The Appeals Chamber (AC) of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) has authorized a special pre-trial investigation into three individuals in a case involving alleged abuse of the "green" tariff.
The court said on Facebook that on August 18, 2026, the AC reviewed a prosecutor's appeal against a May 28, 2026 ruling by a HACC investigating judge denying a special pre-trial investigation into a former deputy head of the Presidential Office, his close relative, and a former official of PJSC Zaporizhiaoblenergo.
"Following its review, the AC panel of judges granted the prosecutor's appeal, overturned the HACC investigating judge's ruling, and granted the motion to conduct a special pre-trial investigation into the suspects," the chamber said.
The ruling took effect upon its announcement and is not subject to cassation appeal.
The HACC Appeals Chamber noted that, according to the pre-trial investigation body, the individuals are suspected of organizing the seizure of funds on an especially large scale and their legalization (laundering), as well as actions aimed at concealing and disguising the illegal origin of those funds (alleged abuse of the "green" tariff).
As previously reported, the HACC announced on April 21, 2026, that it had ordered pretrial detention for former deputy head of the Presidential Office Rostyslav Shurma and his brother Oleh Shurma.
The HACC noted that these individuals are suspected of seizing funds intended for "green" tariff payments as part of an organized group acting in the interests of a number of commercial power-generating companies located in the temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhia region.
The earlier statement did not name the individuals involved. However, based on the case details provided, it referred to Rostyslav Shurma and Oleh Shurma, who were put on a wanted list in mid-February 2026.
Rostyslav Shurma, for his part, called the court's ruling "illegal, politically motivated, and issued in violation of basic legal procedure."
It was previously reported that law enforcement uncovered a scheme in January 2026 involving the theft of funds intended for "green" tariff payments by commercial power-generating companies in the temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhia region. There are nine suspects in the case in total. They include a former deputy head of the Presidential Office and former member of the supervisory board of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine, his brother, the owner of a network of Ukrainian and foreign companies, a trusted associate of the former senior official, managers and employees of the controlled companies, and the former commercial director of JSC Zaporizhiaoblenergo.
In 2019-2020, a former Donetsk regional council deputy and his brother took control of a number of companies generating electricity from alternative sources. In the Vasylivka district of Zaporizhia region, they built solar power plants with a total capacity of around 60 MW and signed agreements with the state enterprise Guaranteed Buyer to sell electricity at the "green" tariff.
After Russia's full-scale invasion and the occupation of part of Zaporizhia region, the solar plants lost connection to Ukraine's Unified Energy System, sustained damage, and their personnel were evacuated. Despite this, the companies controlled by the suspects continued to declare electricity generation and receive "green" tariff payments for it, even though no electricity was actually being fed into Ukraine's power grid.
They reported false data on generation volumes and the plants' technical readiness, including during periods of complete blackout. The proceeds were subsequently siphoned off through affiliated companies.
