Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan links the suspicion of embezzlement announced by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) with reforms he is conducting, the coming elections in the country and a case against former MP Mykola Martynenko, which NABU detectives have been investigating into for several years.

"My greetings, the elections have begun...," the minister wrote on his Facebook page, commenting on the suspicion of embezzlement 10 years ago handed over to him at 08:40 on Thursday, the "use or purchase" of a car for a brother and the non-declaration of residence in the house within two weeks in 2016."

"In fact: by a strange coincidence, it was opened right after my visit to the Martynenko trial," Omelyan said. He together with Minister of Sports Ihor Zhdanov and deputies from the People's Front in April 2017 vouched for Martynenko in court.

According to the minister, within a year and a half, the NABU checked his mail, messengers, conducted searches and interviews with acquaintances, relatives and friends.

"A lot of time and taxpayers' money has been spent for the sole purpose of declaring suspicion to the minister. If these are the greatest "crimes" that could be incriminated to me during my tenure as minister, then I am not ashamed to look at either our citizens, foreign partners, or the country," Omelyan said.

At the same time, he recalled that in Ukrzaliznytsia more than UAH 15 billion "disappears without a trace" every year. He also recalled about the resistance to the entry of Ryanair airline to the Ukrainian market, the signing of contracts for the delivery of GE diesel locomotives and the holding of tenders for dredging works.