Former UAF President Andriy Pavelko Arrested in Slovakia for Embezzling 295 Million Hryvnias

Andriy Pavelko, the former head of the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF), has been detained in Bratislava, Slovakia, while on an international wanted list. He is accused of large-scale financial fraud, Ukraine's Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko announced. Investigators allege Pavelko orchestrated a scheme to illegally funnel nearly 295 million hryvnias from association accounts through controlled commercial entities. The fraud involved signing fictitious contracts for goods that existed only on paper - including seafood, premium tea and coffee, and electrical equipment. The UAF and its regional branches suffered multi-million losses as a result. Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office has initiated extradition proceedings. An official letter has been sent to Slovak authorities expressing intent to request Pavelko's extradition and his temporary arrest. Kravchenko emphasized the arrest was the result of effective cooperation between Ukrainian law enforcement and international partners. "We will continue to bring back to Ukraine those who thought they could hide from the law abroad. Time, distance, another country, or a new life do not cancel accountability," Kravchenko stated. Earlier reports indicated Pavelko had fled the country.