- February 7, 2026
- 1:01 pm
- Israel
According to “Ukrainian Pravda”(ukr.) (authors: Iryna Balachuk, Mykhailo Tkach, publication from February 6, 2026), in January 2026, lawyers associated with Andriy Yermak and Tymur Mindich were in Israel. As the publication emphasizes, this is a trip involving a current Ukrainian diplomat.
For Israeli readers: what the story is and why it looks “scandalous”
Who is featured in the story
Andriy Yermak — former head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, one of the key figures in Ukrainian politics in recent years.
Tymur Mindich — a Ukrainian businessman linked in Ukraine to a major anti-corruption case. The publication mentions that he left Ukraine and is in Israel; there are also reports of his Israeli citizenship and wanted/absentee status in Ukraine.
Ihor Fomin — a Ukrainian lawyer linked by Ukrainian sources to Yermak’s legal support.
Yevhen Korniychuk — current Ambassador of Ukraine to Israel.
Boris Lemper — an Israeli lawyer whom Fomin allegedly met; he is linked to Mindich’s legal line. It is separately emphasized that the lawyer’s public portfolio mentioned major Russian clients.
What the story is about — essentially
The publication presents this version: around Tymur Mindich, who, according to the authors, is in Israel, a chain of contacts between lawyers allegedly emerged. The text states that Ukrainian lawyer Ihor Fomin flew to the country and, according to the publication, discussed Mindich’s topic through Israeli lawyer Boris Lemper.
The material separately emphasizes the involvement of the Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel, Yevhen Korniychuk: the authors write that before the trip, he, according to their data, met with Andriy Yermak, then flew to Tel Aviv on the same flight as Fomin, and, as further claimed in the text, assisted him with logistics on site (transportation, hotel, trips).
What makes the story “scandalous” (as presented in the publication)
1) Mindich is in Israel, and his name is tied to an anti-corruption case.
The authors of the material indicate that it concerns a businessman from an investigative context, and that is why any contacts around him are considered politically sensitive by them.
2) A lawyer linked to Yermak’s circle arrives in Israel.
The text emphasizes that the involvement of a lawyer previously called Yermak’s lawyer adds a political level to the story and takes it beyond the scope of a “regular consultation.”
3) A current ambassador is featured in the episodes.
The publication separately constructs the sequence “meeting of the ambassador with Yermak → shared flight with the lawyer → involvement in logistics/movements in Israel” and presents this as a key factor of resonance.
4) Additional context — the Israeli lawyer and his public “Russian” portfolio.
The authors provide a reference on the practice of the Israeli lawyer and list major Russian clients/structures, indicating this as an important background for understanding the sensitivity of the story.
What is said in the investigation by “Ukrainian Pravda”
As Ukrainian Pravda writes, “lawyer Ihor Fomin, previously called Andriy Yermak’s lawyer, flew to Israel, where he met with Tymur Mindich’s lawyer.”
The publication separately notes:
“Fomin flew to Tel Aviv together with the Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel, Yevhen Korniychuk.”
Contacts before the trip
According to UP, on January 15, “Andriy Yermak held an hour-long meeting with the Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel, Yevhen Korniychuk, near the Office of the President.”
The publication emphasizes that this data was obtained from its own sources.
Flight and arrival in Israel
According to sources of “Ukrainian Pravda” in law enforcement agencies,
“On January 25, a flight from the city of Chisinau to Tel Aviv departed, on board of which were Yevhen Korniychuk and lawyer Ihor Fomin.”
The material also states:
“Ambassador Korniychuk drove Fomin to a hotel in the city of Herzliya, where Tymur Mindich also resides.”
Movements in Herzliya
According to UP,
“the next morning, the Ukrainian ambassador again arrived at the hotel where lawyer Fomin was staying.”
The publication emphasizes that all this information is based on its sources.
Possible meaning of the negotiations — UP sources’ version
Sources of “Ukrainian Pravda” in political circles state:
“Korniychuk brought Yermak’s lawyer for negotiations with Mindich.”
The same interlocutors claim:
“Yermak is interested in Mindich not testifying against him,”
and therefore, according to them,
“the negotiations could concern providing protection to Mindich in exchange for silence.”
The publication separately emphasizes that this is precisely the version of the sources.
