Igor Kolomoisky, a Ukrainian oligarch and Israeli citizen under investigation, lost a court case to regain his Ukrainian citizenship - why?

Court's decision: the oligarch had 25 years to renounce Israeli citizenship.
Ukrainian oligarch Igor Kolomoisky, who is under investigation, lost the court case regarding the return of his Ukrainian citizenship. This was reported on April 27, 2025, by “Glavcom,” citing data from the court registry.
As determined by the Supreme Court, the basis for the loss of Ukrainian citizenship by Igor Kolomoisky was the response from the Ministry of Public Security and the Police of the State of Israel dated July 14, 2022, in response to a request from the Ukrainian Security Service.
It confirmed the fact of Israeli citizenship for the Ukrainian oligarch.
Subsequently, the authorities prepared the relevant documents, which were submitted to the Commission under the President of Ukraine for consideration. On July 18, 2022, the Commission prepared a proposal for President Zelensky to make a decision to revoke Igor Kolomoisky's Ukrainian citizenship. This was ultimately carried out.
Earlier we wrote - Igor Kolomoisky in Israel won a lawsuit against the Ukrainian state bank "PrivatBank" for 600 million dollars.
History of the Lawsuit
Igor Kolomoisky filed a lawsuit against the decree of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from July 18, 2022, which revoked his citizenship. In his lawsuit, the oligarch referred to the Constitution of Ukraine, stating that according to Article 25, a Ukrainian citizen cannot be deprived of citizenship. He also claimed that he had never declared his renouncement of Ukrainian citizenship and that since 1995 he had held Israeli citizenship, which, in his opinion, should not be grounds for the deprivation of his Ukrainian citizenship since he became an Israeli citizen before the adoption of the Ukrainian Constitution in 1996.
NAnews follows important events related to the relations between Israel and Ukraine, and citizens of Israel with Ukrainian origins, such as Igor Kolomoisky, whose situation raises numerous political and legal questions.
Arguments from Kolomoisky's Side
Kolomoisky argued that according to Ukrainian legislation, there was no clear ban on dual citizenship, and he pointed out the lack of intervention by the Ukrainian authorities since 2014, when he was appointed head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration. Furthermore, the oligarch stated that his relations with Ukraine had always remained strong, and his life path had been closely linked to political and public activities in the country.
Israel's Role in Kolomoisky's Case
An interesting part of this case is the fact that Kolomoisky has held Israeli citizenship since 1995, which, according to Ukrainian legislation, is grounds for losing Ukrainian citizenship. The response from Israel’s Ministry of Public Security confirmed that Kolomoisky is a citizen of that country. This became one of the key factors that led to the loss of his Ukrainian citizenship.
Court Decision and Consequences
The court received the position of the President of Ukraine, which stated that by issuing the disputed decree, the head of state was exercising his constitutional powers in accordance with Ukrainian law.
“If the plaintiff intended to retain Ukrainian citizenship, he should have immediately, after changes were made in 2001 to the Law of Ukraine ‘On Ukrainian Citizenship,’ taken steps to renounce the citizenship of the State of Israel. However, no such steps were taken between 2001 and 2022,” – noted in the response from the head of state to the oligarch's lawsuit.
The Supreme Court of Ukraine confirmed the legality of the president's decree revoking Igor Kolomoisky’s citizenship. The court noted that Kolomoisky had 25 years to renounce Israeli citizenship but did not take any steps to fulfill this requirement. The court also emphasized that due to his dual citizenship, Kolomoisky should have taken steps to renounce Israeli citizenship as early as 2001.
“The plaintiff had the opportunity to avoid the procedure of losing his Ukrainian citizenship for 25 years, which is more than enough time… continuing to hold citizenship and simultaneously hold the citizenship of another country, which was acquired voluntarily at adulthood, the plaintiff should have understood that with the introduction of corresponding consequences at the legislative level, he could face the loss of Ukrainian citizenship,” – stated in the Supreme Court decision.
In addition, the judiciary rejected Kolomoisky's reference to the ruling of the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv from September 2, 2023, where he was identified as a citizen of Ukraine. It is worth adding that this court in Kyiv confirmed Kolomoisky's Israeli citizenship in September 2023.
We wrote about it - “Citizen of the State of Israel”: Kolomoisky will be tried in Ukraine as a citizen of Israel.
Consequences for Igor Kolomoisky
Against the backdrop of the court proceedings, Kolomoisky continues to be under investigation for financial fraud related to PrivatBank. In 2020, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies charged him with the illegal appropriation of funds and money laundering. The citizenship case is part of a broader process concerning his financial and political assets.
Israel and Ukraine Relations
This case raises questions not only about dual citizenship but also about the legal and political relations between Ukraine and Israel. Igor Kolomoisky, as a citizen of Israel, represents an important figure in the context of bilateral relations between the two countries. His legal status may influence the perception of the political elites of both Ukraine and Israel, as well as the image of both countries in international politics.
Table: Comparison of Key Factors in Kolomoisky's Court Case
 
Factor
Arguments of Kolomoisky
Court's Decision
Ukrainian Citizenship
Kolomoisky argued that he never renounced Ukrainian citizenship
Ukrainian citizenship was lost according to the president's decree
Israeli Citizenship
Kolomoisky obtained Israeli citizenship in 1995
The court recognized the presence of Israeli citizenship as grounds for losing Ukrainian citizenship
Dual Citizenship
No ban on dual citizenship in Ukrainian law
The court stated that Kolomoisky should have renounced Israeli citizenship since 2001
Relations with Ukraine
Active public-political activity in Ukraine
The court did not consider these arguments sufficient for restoring citizenship
In conclusion, Igor Kolomoisky's court case regarding the loss of Ukrainian citizenship and his ties with Israel became an important legal and political event. This case highlights the complexity of dual citizenship issues and the legal norms regarding Ukrainians with foreign citizenship.
For more detailed information on legal events and court cases, and news related to Ukraine and Israel, follow new publications on NAnews. https://nikk.agency/en/igor-kolomoisky/