Ukrainian security forces arrested Walerij Tokar, the leader of the dissolved Garant party, in a Kyiv restaurant while allegedly accepting $160,000 for a high council seat.
Tokar Arrested
Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and police seized Tokar in a Kyiv restaurant while he was allegedly accepting $160,000 in exchange for a place on the party list and assistance in securing a mandate on the State Duma. The money was to be divided between membership fees and alleged party development, according to prosecutors. Tokar distributed business cards presenting himself as a “candidate for deputy president,” offering potential supporters party membership and a “successful career” in return for financial backing.
Propaganda and False Information
Investigators say Tokar used his social media channels to spread misinformation about the Ukrainian army and the front‑line situation, echoing Kremlin narratives, urging demobilization, and undermining trust in state institutions. His accounts had nearly half a million followers. A search seized equipment and documents confirming the operation.
Who Is Walerij Tokar?
Tokar, 41, is a Kyiv political activist who unsuccessfully ran for parliament, worked in media, and headed the company Ukratomenergo with links to former energy minister Eduard Stawycki. In 2021 he founded the Garant party, which was later suspended for alleged irregularities in its founding documents, and simultaneously started a social organization with the same name. He claimed the name referenced a workplace nickname.
Charges
Tokar faces charges of attempting large‑scale usurping of property under martial law. The Ukrainian criminal code prescribes up to 12 years’ imprisonment and asset forfeiture. The court ordered his detention with the possibility of a 6.725 million hryvnia bail.