The Holosiyiv District Court of Kyiv decided to extend the preventive measure in the form of detention for another two months for former employees of the state security of Ukraine Andrii Huk and Oleksandr Derkach. They are accused of treason, terrorist acts and illegal possession of weapons, including the attempt on the head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kyryll Budanov.
At the beginning of the meeting, the lawyers of the suspects filed a motion to dismiss the secretary and the prosecutor, but both motions were rejected. Instead, the prosecution demanded that the suspects be kept in custody, stating that they could hide from the investigation, influence witnesses and commit new crimes.
Lawyers called this motion “prejudiced” and asked the court to change the preventive measure to house arrest or bail.
Derkach, in turn, stated that the arguments voiced by the prosecutor were “unproven”:
“He did not prove it. He did not suggest that I could commit illegal acts. I did not see any evidence in the petition, only assumptions and a word that I could do it. I was offered a deal, I refused the Russian exchange. Please apply house arrest or bail”.
Hook also opposed the request of the prosecutor’s office and noted that he “supports the defense counsel in removing the arrest”. After listening to both sides, the court satisfied the request of the prosecutor and kept the suspects in SIZO for another two months. The next meeting is scheduled for October 27.
According to the investigation, Huk, who was responsible for the security of high-ranking officials during foreign trips, was involved in an attempt on the head of the State Administration of Ukraine Kyryl Budanov and delivered a drone and explosives to Odessa to blow up his house. Derkach, according to the investigators, passed information on the supply of foreign weapons to Ukraine, personnel changes in the Armed Forces and other information about the defense sphere, obtained by him during his service in the state guard, to the Russian special services through Huk.
