In brief

Journalists from the "Schemes" project (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) verified data from Russian registries and established that the former head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration and former leader of the Party of Regions faction, Oleksandr Yefremov, received a Russian passport on 22 December 2022. This detail has a direct impact on the ability of Ukrainian justice to hold him accountable.

What journalists found

According to the investigation, Yefremov left Ukraine at the start of the full-scale invasion via Slovakia. The Russian passport recorded in database leaks is the same document that was used to service an account at a Russian bank and to pay for services at the WorldClass fitness chain. The Russian Federal Tax Service also has an individual taxpayer number linked to this passport.

"On 22 December 2022 the politician received a Russian passport"

— The "Schemes" project (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

The Office of the Prosecutor General confirms that Yefremov faces charges in Ukraine, including treason and assisting in the seizure of administrative buildings in 2014, but the case is not complete: materials that were to be submitted to a court in government-controlled territory were lost due to the occupation, and the prosecution is seeking additional sources for copies.

"measures are being taken to find additional sources for obtaining copies of the lost materials"

— Office of the Prosecutor General

Journalistic materials also indicate that the Yefremov family owns real estate in Moscow worth about $4 million, and in November 2024 President Zelensky stripped Yefremov of state awards. The former MP himself did not respond to Schemes' requests and calls.

Why this matters for the case

Russian citizenship and actual location significantly complicate the ability of Ukrainian institutions to carry out procedural actions: interrogations, serving charges, extradition. When the accused has another citizenship and is located on the territory of the aggressor state, traditional justice mechanisms are blocked.

Verified registries are the key to international pressure. Public data about the passport and the tax number make the story verified before foreign partners and can become grounds for sanctions, asset freezes, and other legal steps abroad.

Practical consequences and options for action

Analysis of legal avenues shows several directions: intensifying informational and diplomatic pressure, international cooperation within sanctions and financial tracking, and searching for copies of evidence that disappeared during the temporary occupation. Achieving results requires not only open data but also coordination of the investigation with partners who can apply coercive instruments.

Summary

The discovery of the passport and tax number is an important factual step, but it does not automatically mean legal liability. The question is whether this data will be turned into systematic work: from searching for lost materials to international steps to seize assets and bring to justice. Whether the system is ready to do this will determine the outcome in this case.