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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Eh, Ukraine does not know to whom it owes its successes! What about Brovdi, Budanov, or the dog Patron, compared to Andriy Dovbenko. A man-of-all-trades, a leading expert in defense, a blogger, a patron, and a venture investor, whose analytical columns are cited by (sarcasm) the world’s leading publications from Fortune to Atlantic Council (sadly, no jokes here).
This is written about by the publication "Telegraf".
However, representatives of domestic law enforcement, investigative journalists, and businessmen have a very different view of his "successes." In these circles Dovbenko is known as a former lawyer for young oligarch Kurchenko, the “watcher” (as he is named in the media) over the Ministry of Justice during Pavlo Petrenko’s tenure, and also as a partner of the scandalously known former head of the Office of the President. In addition, he is a key figure in the case by NABU regarding the embezzlement of 485 million hryvnias from ARMA assets seizures and management.
"Telegraf" informs about the recent verdicts of the High Anti-Corruption Court in the ARMA case, where Dovbenko appears as a defendant, and also recalls what else this controversial person is known for in the history of Ukrainian corruption.
"Cases with kebabs": have the judges of VAKS lost patience?
Recently, "Telegraf" noted that the High Anti-Corruption Court has again actively taken up consideration of the so-called "kebab cases." Currently VAKS is reviewing the indictment in the mentioned case. This trial, to remind, concerns a large-scale embezzlement of ARMA-arrested property amounting to 485 million hryvnias.
The unofficial name of the case arose thanks to a special slang used by the defendants. According to the investigation, the seized assets they nicknamed the "shishkebab," and the process of selling them — "roasting."
In total, 11 people ended up under the court. Among them are the former head of ARMA Anton Yanchuk, the former general director of State Enterprise "SETAM" Viktor Vyshnyov, and the former head of the Asset Management Department of the Agency Vitaliy Riznyk. According to the investigation, the organizer of this scheme is the well-known lawyer Andriy Dovbenko, who has reportedly been residing in London.
While Dovbenko is abroad, the lawyers for the other defendants staged a real "show" in court.
Yes, at the August 17 session, 2026 year, the defense tried to ignore the court, claiming that they were allegedly to participate in proceedings at the Samara Court in Dnipro simultaneously.
But the judges of VAKS, who have been handling the preparatory hearing for more than 14 months, sort of "saw through" this maneuver. VAKS promptly connected Dnipro via videoconference. This allowed the hearing to proceed without another adjournment.
The next day, 18 August 2026 year, the defense filed numerous motions to return the indictment to the prosecutor of SAP. The lawyers pointed to chronological inconsistencies in the case materials and tried to use various legal arguments. However, the VAKS panel decisively rejected the proposal to return the document to the prosecutor. The court made clear that the "manipulation limit" has been exhausted and denied the lawyers. The ruling is not subject to appeal.
What charges have been brought against Dovbenko and his team?
According to information obtained during the investigation, Andriy Dovbenko allegedly created an organized group that developed a detailed plan to understate the value of assets that fell under ARMA’s management. Subsequently, these assets were allegedly sold for a pittance through controlled electronic auctions at State Enterprise "SETAM" to selected companies.
There are four significant episodes of resource distribution in the "kebab case."
The first case concerns embezzlement of more than 4,5 thousand tons of urea belonging to LLC "All-Ukrainian Energy Company." According to the information, it was likely sold at auction at a price 4-5 times lower than market.
The second episode concerns the sale of more than 2,6 thousand tons of river sand in Kyiv region.
The third aspect involves the sale of thousands of tons of grain (wheat and sunflower) at prices well below market. According to investigative data, the total sale amount was 92 million lower than real market value.
The fourth episode included the sale of three land plots in Odesa region planned for the construction of a shopping center "Auchan." According to the investigation, these plots, totaling several tens of hectares, were sold at a price estimated to be 18 times lower than their true value.
According to investigators, Dovbenko used his law firms to finance and participate in auctions. Information suggests funds for paying the guarantee deposit for purchasing urea allegedly came directly from the accounts of the LLC under his control, "Law Firm EN N D".
All bank accounts of the participating companies were allegedly managed from the same IP addresses. Investigators recorded that they exactly matched the IP addresses of Dovbenko’s firms — "EN N D I", "EVRIS", and "NeoKleus and Dovbenko."
