The defense team of fugitive Ukrainian businessman Serhiy Kurchenko has challenged Judge Volodymyr Karaban after he started considering another motion for selecting preventive measure for Kurchenko.

"They asked for recusal of judge Karaban, who is considering a motion for choosing arrest as preventive measure for Kurchenko. The motivation is simple, the judge began to consider the motion before it was handed to the defense team, which looks like playing into the hand of the prosecution!" Kurchenko's lawyer Yuriy Sukhov wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday.

However, the defense lawyer said that the recusal of Judge Karaban is very unlikely and this judge will continue to examine the application.