In an interview with Kyiv24 TV Channel, Yuriy Radzievsky, a partner at Barristers LLP, provided details on the case involving Dmytro Zagumenny, the chief of staff of the Kyiv City State Administration, who, on August 13, was served with a notice of suspicion by investigators from the State Bureau of Investigations regarding the alleged embezzlement of local budget funds during the performance of repair work, as well as a motion to apply a preventive measure in the form of pretrial detention and removal from office.
Mr. Radzievsky outlined the defense’s position on this case—we do not agree with the charges brought against him; we consider them unproven, unfounded, and unsubstantiated.

According to the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR), D.M. Zagumenny, together with the former director of the municipal enterprise “ATP of the Executive Body of the Kyiv City State Administration,” V.M. Vlasov, embezzled local budget funds in the amount of 1,279,058.09 UAH during the renovation of the facade of the building located at 8–10 Borysa Hrynchenko Street.

This is not a case of any “rigged” public procurement, collusion with a contractor, or overpricing of construction work. The entire case made by investigators and prosecutors is based solely on the fact that the building undergoing renovation was removed from municipal ownership in 2010 and, accordingly, officials of the Kyiv City State Administration were not supposed to spend funds on its renovation.

The building was transferred out of municipal ownership in 2010 under questionable circumstances at a price below market value. The legality of the sale has been the subject of repeated court proceedings. As a result, the courts ruled in favor of the buyer—who became the owner of the building but, in fact, never actually took possession of it and did not fully assume the rights of ownership.

The municipal enterprise “ATP of the Kyiv City State Administration’s Executive Body” continues to use the building and generates revenue. A multi-level parking garage has been set up there to rent out parking spaces. The building houses departments that provide vehicle washing, technical inspection, and repair services. From 2019 to the present, the municipal enterprise has received a total of 41.2 million UAH in revenue from the use of the building.
The repairs carried out in 2019 were necessitated by the building’s critical technical condition. Although significantly more funds were allocated for the repairs, only the most essential work was carried out, totaling 1,279,058.09 UAH. Given the municipal enterprise’s total revenue from the use of the premises over the past 6 years—41.2 million UAH—this cost of repairs appeared more than justified.

The issuance of a notice of suspicion to D.M. Zagumenny is yet another manifestation of systematic and arbitrary pressure by law enforcement agencies on Kyiv’s local government system with the aim of subjugating it.
This criminal proceeding has no procedural prospects, and its sole purpose is to remove Dmytro Mykolayovych from his current position.