"I Don't Comment on Rumors": Sledstvo.Info Journalist Spoke with the Civil Partner of Iryna Mudra

Pavlo Polyarush and Iryna Mudra

In a comment to the journalist of Slidstvo. Info, Pavlo Polyarush called the NABU and SAP investigations into his common-law wife Iryna Mudra “speculations and rumors.” He did not answer questions about the participation of the former official in the “Forrest Gump” scheme and hung up the phone.

This is reported by Slidstvo. Info.

The journalists of Slidstvo. Info called the civil husband of the former deputy head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, to ask about the former official’s involvement in the “Forrest Gump” scheme.

19 August NABU and SAP published recordings of conversations between the former official and other participants in the scheme for laundering 150 million UAH to pay bail for one of the scheme’s defendants — presumably Herman Galushchenko.

Journalist: I’m calling you regarding the morning video that NABU and SAP published. Please, did you see it?

Poliaryush: Sofiya, thank you for the call, but I do not comment on such things. Suspicions, rumors, and all the rest. So thank you.

Journalist: These are not suspicions, this is an official investigation. Did you know about this scheme?

Poliaryush: I sincerely thank you for the call. I have already commented. Thank you. Have a good evening.

Journalist: And how did you comment?

Poliaryush: Yes, that I do not comment. You heard me three times.

Journalist: Did you take part in this scheme?

After this question, Pavlo Polyarush hung up the phone. Slidstvo. Info also tried to obtain a comment from Iryna Mudra, but she did not answer either calls or messages.

Slidstvo. Info also reached out to the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office for comment on whether Mudra was informed of a suspicion, but a response has not yet been received.

According to Babbel, the former official received a suspicion, but law enforcement did not detain her. The publication notes that searches ended for the woman after almost the entire day.

19 August NABU released recordings of conversations in which defendants discuss how to launder money to post bail for, presumably, former Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko. According to the investigation, the money was to go through controlled companies and bank accounts, including through Sense Bank.

Iryna Mudra served as deputy head of the Office of the President since March 2024 of year. President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed her from the post on 19 August. Before that, she was Deputy Minister of Justice.