Operation 'Forrest Gump': Irina Mudraya Received a Suspicion from NABU but Was Not Detained

Resonance Surrounding Operation 'Forrest Gump'

On August 19, 2026, an event occurred in Ukrainian political life that sparked a heated discussion in the media space. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), together with the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), conducted a large-scale operation under the code name 'Forrest Gump'. The focus was on current and former People's Deputies, as well as high-ranking officials of the President's Office. A key episode of the investigation was the activities of an organized group suspected of laundering 150 million hryvnias in cash. According to the prosecution, these funds passed through a network of controlled companies and were used to post bail for one of the figures in the high-profile 'Midas' case.

Speculation Regarding the Detention of Irina Mudraya

During the investigative actions, law enforcement officers conducted searches of several figures, including People's Deputy Vadym Stolar and former Deputy Head of the President's Office, Irina Mudraya. Immediately after the operation began, information appeared in the Telegram channel of People's Deputy Alexey Goncharenko stating that Mudraya had been detained and would spend the night in a pre-trial detention center. This message instantly went viral and caused a wide resonance in society. However, as later turned out, this information did not correspond to reality.

Contradictory Data

There is a clear contradiction between the statements of People's Deputy Alexey Goncharenko and the actual situation. Goncharenko claimed that Mudraya was detained and held in isolation, while lawyer Artem Krykun-Trush refuted this information. According to the lawyer, NABU detectives did indeed present Mudraya with a suspicion, but no detention took place. Furthermore, sources within law enforcement agencies also confirmed that rumors of detention are false. Irina Mudraya herself confirmed that searches were conducted at her location and she was presented with a suspicion, but emphasized that no one detained her.

Irina Mudraya's Position

Commenting on the situation, Irina Mudraya stated that she is in her office with her lawyers and is preparing for a court hearing. She also noted that, by her own decision, she had submitted an application for dismissal from the position of Deputy Head of the President's Office. Mudraya emphasized that she is ready to cooperate with the investigation and provide all necessary documents to clarify the circumstances of the case. Her position indicates that she does not consider herself guilty and intends to defend her position in court.

President Zelenskyy's Reaction

Against the backdrop of the scandalous investigation, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy decided to dismiss Irina Mudraya from the position of Deputy Head of the President's Office. This decision was perceived as a signal of the seriousness of the situation and the authorities' readiness to fight corruption. Zelenskyy emphasized that any attempts to launder illegal funds and participation in corruption schemes are incompatible with a position in the President's Office. Mudraya's dismissal became part of a broader campaign to cleanse state structures of corrupt elements.

Investigation Prospects

Operation 'Forrest Gump' demonstrates that NABU and SAPO continue to actively work on uncovering corruption schemes and bringing the guilty to justice. The investigation into the laundering of 150 million hryvnias may lead to new arrests and charges, especially given the scale and complexity of the financial operations. The investigation also plans to conduct additional searches and interrogations to identify all persons involved in the case. It is expected that new details of the investigation will be published in the near future, which may shed light on the structure of the organized group and its connections with political circles.