The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) stated that from the end of 2022 through 2026, the regulator’s relevant committee adopted more than 100 decisions concerning Sense Bank, while, based on the results of supervisory measures, 21 notifications were sent to law enforcement and other government authorities. UNN reports this, citing an official statement by the Board of the national financial regulator.
The NBU also expects the government, as the bank’s shareholder, to promptly complete the formation of the supervisory board and remove from their duties the employees mentioned in the information released by NABU.
Details
The Board of the National Bank reviewed a report by the Committee on Banking Supervision and Regulation and Oversight of Payment Infrastructure concerning supervisory actions regarding the state-owned Sense Bank during the period from 2022 to 2026. It emphasized that it supports the work of independent anti-corruption bodies and is interested in establishing all the circumstances of the case fully and impartially.
"The NBU Board supports the actions of independent anti-corruption bodies and is interested in establishing all the circumstances of the case fully and impartially. A necessary condition is the maximum openness of the parties within the law and without harm to the pretrial investigation," the NBU said in its published statement.
The National Bank separately explained the decision-making mechanism in the area of banking supervision. The powers related to licensing, supervision, and financial monitoring are exercised not by the regulator’s head alone, but by the relevant collegial body—the Committee on Banking Supervision and Regulation and Oversight of Payment Infrastructure. These powers were delegated to it by the NBU Board in accordance with the law.
After hearing the Committee’s detailed report, the NBU Board stated that the available materials, in its view, confirm the consistency of supervisory and regulatory actions concerning Sense Bank. The National Bank also noted that the regulator responded to new circumstances, including those subsequently made public by law enforcement authorities.
More than 100 decisions and 12 inspections
According to the NBU, from the end of 2022 through 2026, the relevant Committee adopted more than 100 decisions concerning Sense Bank. In addition, based on the results of supervisory measures, the regulator sent 21 notifications to law enforcement authorities, the State Tax Service, and the State Financial Monitoring Service.
During this period, the National Bank conducted three inspections concerning compliance with banking legislation, six inspections in the area of financial monitoring, as well as three inspections concerning compliance with sanctions and currency legislation. In total, this amounted to at least 12 inspections of various types.
The NBU announced previously unknown confidential minutes
The regulator’s statement devoted particular attention to an inspection that concluded in April 2025.
According to the National Bank, during the inspection, a substantial body of previously unknown confidential minutes of Sense Bank’s collegial bodies was discovered. The NBU informed law enforcement authorities about the documents. The regulator said that analysis of the materials is ongoing. In addition, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine is using these documents while formulating the state’s position in international arbitration in a case initiated by the bank’s former sanctioned owners.
The situation will be brought before the Financial Stability Council
Against the backdrop of recent events, the National Bank plans to initiate a separate review of the situation surrounding Sense Bank at the next meeting of the Financial Stability Council. The regulator also publicly addressed the government, which represents the state as the bank’s owner.
The NBU expects the Cabinet of Ministers to promptly complete the formation of Sense Bank’s supervisory board, as well as to suspend or otherwise remove from the performance of their duties the bank employees mentioned in the information published by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau.
For its part, the government announced on August 19 that it had decided to suspend the chair of the supervisory board of the state-owned Sense Bank from performing his duties and initiate the suspension of the bank's chair of the management board. The Cabinet of Ministers then stated that similar decisions should also be made regarding other bank officials mentioned in the pretrial investigation materials.
In addition, the NBU previously found Sense Bank Supervisory Board Chair Mykola Hladyshenko not to meet the independence requirements established by law and demanded that the state, as the shareholder, terminate his powers.
What is known about the NABU case
The National Bank's latest statement came amid an investigation by NABU and SAPO as part of the "Forrest Gump" special operation.
On August 19, anti-corruption agencies announced that they had exposed a group of individuals who, according to the investigation, organized the legalization of UAH 150 million in cash. According to detectives, the funds were put into legal circulation through the accounts of a number of companies so that bail could subsequently be posted for one of the defendants in the "Midas" case. In the media and case materials, these operations were linked to bail for former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.
According to NABU, among those appearing in the investigation are representatives of the Office of the President, former and incumbent members of parliament, as well as executives of a state-owned bank. The investigation alleges that accounts at Sense Bank and accounts of controlled companies were used to conduct the operations. These circumstances reflect the investigation's version of events, and the guilt of specific individuals must be established by a court.
According to the published data, UAH 50 million was transferred directly from accounts at Sense Bank to the account of the High Anti-Corruption Court: UAH 46 million from Hiran Construct LLC and UAH 4 million from Pellet Service LLC.
After this information emerged, the NBU stated that, as part of unscheduled inspections, it intended, in particular, to clarify the circumstances of possible interference with Sense Bank's automated system during the relevant operations, verify possible instructions from the bank's management to employees, and examine compliance with legislation in the area of financial monitoring.
What is known about the chair of Sense Bank's management board
On August 25, the High Anti-Corruption Court began considering the issue of a preventive measure for Sense Bank Management Board Chair Oleksii Stupak, who appears in the NABU and SAPO case.
The SAPO prosecutor asked the court to remand him in custody with an alternative bail amount of UAH 150 million. According to the prosecution, Stupak may have facilitated the use of part of the funds and actions aimed at concealing their origin. These are allegations made by the investigation, not guilt established by a court.
The bank had previously conducted its own audit
The situation surrounding Sense Bank had been developing even before the August events.
In May 2026, the bank's supervisory board initiated an internal audit after information emerged during a meeting of a parliamentary temporary investigative commission, in NABU investigation materials, and in journalistic publications related to the so-called "Mindich tapes."
On June 4, Sense Bank announced the completion of this review. According to the supervisory board, the audit had not established any instances of preferential treatment, the application of nonstandard service conditions, or violations of the bank's internal procedures concerning the individuals and companies mentioned in the relevant materials.
At the same time, the subsequent NABU and SAPO investigation in August led to the emergence of new circumstances and additional allegations against certain representatives of the bank's management.
Sense Bank is being prepared for sale
The events are taking place against the backdrop of preparations for the privatization of the state-owned Sense Bank.
At the beginning of August, the bank announced the creation of a separate working group tasked with preparing the financial institution for sale. Its responsibilities include analyzing the corporate governance system, financial statements, liabilities, capital structure, loan portfolio quality, and potential risks.
After the anti-corruption investigation materials were made public, the government instructed the Ministry of Finance to accelerate the process of selling Sense Bank. The Cabinet of Ministers stated that the procedure should be as transparent and competitive as possible, and that the proceeds from the sale were planned to be directed toward the needs of Ukraine's Defense Forces.
Sense Bank itself reported on August 21 that it continues to operate as usual, fulfill its obligations to customers, and prepare for an open competitive sale.
The NBU rejected accusations of unilateral influence
In its statement, the Board of the National Bank also separately responded to public criticism of the regulator's actions.
The NBU emphasized that it is ready for parliamentary oversight, substantive criticism, and scrutiny of its actions. The regulator has already sent a detailed report on its supervision of Sense Bank to the government and members of the Verkhovna Rada's Temporary Investigative Commission.
At the same time, the National Bank stated that regulatory decisions cannot be made under the influence of political pressure or based on unsubstantiated personal accusations.
"Regulatory decisions cannot be a response to political pressure or unsubstantiated personal accusations; they must be based exclusively on verified facts and the logic established by law," representatives of the national financial regulator insist.