Ukrainian billionaire Ihor Kolomoisky held in anti-corruption drive

One of Ukraine's astir almighty oligarchs is to beryllium held successful custody for 2 months connected suspicion of fraud and wealth laundering.

Ihor Kolomoisky is alleged to person transferred $14m (£11.1m) overseas implicit 7 years, utilizing banks helium controlled.

His lawyers accidental helium volition not station bail and volition entreaty against the tribunal order.

It marks the latest determination successful Ukraine's anti-corruption drive, which has targeted respective high-profile figures.

Local TV footage showed Mr Kolomoisky being led distant from a territory tribunal successful Kyiv dressed successful a bluish FC Dnipro tracksuit overgarment connected Saturday. His defence squad accidental helium is present being held astatine Ukraine's information work (SBU) office successful Kyiv.

"It was established that during 2013-2020, Ihor Kolomoisky legalized much than fractional a cardinal hryvnias ($14m) by withdrawing them overseas and utilizing the infrastructure of banks nether [his] control," the bureau said successful a statement.

In his regular evening video code connected Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared to allude to the lawsuit and said determination would beryllium nary instrumentality to "business arsenic accustomed for those who plundered Ukraine and enactment themselves supra the law".

"Each of america feels that this volition beryllium a Ukraine with antithetic rules," helium said.

Mr Zelensky cited the combat against corruption arsenic 1 of his main priorities erstwhile helium came to powerfulness successful 2019.

Since Russia's penetration successful February 2022, his medication has been anxious to item Ukraine's crackdown connected corruption - seen arsenic 1 of the cardinal tests the state would person to walk to articulation Western institutions similar the European Union.

Saturday's tribunal ruling against Mr Kolomoisky is not the archetypal determination against him.

The tycoon's location successful the south-eastern metropolis of Dnipro was raided successful February this twelvemonth arsenic portion of a abstracted probe into embezzlement and taxation evasion astatine the country's 2 largest lipid companies partially owned by him.

In 2021, the US placed him nether sanctions for alleged "significant corruption" during his clip arsenic politician of the wider Dnipropetrovsk region. He has denied immoderate wrongdoing.

Mr Kolomoisky is simply a affluent businessman progressive successful Ukrainian media, lipid and banking. His TV transmission gave Mr Zelensky his interruption with the drama bid Servant of the People, earlier helium backed the erstwhile actor's bid for the presidency.

Mr Zelensky faced accusations of acting arsenic Mr Kolomoisky's puppet during the predetermination campaign, including from rival and erstwhile president Petro Poroshenko.

But the Ukrainian person has repeatedly denied that Mr Kolomoisky has had immoderate power implicit the government.