Facts

U.S. charges against Kolomoisky may become grounds for opening NABU case – lawyer

It is impossible to automatically apply restrictive measures in Ukraine to Ihor Kolomoisky following the U.S. sanctions, but the opening of criminal proceedings against Kolomoisky for corruption crimes, the basis of which may be a statement by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, managing partner of the Sokolovsky law firm and partners Vladyslav Sokolovsky has said.

"Such criminal proceedings are under investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine. Other crimes can be investigated by the State Bureau of Investigation or the Security Service of Ukraine. Thus, our law enforcement agencies have the last word," he told Interfax-Ukraine on Friday.

The lawyer predicted that following the announced sanctions, based on the experience of applying previous sanctions packages, the oligarch's money would most likely be frozen, and real estate located in the United States would be seized. "It is difficult to automatically apply the same restrictive measures to Kolomoisky in Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian law on sanctions," Sokolovsky said.

According to him, it is possible to impose personal sanctions on Ukrainian citizens only for carrying out terrorist activities, as was the case with Viktor Medvedchuk and Taras Kozak.

"This reason is the only possible right option for applying significant restrictive measures to the citizens of our country without a court decision. Although Ihor Valerievych himself stated that he has several foreign passports. He is not officially deprived of Ukrainian citizenship. It will be extremely difficult bring him to justice under the law on sanctions," the lawyer said.

As reported, Blinken announced sanctions against businessman and former Ukrainian statesman Ihor Kolomoisky in connection with his involvement in major corruption, he and his immediate family are banned from entering the United States.

Blinken said that in his official status as the head of Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine from 2014 to 2015, Kolomoisky was involved in corrupt acts that undermined rule of law and the Ukrainian public's faith in their government's democratic institutions and public processes, including using his political influence and official power for his personal benefit.

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