The SBI appealed with the request to the court to limit the time for familiarization with the "coal case" to the defendants in the proceeding and the defense side

The SBI appealed with the request to the court to limit the time for familiarization with the case to the 5-th President of Ukraine, currently the People's Deputy of Ukraine, who is suspected by the State Bureau of Investigation of committing high treason and promoting the activities of terrorist organizations.

In particular, the investigators of the State Bureau of Investigation have sent to the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv a petition to establish a term for the suspected current and former People's Deputies of Ukraine and a senior executive of the coal sector, as well as their defense lawyers, to get familiarized with the pre-trial investigation materials.

On September 2, 2022, the SBI completed the investigation of criminal proceeding on the organization of a criminal scheme for the supply of coal from the temporarily occupied territories and the assistance to the terrorist organizations «Luhansk people's republic» and «Donetsk people's republic» by a group of citizens of Ukraine for a total amount of about 1.5 billion hryvnias.

At the same time, the materials of the proceeding were handed over to the defense side and the suspects for familiarization. However, the suspects, in particular the current People's Deputy of Ukraine, abuse their procedural rights and do not appear to familiarize themselves with the materials of the proceeding.

It should be reminded, that the 5-th President of Ukraine is suspected of acting by prior conspiracy of a group of persons, including representatives of the top officials of the russian federation, contributed to the activities of terrorist organizations «Luhansk people's republic» and «Donetsk people's republic».

In September-November 2021, another former People's Deputy of Ukraine and the Minister of Energy of Ukraine were served notifications of suspicion in that proceeding.

They are suspected of buying coal from the temporary occupied territories of Donetsk and Lugansk regions for public funds. According to the investigation, by their actions, the defendants in the proceedings made the energy sector of Ukraine dependent on the russian federation and terrorist organizations. This, in turn, undermined the economic security of the state in 2014-2015, deprived of opportunities for diversification of sources of energy resources, and also provided the russian federation with wider opportunities for further interference in the internal affairs of Ukraine and conduct subversive activities against it.

The proceeding was conducted under Part 1 and Part 3 of Article 258-5 (financing of terrorism), Part 1 of Article 111 (high treason) and Part 1 of Article 258-3 (assistance to the activities of a terrorist organization) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Sanctions of the articles provide for imprisonment for up to 15 years with or without confiscation of property.