The Supreme Court of Justice sentenced Viktor Yanukovych in absentia to 15 years in prison in the case of illegal land acquisition in the Kyiv region
On January 20, the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court passed a guilty verdict against the former president of Ukraine in the case of illegal appropriation of a forest fund land plot in the Kyiv region. The court sentenced him to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property. This was reported by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.
The law enforcement agency’s statement does not mention the name of the person involved, but the materials of the court proceedings indicate that it is Viktor Yanukovych. The court found that he illegally appropriated a 17.5-hectare land plot belonging to the forest fund and located on the territory of the Sukholutsk village council of the Vyshhorod district of the Kyiv region. The total value of this land exceeds 22 million hryvnias.
In addition to the main punishment, the court banned the former head of state from holding positions in state authorities and administration for a period of three years. A decision was also made to confiscate all property belonging to the convicted person.
The court found another participant in the case guilty of aiding and abetting and embezzling property in particularly large amounts in accordance with Part Five of Article 27 and Part Five of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. At the same time, he was released from serving his sentence due to the expiration of the statute of limitations for criminal liability. The identity of this defendant is not disclosed.
The verdict will enter into force in 30 days if it is not appealed. The pre-trial investigation in this case was initiated in 2014, and the materials were later transferred to the SAPO and NABU. Since all the defendants are wanted, the trial took place without their participation.
The investigation established that in 2007, while serving as Prime Minister, Viktor Yanukovych initiated the adoption of decisions that made it possible to transfer a state-owned land plot for development under a hotel and restaurant complex. Later, this facility was used for personal needs.
It is also reported that in December 2025, the Kyiv Court of Appeal rejected the appeals of Viktor Yanukovych’s defense and left unchanged the previous verdict in the case of incitement to desertion and illegal smuggling of persons across the state border, for which the ex-president was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
