HACC delivers verdict in the case of former SJA Head Oleksii Salnikov: What led to this decision?

On August 6, 2025, more than two years after the notice of suspicion was issued, the HACC delivered its verdict in the case of former Head of the State Judicial Administration Oleksii Salnikov, sentencing him to three years of imprisonment and three years of disqualification from holding public office. While this is not the end of the case — an appeal is expected — the verdict marks a significant turning point.

Salnikov was detained in March 2023 on charges of inciting a businessman to pay a $7,500 bribe in exchange for a favorable Supreme Court decision in favor of a private company. The former SJA head assured the businessman that the case was “under control” and the desired decision would come soon. However, after the arrest of Supreme Court Chairman Vsevolod Kniaziev, whose case is also being heard by the HACC, investigators believe Salnikov changed his behavior: he began evading the issue and had no intention of returning the money received.

Salnikov was charged with incitement to bribery and fraud. Prosecutors requested a seven-year prison sentence with confiscation of all his assets. The defense, however, argued that the case was a provocation and insisted that no court case had ever been discussed, claiming that the money was for purchasing a vehicle for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As a result, the HACC panel of judges acquitted Salnikov on the fraud charge and reclassified his actions as abuse of influence, imposing punishment accordingly.

What exactly was the scheme Salnikov orchestrated? What did the key prosecution witness — businessman Oleksii Honchar, who paid the bribe — tell the court? What was the defense’s version of events? How are former Supreme Court Chairman Vsevolod Kniaziev — himself accused of bribery — and convicted lawyer Horetskyi involved in the case?

We conducted an in-depth analysis of Salnikov’s case, examining its progress. The timeline of the two-year court proceedings and answers to the most important questions are presented in our material on the HACC Decided platform.