Yanukovych's son's money in a "locker": ARMA ignores the law and court decisions
Kyiv • UNN
The ARMA is not complying with the court decision on the seized UAH 110.3 million belonging to Oleksandr Yanukovych. The funds are lying on the account of the State Treasury instead of working for the benefit of the Ukrainian economy.
For several years now, the Asset Recovery and Management Agency has not been complying with a court decision regarding the seized 110.3 million hryvnias of the son of fugitive former President Viktor Yanukovych, Oleksandr. The head of the ARMA, Olena Duma, who tries almost every day to prove her effectiveness for the state, has not changed the situation either, and these funds are still not working for the benefit of the Ukrainian economy, UNN writes.
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Back in May 2021, the Pecherskyi District Court of Kyiv transferred to the management of the ARMA UAH 110.3 million that had been seized in the criminal proceedings against Oleksandr Yanukovych, who is suspected of financing terrorism.
By law, the ARMA is obliged to keep the funds by placing them on a deposit account opened with a state bank. However, in this situation, for some reason, the Agency is not complying with the court decision and its own law, leaving Yanukovych's son's money in a deposit account opened with the State Treasury Service.
The ARMA is doing the same with regard to other money that is being investigated in this criminal proceeding. Thus, the money of the fugitive former president Yanukovych's family is effectively frozen, just sitting in an account like a storage room, waiting to be returned to the owner.
In a comment to UNN, lawyer Andriy Potemkin noted that these funds could work in favor of Ukraine if the head of the ARMA, Olena Duma, effectively fulfilled her duties.
If ARMA had complied with the court's decision and its own law, this money would have been used by a state bank for four years and would have benefited the Ukrainian economy. Olena Duma could have purchased military bonds with Yanukovych's money and thus turned it into revenues for the state budget of Ukraine. Speaking in the language of defense procurement, 110 million hryvnias is 870 DJI Mavic 3E drones or 560 DJI Mavic 3T drones
Such inaction on the part of ARMA not only violates court decisions and the laws of Ukraine, but also raises serious questions about the potential political involvement of the agency's head, Olena Duma. After all, it is possible that she is simply playing along with pro-Russian politicians once again.
The incident calls into question the effectiveness of Olena Duma's leadership, as well as her ability to properly manage the agency, which was supposed to be an important tool in the fight against corruption and management of seized assets.
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There have been repeated statements about the alleged cooperation of ARMA Head Olena Duma with pro-russian politicians. Former MP Ihor Mosiychuk even called Olena Duma a "state Duma" because, in his opinion, she works more in the interests of the aggressor country than in favor of Ukraine. In particular, there are suspicions of her cooperation with former traitor MP Viktor Medvedchuk, as well as fugitive Yanukovych minister Oleksandr Klymenko.
Recently, a petition was posted on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine calling for the dismissal of Olena Duma as head of the ARMA due to her alleged ties to pro-Russian politicians and ineffective management of seized assets.
In order for the petition to be considered by the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, it must receive 25,000 votes in 90 days.
