreement peacefully failed, we had to file a statement with the police and prosecutor's office regarding possible fraudulent actions. A significant number of investigative actions have already been carried out, and notices of suspicion have also been served. I cannot comment on the details for now, as the investigation is ongoing. And despite everything, I still hope that the owner of the premises will want to get in touch and that we will be able to settle this matter peacefully—as it should be, both legally and humanely," Shovkovskyi wrote.
The basement was in a neglected condition, and, as stated by the shooting range, "in exchange for the use of the premises, we carried out extensive repair and restoration work there at our own expense, invested substantial funds, effectively brought the premises out of an emergency condition, and significantly improved them."
"After that, the property was sold in a completely different condition from the one in which we received it. At the same time, our property remained on the premises: specialized furniture with armored glass, machines, equipment, and other items belonging to our business. Our access to the premises was blocked, and our property has still not been returned to us. To this day, we do not know where all our belongings are, what condition they are in, or what is happening to them," the shooting range stated.
According to media reports, in March 2023, Pysarenko terminated the lease agreement and re-registered the lease to his individual entrepreneur status. In April 2023, a 10-year sublease agreement with "Tactika" was concluded, notarized, and the right was state-registered.
In May 2025, Pysarenko, acting as an individual entrepreneur, unilaterally terminated the lease agreement. Pysarenko refused a request to return the investments made in the shooting range.
In July 2026, Pysarenko filed a lawsuit with the Commercial Court against Tactika LLC, asking it to be ordered to restore the basement to its previous condition at its own expense by completely dismantling the installed instruments, devices, equipment, and other improvements to the premises.
In substantiating his claims, Pysarenko referred to the defendant's improper performance of its obligations to dismantle removable improvements (instruments, devices, and equipment permanently installed in the leased premises), as well as to transfer all improvements to the plaintiff after termination of Sublease Agreement No. 1 for part of the premises dated March 4, 2023, concluded between the parties.
Ultimately, the court ruled to accept the statement of claim for consideration and open proceedings in the case.
It should be noted that in 2001, Pysarenko, who has been on the Entity List blacklist of the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security since 2011 as a citizen of the United Kingdom, through the American company "A.P. Financing," which is the founder of another company owned by Pysarenko—Vital-Ter LLC, purchased a 206.00-square-meter rehabilitation center building located on Trukhaniv Island, which was subsequently demolished.
After that, without permits, including without a decision by the Kyiv City Council to allocate the land plot, a new residential real estate property with an area of more than 1,000 square meters was built and illegally registered.
The area around the house has been fenced off, thus restricting Kyiv residents' access to part of the island and the Dnipro River.
The Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office of the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office filed a lawsuit with the Commercial Court of Kyiv seeking to remove obstacles to the use and disposal of an almost 0.5-hectare water-fund land plot on Trukhaniv Island in Kyiv by demolishing the illegally constructed real estate.
"I publicly spoke about the conflict surrounding the shooting range with Anatolii Pysarenko back in March. My post about the situation is published so that everyone can familiarize themselves with the background. I reject the accusations of extortion and using connections in law enforcement agencies. The document accompanying them confirms the registration of proceedings pursuant to a court ruling. It does not establish the truth of the accusations. Reviewing a statement does not yet make the version set out in it a proven fact," Shovkovskyi wrote on Facebook.
He noted that behind this story lies a specific property dispute with Anatoliy Pysarenko.
"The rights of the company co-owned by my wife must be protected under the law. Contacting law enforcement agencies in itself does not prove abuse of influence. I regard this publication as an attempt to discredit me as a public figure and Kyiv City Council deputy and, through my name, to exert pressure on the company co-owned by my wife and on the investigation. I see no other explanation for such information activity at this particular time. Personal attacks regarding my career and "moral qualities" only reinforce this impression. Deliberately substituting assumptions for evidence and exploiting readers' trust in a property dispute is unworthy. This applies both to those organizing such attacks and to those knowingly disseminating them. I support an independent investigation into all the circumstances. I thank everyone who checks the facts and does not allow their trust to be manipulated," Shovkovskyi added.
Let us remind you
In November 2025, Oleksandr Shovkovskyi was dismissed from the position of head coach of Kyiv's "Dynamo." Ihor Kostiuk, the coach of "Dynamo" U19, was appointed acting head coach.