The High Anti-Corruption Court (HAC) selected a pre-trial measure in the form of detention for Serhiy Kuts — the driver of Serhiy Kropyva, Deputy Head of the International Cooperation Department of the Office of the Prosecutor General. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the court hearing broadcast. The decision on Kuts was made within the same criminal case as the other defendants in the 'Carthage' case, and followed immediately after the court took Olyzhaveta Ivakhnenko into custody on the morning of September 7.
Pre-trial measure and bail conditions
The prosecutor sought a custodial sentence for Kuts with the possibility of posting bail of 20 million hryvnia. However, the court set an alternative bail at a significantly lower amount — 3 million hryvnia. In the event it is posted, Kuts is required to fulfill the procedural obligations established by the court: surrender his passports for travel abroad and comply with a ban on communicating with certain defendants in the case, including Serhiy Kropyva and Olyzhaveta Ivakhnenko.
The role of 'Comrade' according to the investigation
According to the investigation, Kuts, referred to as 'Comrade' in NABU recordings, was a member of a criminal organization linked to Serhiy Kropyva. The prosecutor stated that the driver carried out Kropyva's instructions, was aware of his contacts, and could have been involved in the transfer of funds. The investigation also links him to the legalization of assets. Kuts is charged with participation in a criminal organization and the legalization of property obtained through criminal means; according to the investigation, he could have been involved in the group from October 2025 to September 2026.
Context of the 'Carthage' operation
On September 4, NABU and the SAP announced the 'Carthage' special operation. According to the investigation, this concerns a criminal organization linked to the 'protection' of fraudulent call centers and the legalization of illegally obtained property: the participants, according to the investigation, received undue advantage in exchange for not obstructing the operation of the call centers, and the proceeds were legalized through property, accounts of close relatives, and the re-registration of assets. On the same day, detectives detained Serhiy Kropyva, whom the investigation considers one of the key defendants. On September 6, the HAC took Kropyva into custody until November 2, setting an alternative bail of 120 million hryvnia. Against the backdrop of the investigation, Prosecutor General Ruslan Khrachenko stated that he has no connection to the shielding of illegal call centers, and reported internal investigations and suspensions.
Defense's position
The defense denies the charges. Kuts's lawyers stated that there is no evidence of his involvement in the 'protection' of call centers or in obtaining undue advantage. Thus, the case remains at the investigation stage, and the charges brought are the investigation's version, which must be confirmed or refuted in the court proceedings.
Contradictory data
The case materials contain inconsistencies in the bail figures. For Kuts, the prosecutor sought bail of 20 million hryvnia, whereas the court effectively set an alternative of 3 million hryvnia — a sevenfold difference between the prosecution's position and the court's decision. A similar gap is observed in Kropyva's case: the prosecutors sought bail of 200 million hryvnia, while the court set 120 million. Moreover, all charges against the defendants, including Kuts, remain at the stage of the investigative version: the defense directly denies involvement, and Prosecutor General Khrachenko rejects any link to illegal activity, noting that mentions in NABU recordings do not in themselves confirm the allegations made.
