The National Bank of Ukraine has ordered the immediate removal of Sense Bank supervisory board chairman Mykola Hladyshenko after disqualifying him over statutory independence standards.
NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyy announced the decision on Facebook overnight on August 20, stating that Hladyshenko had lost the right to serve on the board. He said the regulator had requested the Cabinet of Ministers, as the state shareholder, to immediately terminate Hladyshenko's powers and choose a replacement.
Sense Bank is one of Ukraine's major commercial banks, owned by the Ukrainian government following its nationalisation. The National Bank of Ukraine serves as the country's central bank and financial regulator, overseeing banking compliance across the nation.
Anti-corruption investigation and Mindich tapes
The central bank began inspecting Hladyshenko's compliance with independence rules in May 2026 after the publication of recordings known as the Mindich tapes. An administrative proceeding was initiated at that time, and Hladyshenko voluntarily recused himself from his duties during the investigation.
Pyshnyy explained that the published tapes alone did not provide sufficient grounds for a regulatory decision. The NBU twice asked the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office for pre-trial investigation records, but law enforcement agencies declined the requests citing investigative secrecy.
The impasse ended on August 19 when the anti-corruption bureau released video footage from a covert operation codenamed Forest Gump. The video contained evidence from a pre-trial investigation into Sense Bank and its executives, prompting the NBU committee to conclude there were sufficient grounds to disqualify Hladyshenko.
Board evaluation and money laundering allegations
Alongside the action against Hladyshenko, the NBU launched a separate administrative proceeding to assess the collective unsuitability of Sense Bank's entire supervisory board. Regulators said the outcome of this secondary case will affect all board members.
According to the central bank, evidence indicated that Hladyshenko's self-recusal was merely formal and that he continued to influence bank operations. Regulators said this ongoing involvement raised doubts about the supervisory board's capacity to exercise proper oversight.
Preliminary findings suggest Sense Bank may have been used to launder 150 million Ukrainian hryvnias intended as bail for a suspect in an earlier anti-corruption probe known as Operation Midas. The suspect is believed to be former Energy and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko.
Investigators allege that participants in the scheme secured control over Sense Bank and used it to process illicit funds for the bail payment. The alleged laundering took place after the NBU had already opened an inspection in spring 2026 into Hladyshenko and Sense Bank management board chairman Oleksiy Stupak.
The National Bank of Ukraine said it will continue to analyze newly uncovered facts, cooperate with law enforcement authorities, and prepare further decisions regarding the bank.
