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The case of abuse of office by Denys Antoniuk

  • Date of commencement of the case: 04/11/2019
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The case of abuse of office by Denys Antoniuk The case of abuse of office by Denys Antoniuk

Case description

On January 20, 2023, the HACC found Denys Antoniuk, former head of the State Aviation Administration of Ukraine, guilty of providing Ukraine International Airlines with impoper advantage for more flights for self-serving motives. He was imprisoned for 3.5 years with additional penalties.

Antoniuk headed the State Aviation Administration of Ukraine (SAAU) from March 2014 to September 2015. Prior to that, he was Director of Route Network Development at Ukraine International Airlines.

In 2014, two airlines operated passenger flights on the Kyiv-Tehran-Kyiv route—UIA and Ukrainian Mediterranean Airlines (UM Airlines). According to international agreements, the number of flights on this route was not to exceed 4 per week, and only from one airline. However, in fact, this limit was exceeded, which is why Iran repeatedly appealed to the SAAU. 

In November 2014, Iran did not allow UIA to fly to Tehran, so Antoniuk instructed the head of one of the departments to reject the application of Ukrainian Mediterranean Airlines for an additional flight, thus giving UIA the upper hand. As a result, a UM Airlines flight was canceled, and the airline suffered UAH 250,000 in losses. 

In June 2015, Mikheil Saakashvili, the then-head of the Odesa Regional State Administration, harshly criticized Antoniuk for the decisions taken by the SAAU to allow or deny access to the Ukrainian market to a number of airlines. The next day, the then-president Petro Poroshenko announced that Antoniuk would be suspended and that an internal investigation would be conducted in his department.

Later, Antoniuk wrote to Viktor Shokin, then-Prosecutor General, claiming that he had been unlawfully removed from office due to what he said were Saakashvili's unlawful actions.

In August 2015, Antoniuk returned to his duties after the investigation was completed, but a week later, the Cabinet of Ministers dismissed him from his post.

The court classified Antoniuk's actions under Article 364, part 2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and sentenced him to 3.5 years in prison with a fine of UAH 8,500 and a ban on holding certain positions for 3 years.

The appellate review of the case is currently underway.

  • Proceeding No.: 42015000000000641
  • Case No.: 761/32259/16-к
  • Incriminated: Article 364, part 2, Article 364, part 1
Instance Key parties Instance /Key parties:
HACC AC
27/02/2023

Panel of judges: Hlotov M.S.

HACC
04/11/2019

Panel of judges: Kryklyva T.H., Kravchuk O.O., Sikora K.O.

Lawyer: Antoniuka D.Yu., Barsuchenka I.V., Povara O.M.

Prosecutor: Hrechyshkin V.V.

Infographics

THE CASE OF OFFICE BY DENYS ANTONIUK

Denys Antoniuk, former head of the State Aviation Administration, contrary to international agreements, unlawfully granted preferences for flights to Iran to UIA, which caused UAH 250,000 in losses to another airline, UM Airlines.

  • November 14, 2014
    Antoniuk, as head of the SAAU, deliberately ordered to reject the application of UM Airlines for a flight to Tehran, which resulted in the improper advantage to UIA
  • June 26, 2015
    Saakashvili, former Odesa region governor, accused Antoniuk of bias and lobbying for UIA interests
  • June 27, 2015
    then-president Poroshenko announced an internal investigation into Antoniuk and his subsequent dismissal from office
  • July 2, 2015
    the Cabinet of Ministers temporarily suspended Antoniuk from performing his duties
  • July 7, 2015
    Antoniuk complained about Saakashvili to the PGO and asked to check the possible corruption motives of the former governor
  • September 4, 2015
    the Cabinet of Ministers dismissed Antoniuk from the post of the SAAU
  • pic
    September 11, 2015
    the PGO served Antoniuk with a suspicion notice. On the same day, a round-the-clock house arrest was imposed on him as an interim measure.
  • June 14–15, 2016
    the NABU searched UIA offices
  • pic
    January 20, 2023
    the HACC found Antoniuk guilty and sent him to prison for 3.5 years with a fine of UAH8,500 and additional penalties

Decisions from the Register