The mayor of Irpen was released on February 3 under house arrest. Thus, the court partially satisfied the appeal of his defenders.
Oleksandr Markushin in court called him a custom and accused of pursuit of former mayor Vladimir Karpaliuk. He did not comment on these accusations. The case concerns the departure of Markushin abroad in August 2022.
Deputy people Olga Vasilevskaya-Smaglyuk, businessman Garik Korogodsky, as well as a number of military personnel and residents of Irpen, filed statements that they were ready to take Markushin for bail.
Earlier, the court took him into custody for two months with a security of 30 million. The case concerns the departure of Markushin abroad in August 2022. According to the policeman, he allegedly went to Italy not for the help of the military, but to see his two years. The mayor of the city said that, as the only guardian of the child, he had the right to go abroad, but “formally formed” because he also brought a drone for the military from the trip.
The history of the issue
The criminal prosecution of IRPEN mayor Alexander Markushin is a public interest for several reasons. Here is the use of the judicial system to combat political and business opponents and the problem of excessive construction of KYIV and the region. And finally, one of the amazing examples of weakening the role of local communities.
On January 24, the district court of Pechersk Kyiv sent Irpen mayor Alexander Markushin to custody until March 22, assigning an oath of 30.2 million US dollars. Three days later, the court took off the mayor from his post until the same date.
The reason for such strict measures was the mayor’s departure abroad within six days. Markushin is a widower and father – a single one. With the beginning of a full invasion, he sent his half his son to Italy, and he remained in Irpen. In August 2022, Markushin went abroad for volunteers created for volunteers, celebrated his son’s second birthday and returned to Ukraine, as he claims, with two drones that he handed over to the military.
Two years passed, and through this trip the mayor was committed by criminal prosecution and arrested. Markushin calls his arrest a political persecution, followed by Vladimir Carroplauk, former mayor of Irpen, leader of the New Persons and Developer. For example, the real arrest is the only opportunity to remove the mayor from the office on the eve of the critical session of the city council of the Irpin, where the problems of the buildings of the Karplauk should be considered.
Why did Markushin become a volunteer? The prosecution party explains this by the fact that in August 2022, the status of his father, a single one, did not allow him to cross the border. The status was permitted – therefore, it claims that the protective party refers to the corresponding explanation of the state border service, published in March 2022. Markosin himself says that he wanted to prevent possible problems at customs with the UAV declaration.
The accusation emphasizes that Marcushin is not in the register of volunteers, although he left as a volunteer. He did not declare any humanitarian goods when returning to Ukraine. The defense notes that in August 2022 there was no appropriate procedure to take into account the import of humanitarian aid and obligations to announce it. As the requirements that should be in the register for crossing the border as a volunteer.
The lawyer Markushina is convinced that this is administrative responsibility, not criminal. Among other claims of lawyers Markushin are an excessive amount of pledge. We are talking about 30.2 million UAX for crimes, in which neither the staff nor individuals suffered any losses. For comparison, in January, the tastes released on bail in the amount of 33.3 million people of the former State Ministry of the Ministry of the Interior, which is suspected of theft of millions of funds. Or, according to a promise in the amount of 30.2 million UAH, the expert of the Western Commercial Court left the appellate center of the preliminary conclusion, which is suspected of extorting an entrepreneur for one million dollars to make the necessary decisions.
After the arrest of Markushin, the Association of Cities Ukraine turned to Zelensky with an open letter and three examples of “violations of legislation, procedures and justice” by law enforcement officers and judges against the heads of small communities in just one month of 2025 were given. The field according to activist Irina Fedorov, local government is a stretch that minimizes authoritarianism, and now they are interrupted one after another.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.