Was there contact with Mindich himself
As UP writes,
“it is unknown whether Fomin was able to meet with Mindich himself.”
Meanwhile, the publication’s sources in the businessman’s circle claim:
“Mindich was very reluctant to be caught on camera a second time.”
Meeting with the Israeli lawyer
According to “Ukrainian Pravda”,
“Fomin met with Israeli lawyer Boris Lemper, who, according to UP sources, is Mindich’s lawyer.”
Previously, as the publication reminds,
“in December last year, Mindich in an interview with UP could not say who his lawyer was,”
explaining this by saying that
“lawyers forbid him to speak,”
and then stating that
“he is still looking for lawyers.”
What is said about Boris Lemper
In the reference by UP, it is noted:
“Boris Lemper is known for representing clients in cases related to Russia and Ukraine.”
Also, according to the publication,
“his office provides expert legal opinions on Ukrainian law for Israeli courts.”
As stated on the company’s website, which UP cites,
“the firm represented the interests of ‘Channel One’, ‘Aeroflot’, property management enterprises abroad under the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, as well as the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem.”
Return from Israel
According to “Ukrainian Pravda”,
“Yermak’s lawyer stayed in Israel for only a few days,”
and
“he was also driven back to the airport by a diplomatic car with embassy license plates.”
Participants’ comments — verbatim
The publication reports that it reached out for comments to Ihor Fomin, Yevhen Korniychuk, and Tymur Mindich.
Tymur Mindich, according to UP,
“did not answer the question,”
but
“invited the publication for a meeting to give an interview where he will comment on these issues.”
Ambassador Yevhen Korniychuk told “Ukrainian Pravda”:
“I have been friends with Fomin for about 25 years,”
confirming that
“they indeed flew together,”
but noted:
“I did not assist with the meeting,”
and added that
“I do not know whom he met.”
When asked about the meeting with Yermak on January 15, Korniychuk replied:
“I can neither confirm nor deny.”
Also, according to him,
“he has known Yermak since 2000, as he was his partner in legal practice,”
but emphasized:
“we did not communicate for many years before his appointment.”
In the middle of the publication, “Ukrainian Pravda” emphasizes that the material is based on “data from journalistic investigation and statements from sources.” In this context, a summary of the key theses of the investigation is provided in the media review NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency, without adding its own assessments.
NAnews opinion: what to do with the story about Korniychuk, Fomin, and Mindich — and why it’s too early to “put a period”
We see how the same set of episodes is heated up to the level of a “sensation,” although there are still too many assumptions and too few verifiable details. Yes, the events are described as taking place in Israel — so dismissing it with the formula “this is Ukraine’s internal affair” is not possible.
But turning a journalistic material into a “verdict” without procedural grounds is also not possible.
The framework of the story is a listing of meetings, flights, logistics, and contacts through lawyers. The scandalous part begins where this chain is attributed with meaning: why everything was done and what it could lead to. Hence, versions about “negotiations,” “agreements,” “silence” appear. But the publication does not replace investigation and court: as long as there are no official suspicions, documents, and procedural status, loud conclusions remain a media version.
Importantly, the mere fact of Fomin’s trip does not prove that the goal was Mindich. Similarly, Korniychuk’s meeting with Yermak in Kyiv is not a violation in itself: diplomats regularly communicate with politicians, there is no “prohibition” in this. The question arises due to the optics of the position and the linkage of episodes: when in one story there is “meeting in Kyiv → shared flight → involvement in logistics in Israel,” the public inevitably doubts — did the ambassador act as a private individual or as an official, and why is an official resource involved.
The most vulnerable point for the Israeli audience is the topic of the Israeli lawyer with a “Russian VIP background” in the public portfolio.
It is easily turned into manipulation by the principle “if there are Russian clients — then the Kremlin.” This is incorrect: having clients from the Russian Federation does not in itself prove illegal actions, but informationally makes the plot more toxic.
The practical risk is that the blow may not only affect the ambassador but also those working near the embassy. Therefore, our position is simple: NAnews should not replace law enforcement agencies and distribute accusations.
But it would be right to expect a clear, detailed explanation from the ambassador on the basic logic of events — otherwise, the vacuum will be filled with foreign interpretations, and the story will become worse than it could have been.