In December 2024, obstetrician-gynecologist Mykola Kovalenko received a three-year prison sentence by Obolonsky Court of Kyiv in the case of the death of a newborn.

The defense insists on numerous violations during the investigation and trial, as well as on the fact that the doctor's actions complied with all medical protocols. The attorneys are currently preparing to appeal this sentence in the appellate court.

"Why do we consider this sentence unfair and absurd? The case materials stated that the doctor delayed the cesarean section by an hour, but in the same court and in many documents it was noted that he first saw the patient ten minutes before the cesarean section. How could he delay for an hour if he saw the patient ten minutes before the cesarean section? This is the most important argument," Director General of the Aist Medical Center and a geneticist Valeriy Zukin said during a briefing at Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday, December 24.

Medical Director of the healthcare facility Natalia Shemiakina, where the patient gave birth in May 2020, noted that there were no errors or violations in the provision of medical care. The care was timely and provided in full.

Doctor Mykola Kovalenko said this sentence is illegal and unfair, and will be appealed in the appellate court. He calls the case an example of how systemic problems in justice create threats to the entire medical community.

The doctor said during the pretrial investigation, very important evidence disappeared – glass slides with the maternal part of the placenta. This cannot be explained by chance, because the study of this particular part of the placenta could have shown at what stage the asphyxia occurred and the reasons for its occurrence. "We see the reason for such bias on the part of the court in the fact that the family that gave birth to us is directly related to the Russian oligarch Andrey Kosogov. This is my personal opinion. And all this information is in open sources of information. That is, after this event occurred, it was destined to find the 'guilty one.' First of all, we are counting on the fact that we live in a democratic country, where there is still a fair trial, and we are confident that Moscow's hand has not yet reached the appellate court. But, in addition, we hope that independent media will more thoroughly study and convey the objective situation to our public," Zukin said.

Representatives of the Leleka health center, where Dr. Kovalenko works, expressed their full support for their colleague and noted the need for an objective investigation.

The defense calls for an objective and impartial consideration of the case in the appellate court, as well as attention to the systemic problems threatening medical workers.