How Judge Yushkov helped Vbet unblock its accounts

Amid the full-scale war and constant Russian shelling, the Ukrainian judicial system continues to astonish with its rulings. 

This time, the focus has shifted to Mikhail Yushkov, a judge at the Pechersk District Court, who on 8 July lifted the freeze on the accounts of the online casino Vbet. This occurred despite an ongoing criminal case against the company and a previous ruling by the Kyiv Court of Appeal that had upheld the freeze.

A ruling that defies logic

The lifting of the freeze on Vbet’s accounts appears particularly provocative given the case’s background. The casino is under investigation on suspicion of links with Russia, and prior to the judicial freeze, its accounts had been blocked by the State Service of Financial Monitoring (Finmon) for the same reason.

Furthermore, over the past month, several judges have rejected Vbet’s motions, refusing to meet the company’s demands, yet Yushkov, who is temporarily assigned to the Pechersk Court, made a different decision. Moreover, he ignored the ruling of the Kyiv Court of Appeal, which just four days before his verdict had confirmed the legality of the account freeze.

Who is Mikhail Yushkov?

Mikhail Yushkov is not a permanent judge of the Pechersk Court. His primary place of work is the Enakievo City Court in Donetsk Oblast, where he was appointed back in 2013. However, he is currently serving in one of the country’s key courts.