The head of one of the leading investment companies in the Ukrainian market, Concorde Capital, Ihor Mazepa, has announced collection for the bail appointed for the former head of the board of NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy, Andriy Kobolev, by appeal of the High Anti-Corruption Court.

"All the funds raised - and UAH 229.248 million need to be collected by Monday, on March 6 will go to bail for the biggest enemy of the Russian gas monopoly and the bright manager of Naftogaz, Andriy Kobolev," he wrote on his Facebook page.

"After the misunderstanding in the form of a lawsuit against Kobolev, these funds will be returned to everyone who joined and wished them back. Alternatively, the funds can be sent to the Come Back Alive fund," Mazepa added.

As reported, on January 19, 2023, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) notified Kobolev of suspicion of abuse of office while embezzling UAH 229 million in bonuses for the company's victory in the Stockholm Arbitration against Russia's Gazprom. According to the investigation, this amount significantly exceeds the normatively determined amounts of such payments (UAH 37.48 million).

The High Anti-Corruption Court refused the prosecutor to elect the ex-head of Naftogaz a measure of restraint in the form of detention with an alternative of a bail of UAH 365 million, but the SAPO appealed this decision. On March 1, the court's Chamber of Appeal overturned the decision of the court of first instance to refuse to apply a preventive measure and set a bail in the amount of UAH 229.248 million. The suspect must deposit the funds within five days of the announcement of the decision.