A new scandal is unfolding in Ukraine's financial and political sphere, concerning the qualifications of the head of the National Bank, Andriy Pyshnyy. The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has received a court order to begin an investigation into the possible forgery of documents regarding the higher education of the regulator's head. This decision was the result of the persistence of economist and expert analyst Boris Kushniruk, who succeeded in overturning the inaction of law enforcement officials through the Shevchenko District Court of Kyiv.
Court Ruling and Investigative Obligation
On August 5, 2026, the Shevchenko District Court of Kyiv granted Boris Kushniruk's complaint regarding the inaction of the SBI in case No. 761/30566/26. The court ordered the agency to enter information about the possible offense into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations (URPI) and immediately commence investigative actions. The court ruling contains a critically important formulation: the expert's statement contains sufficient information that may indicate the commission of a criminal offense. This legally removes the question of the expediency of the check and moves the situation into the realm of mandatory investigation.
Archival Materials and the Forgery Theory
The reason for the appeal to law enforcement agencies was the materials of criminal case No. 1-P-7/07, found in the paper archive of the Zarechny District Court of Sumy. In documents dated 2007, the issue was the possible official forgery of documents regarding training at the Sumy branch of the "University of Modern Knowledge." According to Kushniruk's version, officials of the educational institution issued documents for three people who did not actually study there. In the unseparated paper copy of the court document, Andriy Pyshnyy was mentioned. On July 6, 2026, two rulings of the Zarechny District Court of Sumy dated May 21, 2007, were published in the Unified State Register of Court Decisions, where surnames were hidden, but the expert is confident in identifying Pyshnyy based on dates and the list of documents, in particular, the protocol of an individual interview dated July 26, 2002.
Legal Consequences and Threat of Resignation
According to the expert's assessment, the described circumstances may fall under Articles 358 and 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — forgery or use of forged documents and fraud. However, the final legal qualification must be established by investigators. Moreover, Article 18 of the Law "On the National Bank of Ukraine" requires the head of the NBU to have a full higher education or a scientific degree in the field of economics or finance. Establishing the fact of providing false information during the appointment may become grounds for his dismissal. Kushniruk also noted that the materials indicate that Pyshnyy personally appealed with a request to provide the diploma in a shortened term, which refutes the version that he "knew nothing."
Call to Parliament and Political Resonance
The expert appealed to the People's Deputies, reminding them that in 2022, 290 parliamentarians voted for Pyshnyy's appointment as head of the NBU. He called on the Verkhovna Rada to create a temporary investigative commission, summon the head of the NBU to parliament, demand the documents submitted during his appointment, and consider the issue of expressing no confidence in the head of the National Bank. "The court has done its job. Now it is the turn of the SBI, parliament, and the president," concluded the economist, pointing to the need for a political reaction to the results of the judicial proceedings.
