President of the Bogdan corporation, ex-first deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleh Hladkovsky intends to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) because of the "systemic political persecution of his family and companies, which were or are part of the corporation," the corporation's website reported on Thursday.

"He was forced to take such a step by legal lawlessness, the signs of which are constantly present in the actions of state structures working in a biased manner and pursuing primarily a media result," the press service said.

Hladkovsky will claim a violation of Article 18 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits political persecution.

"The president of the Bogdan corporation believes that over the years of persecution, the manual control of law enforcement agencies and courts by the power vertical in Ukraine is clearly visible," the message says.

At the same time, the press service focuses on the fact that at the demonstration events of the current government, the production equipment of the enterprises of the Bogdan corporation is used to demonstrate the achievements in strengthening the defense capability of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which, according to the company, causes at least bewilderment against the background of procedural pressure.

As reported with reference to a source in the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI), searches were carried out on Wednesday, including in the divisions of the auto company Bogdan Motors [combines two factories of the corporation in Cherkasy and Lutsk] within the framework of criminal proceedings on the facts of the purchase by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine military equipment, equipment and services of inadequate quality (including ambulances Bogdan 2251 and off-road vehicles Bogdan (MAZ) 63172).

Earlier, Hladkovsky announced his intention to sue the National Anti-Corruption Bureau because of "the persecution of his family."

As reported, on February 25, 2019, a team of journalists from Bihus.info (the Nashi.Groshi project) aired an investigative video report claiming that Ihor Hladkovsky, the son of First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, together with Vitaliy Zhukov and Andriy Rohoza, through bogus firms delivered contraband Russian spare parts or parts from Ukrainian military units to Ukrainian defense enterprises at prices inflated two to four times higher than the purchase price. According to the journalists, the embezzlement is estimated at least UAH 250 million.

The investigative journalists say that Hladkovsky, who formerly was a business partner of incumbent President Petro Poroshenko, the ex-head of Ukrspecexport and head of Ukroboronprom Pavlo Bukin, as well as directors and other officials of the state-owned defense concern were involved. The journalists' investigation says the suspect deals were organized using three main fictitious firms, and that one of them allegedly was the Kuznya on Rybalsky Shipbuilding Plant, which was then owned by Poroshenko.

On the morning of April 26, 2021, Hladkovsky came at the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, where he was served with an indictment for further consideration of the case in court.