Future Minister for Ukrainian Unity? What is known about Chernyshov?
According to sources, the chairman of the board of Naftogaz of Ukraine, Alexey Chernyshov, is being considered as a candidate for the position of head of the Ministry of Unity of Ukrainians. UNN has gathered information about the potential future minister.
Alexey Chernyshov previously worked in the government, leading the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development from 2020 to 2022. Prior to that, from 2019 to 2020, he served as the head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration. Chernyshov has over 20 years of experience in the private sector of the economy in Ukraine and abroad, particularly in finance, investments, investment banking, real estate, and IT. He is currently the chairman of the board of Naftogaz of Ukraine.
Career Path and Scandals
In the early 2000s, Chernyshov began working at the AVEC concern, founded by the influential Kharkiv businessman and Member of Parliament Oleksandr Feldman.
Chernyshov worked for his company for a long time and even served as the chairman of the supervisory board of the AVEC concern.
He later ventured into the investment business. In 2012, he founded the investment and development company Eastgate Development, which focused on large-scale commercial real estate projects.
In 2014, he established the Kyiv Vision Foundation, aimed at promoting Ukraine in Europe through contemporary Ukrainian art.
From 2017 to 2019, he was the chairman of the supervisory board of the Ukrainian Real Estate Club.
In 2024, Chernyshov became embroiled in a scandal. In the summer, journalists from "Ukrainian Truth" reported that NABU detectives did not conduct a search at the offices of Naftogaz chairman Chernyshov at the request of NABU director Semen Kryvonos as part of an investigation into the embezzlement of funds related to the "Big Construction" program.
Journalists indicated that the case requiring searches involved the potential receipt of a bribe by Chernyshov and his associates from the owner of KSM Group, developer Serhiy Kopystyra. The court ruling noted that officials from the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development during Chernyshov's leadership may have been involved in the illegal transfer of land to Kopystyra for the construction of the residential complex "Flowers of Ukraine" at 43 Tiraspolska Street.
One of the members of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy informed UNN that the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine is investigating not only the period when Alexey Chernyshov was Minister of Community and Territorial Development but also his activities as head of Naftogaz of Ukraine. Additionally, other officials close to Chernyshov are also under scrutiny by law enforcement.
Journalist Mykhailo Tkach stated that NABU opened a criminal case under Article 387 of the Criminal Code regarding the leak of the search warrant for Chernyshov.
This summer, Chernyshov was reportedly set to be appointed to the Cabinet for a second time and receive the position of Deputy Prime Minister. However, according to media reports, the NABU situation hindered these plans.
Ministry of Unity of Ukrainians: What Is Known
As reported by UNN, sources indicate that the chairman of the board of Naftogaz of Ukraine, Chernyshov, is being considered as a candidate for the head of the Ministry of Unity of Ukrainians.
Previously, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that a candidate for the head of the Ministry of Unity of Ukrainians would be presented for approval by the end of this year.
When discussing plans to create a new ministry, the President emphasized that it should ensure a strong global Ukrainian unity.
"Millions of our people in other countries, their connections and relationships with Ukraine, protecting our common interests as a nation – all of this will fall under the responsibility of the new institution. Essentially, it should be a ministry of Ukrainian unity and countering Russian influences on Ukrainians, especially abroad," Zelensky shared.
The head of state spoke about the establishment of the new governmental structure during the presentation of the "Sustainability Plan" in the Verkhovna Rada this November.
"Ukraine needs institutional reinforcement of its policy towards Ukrainians abroad, concerning our people from all waves of migration. A central executive authority must be created – the Ministry of Unity of Ukrainians," Zelensky stated, adding that the main goal is to engage with the "global, multi-million Ukrainian community."
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal mentioned that the primary goal of the Ministry of Unity is to bring back 7.5 million people to Ukraine not by coercion but through opportunities. For this, work needs to be done both at the political level with the political leadership of partner countries that have accepted refugees and directly with the Ukrainian community.