Ukraine’s High Council of Justice has taken a significant step in the country’s ongoing judicial reform by submitting a motion to dismiss Judge Volodymyr Keleberda, a controversial figure known for rulings that favored oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky in high-profile cases. The move comes after the Third Disciplinary Chamber of the Council found Keleberda guilty of violating judicial ethics, leading to his temporary suspension pending a final decision on dismissal.

Volodymyr Keleberda has been at the center of scrutiny for several years due to his role in politically charged court decisions and alleged personal misconduct. His judicial career began in 2005, and in 2010 he transferred to the Kyiv District Administrative Court, where he served under the controversial court head Pavlo Vovk. During Vovk’s long tenure, the court became infamous for several rulings that sparked public outrage, including a 2013 decision that paved the way for violent crackdowns on Maidan protest barricades, a dark chapter in Ukraine’s recent history.

One of Keleberda’s most contentious rulings came in 2019 when he declared the 2016 nationalization of PrivatBank illegal. This decision was a landmark moment for oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, the bank’s former co-owner, who sought either to regain control of the bank or receive compensation amounting to 2 billion hryvnias (roughly $50 million). This ruling was widely criticized as politically motivated and has had profound implications for Ukraine’s financial and political stability.

Ihor Kolomoisky, along with........

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