- May 18, 2026
- 12:59 pm
- Ukraine
For the former head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak the full bail amount was posted — 140 million UAH, approximately $3.18 million. After that, on May 18, 2026, he was released from the detention center but remained under procedural restrictions.
According to Ukrainian media, more than 154 million UAH, about $3.5 million, was deposited into a special account. The money was transferred in numerous payments — from large sums to symbolic contributions. Among those who participated in posting the bail, journalists named Roza Tapanova, the head of the National Historical and Memorial Reserve “Babyn Yar.” The amount of her contribution mentioned in publications is 8 million UAH, approximately $182,000.
This particular detail made the story notable not only for Ukrainian politics but also for the Israeli audience. Because Babyn Yar is one of the key sites of Holocaust memory in Eastern Europe, associated with the tragedy of the Jewish people, Ukraine, and Israel.
What happened to Andriy Yermak
Andriy Yermak is the former head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and one of the most influential people in Ukrainian power in recent years. For the Israeli reader, his role can be simply explained: he was the closest administrative-political center next to President Volodymyr Zelensky, especially noticeable during the full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine.
Yermak is suspected of legalizing property obtained through criminal means. The court chose a preventive measure for him with the possibility of posting bail — 140 million UAH, approximately $3.18 million.
The bail was not posted in a single payment. According to Ukrainian journalists, the funds were received in about two hundred transfers. Because of this, the procedure for verifying and crediting the money took time, and Yermak spent the weekend in the detention center.
After payment confirmation, he was released. However, this does not mean the case is closed. He must appear before investigators, prosecutors, and the court, not leave Kyiv without permission, surrender documents for traveling abroad, not communicate with other case figures, and wear an electronic bracelet.
Why the amount caused public resonance
The bail amount itself became a separate news story. 140 million UAH, approximately $3.18 million, is a huge amount for Ukrainian reality, especially during the war.
Ukrainians collect funds daily for drones, vehicles for the front, treatment of the wounded, rebuilding destroyed housing, and helping the families of the deceased. Therefore, the quick mobilization of more than 154 million UAH, about $3.5 million, for a former high-ranking official sparked wide public interest.
Publications mentioned various large contributions: 30 million UAH, about $682,000, from Serhiy Rebrov; 9.8 million UAH, approximately $223,000, from the company “Myralif”; 6.5 million UAH, about $148,000, from lawyer Serhiy Sviriba; 5 million UAH, approximately $114,000, from lawyer Ihor Fomin; 4 million UAH, about $91,000, from LLC “Arena Marin.”
Against this backdrop, the amount of 8 million UAH, approximately $182,000, from Roza Tapanova stood out.
Who is Roza Tapanova
Roza Tapanova is a Ukrainian lawyer, attorney, and head of the National Historical and Memorial Reserve “Babyn Yar” in Kyiv. She has led the reserve since 2021 and works with one of the most complex topics of Ukrainian and Jewish memory — the memorialization of Babyn Yar.
For the Israeli reader, it is important to understand the scale of this institution. Babyn Yar is a place where in September 1941, the Nazis shot tens of thousands of Jews. Later, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, Ukrainian nationalists, psychiatric hospital patients, and other victims of the Nazi regime were killed there.
Therefore, Tapanova’s position is not only about administrative management. It involves working with historical memory, educational projects, ceremonies, exhibitions, international attention, and Ukrainian understanding of the Holocaust.
Tapanova took over the leadership of the reserve during a period when debates about the format of the memorial, the role of the state, international projects, and how to tell the tragedy without Soviet and Russian distortions continued around Babyn Yar. After the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, this issue became even more sensitive.
Why her name attracted attention
Roza Tapanova’s name appeared in publications about Yermak’s bail due to the mentioned contribution of 8 million UAH, approximately $182,000.
It is important to emphasize: posting bail is a legal procedure. The mere fact of participating in the bail does not constitute an accusation, does not imply the suspect’s guilt, and should not automatically be presented negatively regarding the payer.
But due to Tapanova’s position, this entry in the list received additional public context. A person who heads the “Babyn Yar” reserve is associated with an institution of special significance for Ukraine, Israel, and the Jewish world.
Therefore, interest in her name is explained not by accusatory meaning, but by the significance of the role itself.
Why this is important for Israel
For Ukraine, the story with Yermak’s bail is part of a large internal discussion about power, the anti-corruption system, trust in elites, and the role of money in high-profile court cases.
For Israel, this story has an additional layer — Babyn Yar.
It is not just a place on the map of Kyiv. For the Jewish people, Babyn Yar is a symbol of the mass extermination of Jews, the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the long struggle for the memory of the victims. Therefore, any public events related to the leadership of such an institution attract attention beyond Ukraine.
That is why NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency considers this story not as a reason for hasty conclusions, but as an important informational plot: the former head of the Office of the President of Ukraine was released from the detention center on a large bail, and among the payers was the head of the “Babyn Yar” reserve.
What is important not to confuse
There are several levels in this story, and they should not be mixed.
First: Andriy Yermak remains a figure in a criminal case, but the final conclusions should be made by the court.
Second: bail is a procedural mechanism, not an acquittal and not a verdict.
Third: Roza Tapanova is mentioned as one of the payers, but this does not make her an object of accusation.
Fourth: her position explains why the episode interested the Israeli and Jewish audience.
This is the essence of the news. It was not just about posting bail for a former high-ranking Ukrainian official. The list of payers included the name of a person who heads one of the most important Holocaust memory sites in Eastern Europe.
For Ukrainian society, this is a story about a high-profile case, money, and political influence.
For the Israeli reader, it is also an opportunity to better understand who is responsible for the memory of Babyn Yar today, how this topic is connected with modern Ukrainian politics, and why even one line in the list of payments can become part of a broader public discussion.