Dovbenko himself was not formally connected with ARMA or SETAM. However, investigators believe he could have exercised control over the auctions: allegedly he gave instructions on listing assets, made adjustments to lots, and determined auction timing. Officials of SETAM, according to the same investigators, simply informed him about each stage of the process.
According to NABU’s assessment, the total amount of losses caused by this group from February to July 2019 year reaches 485 467 370,24 hryvnias.
Apart from Dovbenko and the already mentioned former ARMA and SETAM heads, the case also involves another expert at the enterprise, two appraisers, the founder and head of a private company, and four lawyers.
"Defense expert" under NABU investigation.
While the trial continues, Andriy Dovbenko is in London, where he left in February 2022 year. At the same time his name is often found on NABU’s official site in the "Summons" section: detectives have been inviting the famous lawyer for procedural actions in the criminal case for several years. However, trips to Kyiv to Monastyryska Street apparently are not in his plans.
Since April 2023 year, Dovbenko has officially been wanted as the organizer, quote, "of a criminal group uncovered in maneuvers with assets arrested and transferred to ARMA for management."
While in "emigration," Dovbenko launched an active PR campaign in the West. On his newly created personal website he suddenly began presenting himself as a top defense and military technology expert, and as a key communicator between the UK and Ukraine’s military sectors. To boost his image, in 2023 year the platform UK-Ukraine TechExchange was introduced.
At the same time, Dovbenko’s columns on the military market began appearing in prestigious Western outlets from Fortune to Financial Times. It seems foreign editors simply did not scrutinize the author’s biography too closely.
The most worrying point among media experts was that a piece signed by Dovbenko unexpectedly appeared on the website of the Atlantic Council. Publishing material by a person officially wanted raises questions, at least, for an organization with such a strong international reputation.
The shadowy "director" of the Ministry of Justice and a wedding in Saint-Tropez.
Andriy Dovbenko became known in the media and investigative journalism even before the ARMA case. The Bihus.Info team openly called him the "most influential shadow figure" and the "informal curator" of the Ministry of Justice during Pavlo Petrenko’s ministry.
Investigations revealed that Dovbenko had significant influence over personnel appointments and the work of the executive service and registrars. In video footage, state and private executors pointed to a system of "kickbacks" operating within the ministry under Dovbenko’s "supervision."
Earlier in his career the lawyer began his path in the Yanukovych era. The media associates his name with legal work for the controversial entrepreneur Serhiy Kurchenko, who was active at that time. According to journalists, Dovbenko participated in major financial operations of Kurchenko, including a deal to acquire a famous media holding.
After the government change in 2019 year, Dovbenko apparently sought to retain his positions through close ties with the then head of the President’s Office, Andriy Bohdan. However, his ambitious plans were negatively affected by a resonant media scandal.
In August 2019 year, on Ukraine’s Independence Day, Dovbenko held a lavish wedding in Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera, together with lawyer Anna Ohrenchuk. Bihus.Info journalists noted that Andriy Bohdan left official state events in Kyiv to enjoy a three-day celebration on a private villa and yacht in France.
In addition to the main case related to embezzlement of 485 million hryvnias, ARMA drew media attention for other aspects of Dovbenko’s activities. In particular, NABU and SAP investigated a scheme where under the guise of legitimate legal services from companies "NeoKleus and Dovbenko", "EN N D I" and "Evris" hundreds of millions of hryvnias were withdrawn.
Outlook: NABU’s investigation into the London haze.”
Today Andriy Dovbenko’s story looks like a vivid example of Ukrainian political-criminal surrealism. This person, accused of embezzling state funds, began his path by servicing Kurchenko’s assets. According to media, he allegedly achieved the status of a "watcher" over an entire ministry, and now continues his successful path as a "military international expert" in foreign media.
Yet August hearings at the High Anti-Corruption Court show that overseas glamor cannot always cancel the Ukrainian Criminal Code. All procedural "tricks" of the defense and attempts by lawyers to play legal hide-and-seek seem to have run up against the iron patience of the VAKS judges.
Although Dovbenko now seems to be trying to dodge Ukrainian justice by hiding in foggy London, the finale of the "kebab case" promises to be extremely tense for all participants. Stay with us!
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Організатор корупційних оборудок: як «куратор» Мін’юсту Андрій Довбенко налагодив привласнення пів мільярда гривень через АРМА". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Rozsliduvach.
