Mayor of Ochakiv Bychkov fails to appear in court for questioning for the third time due to a foreign business trip — prosecutors seek a compulsory appearance

The panel of judges hearing the case: Vadym Havrasienko, Iryna Bobrova, and Inna Pritulyak. Photo: NikVesti

The Zavodskyi District Court of Mykolaiv ruled to forcibly bring in Ochakiv Mayor Serhii Bychkov, who failed to appear for the third time for questioning in a treason case in which he is a witness.

The court made the decision on Wednesday, 28 January, according to a correspondent for NikVesti.

During the court hearing, presiding judge Iryna Bobrova announced that the court was scheduled to question two witnesses that day, one of whom was Serhii Bychkov. However, the mayor of Ochakiv did not appear at the hearing.

Anton Maliuk, a prosecutor with the Mykolaiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, noted that oral explanations revealed that the mayor of Ochakiv is currently abroad.

«He was supposed to provide the court with supporting documents today. Considering that this is already the third summons of the witness, I ask the court to decide on the use of compulsory attendance,» said the prosecutor.

Eduard Shevchenko's lawyer, Oleksandr Gerasimov. Photo: NikVesti

Anton Malyuk, prosecutor of the Mykolaiv Regional Prosecutor's Office. Photo: NikVesti

The judge upheld the prosecution's motion, noting that the court no longer intends to accommodate the circumstances of individuals.

«It is very strange that the mayor of a city where fighting is actually taking place is constantly abroad. This somehow does not fit with the conditions of wartime,» Iryna Bobrova replied.

The defendant in the case, Eduard Shevchenko, who previously worked with and maintained friendly relations with Serhii Bychkov, also reacted to the situation.

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«I am also curious about Bychkov. You see, he doesn't want to show up somehow. The war is going on, and someone is travelling around the world. It's strange. But I also have a million questions for him,» said Eduard Shevchenko.

We will remind you that during one of the hearings in the case of Eduard Shevchenko, a fragment of a dialogue between Mayor Serhii Bychkov and the Russian side was heard. The conversation took place under the supervision of representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine.

The case of Eduard Shevchenko

The trial of Eduard Shevchenko, who is accused of collaborating with Russian special services, began on 6 February. The man's arrest on charges of treason became known in March 2023.

He not only headed the Ochakiv City Council department responsible for security in the city, but was also the commander of the 73rd Special Purpose Naval Centre, a veteran of the Anti-Terrorist Operation and a recipient of state orders.

In an interview with journalists, he spoke negatively about his years of service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine due to the unfair level of provision for military personnel.

At a hearing on 27 May, the court considered the process of conducting a search of the defendant's home. However, apart from a dark screen, it was impossible to see anything due to the lack of light in the house.

On 4 June, the court considered searches of the home of the father of an officer of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation, who is connected with the case of the recruitment of the mayor of Ochakiv.

In October, the court partially lifted the seizure of the defendant's property. This refers to his 16-year-old son's mobile phone and a thermal imager.

How is the mayor of Ochakiv connected to the treason case?

During the arrest of Eduard Shevchenko in March 2023, the SSU reported, in particular, that he had attempted to recruit Mayor Serhii Bychkov.

According to the investigation, when Eduard Shevchenko held the position of head of the security and surveillance department of the Ochakiv City Council's housing and communal services department, he was tasked by Serhii Kolesnikov with recruiting the mayor to ensure his loyalty. In direct communication with Bychkov at the city council, Shevchenko said that representatives of the Russian Federation wanted to talk to the mayor.

«He is very cautious. I suggested it through me,» he reported to Kolesnikov after communicating with the Ochakiv mayor.

After his arrest, Eduard Shevchenko said he was surprised by the SSU's statement that he had tried to recruit Mayor Serhii Bychkov to work for the Russians.

Deputy Head of the Public Control Council of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine Denys Zhelo commented on the lack of claims by law enforcement agencies against the mayor of Ochakiv, Serhii Bychkov, whose colleague was detained on charges of treason. According to Denys Zhelo, Ochakiv Mayor Serhii Bychkov «was friends in all respects with Russian intelligence agent Eduard Shevchenko.»

Eduard Shevchenko himself noted that he considers Serhii Bychkov to be the most effective mayor Ochakiv has ever had.

The mayor himself was almost always closed to communication with the media. Commenting on this, the head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration, Vitalii Kim, suggested that Serhii Bychkov does not address the community and does not report on the results of his work because he is a «private person».