Scandal at Sense Bank: NBU demands termination of powers of the chairman of the supervisory board

The National Bank of Ukraine demands the termination of the powers of the chairman of the supervisory board of the state-owned Sense Bank, Mykola Hladyshenko. The regulator has also launched a separate check of the collective suitability of the entire composition of the bank’s supervisory board.

This was announced by NBU Chairman Andriy Pyshny after the NABU published new materials within the framework of the Forrest Gump operation.

NBU recognized Hladyshenko as not meeting the independence requirements

According to Pyshny, the National Bank’s Committee on Supervision and Regulation of Bank Activities adopted a decision on the non-compliance of Mykola Hladyshenko with the independence requirements established by law.

In fact, this means that he can no longer remain a member of the supervisory board of Sense Bank.

“This is precisely about termination, not removal,” the NBU chairman emphasized.

The National Bank has already demanded that the shareholder of Sense Bank immediately terminate Hladyshenko’s powers and elect a new member of the supervisory board.

The inspection began after the “Mindich tapes”

The NBU notes that the question of Gladyshenko’s compliance with the independence criteria did not arise now. The inspection was started after the publication in May 2026 of materials known as the “Mindich tapes”.

However, the information available to the regulator at that time was not enough for a final decision.

According to Pyshny, the National Bank twice applied to the NABU and the SAPO with a request to provide pre-trial investigation materials. The NBU was unable to obtain them due to the restrictions on the disclosure of investigation information provided for by law.

For the period of the inspection, Gladyshenko, on his own initiative, removed himself from the exercise of his powers.

The situation changed after the NABU published the materials of the “Forrest Gump” operation on August 19. According to the NBU, they contain new information that directly concerns Sense Bank and its officials.

After analyzing this data, the NBU Committee concluded that there were enough grounds to recognize Gladyshenko as not meeting the independence requirements.

The entire supervisory board was under question

At the same time, the decision regarding Gladyshenko may be only part of a much broader audit.

The National Bank opened a separate administrative proceeding to assess the collective suitability of the supervisory board of Sense Bank.

The reason was, in particular, information that Gladyshenko’s formal self-removal could not mean the cessation of his actual influence on the work of the financial institution.

“The published materials give reason to believe that Mykola Gladyshenko’s self-removal was only formal in nature and in fact he continued to influence the bank’s activities,” Pyshny said.

According to the NBU Chairman, the reaction of other members of the supervisory board to this situation also requires assessment. The regulator must find out whether the board was able to provide proper control over the activities of the state-owned bank and effectively perform its functions.

What is known about the “Forest Gump” operation

On August 19, the NABU and the SAPO published the materials of the “Forest Gump” operation. According to the investigation, a group of individuals could have organized the legalization of UAH 150 million, obtained through criminal means, to post bail for the former Minister of Energy and Justice Herman Galushchenko.

Among the individuals named by law enforcement officers in the case materials are the chairman of the supervisory board of Sense Bank Mykola Gladyshenko and the chairman of the bank’s board Oleh Stupak.

According to the investigation, Sense Bank could have been used to conduct financial transactions, and certain actions were allegedly coordinated with representatives of the financial institution’s top management.

On June 29, bail in the amount of UAH 150 million was posted for Galushchenko.

The scandal surrounding the bank reaches the political level

The situation surrounding the state-owned bank has already caused a reaction at the highest political level.

The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to remove the chairman of the supervisory board of Sense Bank. At the same time, the Verkhovna Rada summoned Andriy Pyshny to a meeting on August 20 to hear the chairman of the NBU after the publication of the NABU’s high-profile materials.

Against this background, additional attention is being paid to reports of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s possible dissatisfaction with the work of the National Bank’s management and discussions on Pyshny’s continued tenure.

Thus, the Forrest Gump case is already going beyond criminal proceedings. Its consequences may include personnel decisions not only regarding individual officials of Sense Bank, but also a review of the ability of the entire supervisory board to ensure proper corporate governance in one of Ukraine’s state-owned banks.