The civil suit filed March 30 is seeking approximately €356,500 for financial losses and €400,000 in non-material damages, based on findings from Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation (DBR), Slava Ukraini liquidator Ilmar Raag wrote on social media Friday.

Raag noted that Estonian and Ukrainian authorities investigated the misuse of donations to Slava Ukraini from 2023 to 2025, and that charges have been filed in Estonia against Lehtme and in Ukraine against Hennadi Vaskiv and the company IC Construction.

The criminal case is being heard in Ukraine's first-tier Frankivsk District Court in Lviv.

While the suit cites several incidents, Raag said the recurring pattern shows funds from Estonian donors being used for projects in Ukraine, with a significant portion diverted as profit for IC Construction.

He said goods and services from Ukrainian subcontractors were cheaper than the money collected for them, and there were no agreements to use the profits according to the donors' original intentions.

Raag said Lehtme and Vaskiv, responsible for ensuring the funds were used properly by the Estonian and Ukrainian NGOs, acted in bad faith, being "aware of or involved themselves in diverting the money."

Recovered funds to be donated

Slava Ukraini is being represented pro bono in Ukraine by Glimstedt Estonia and Ukrainian partner Ilyashev & Partners.

If Slava Ukraini should win the suit, recovered funds will go to the official donation account for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in line with the goals outlined in the Estonian NGO's bylaws, Raag said.

According to their information, Vaskiv is currently outside Ukraine and internationally wanted, and Lehtme's whereabouts are unknown. Details on Estonia's civil suit are expected before the next hearing.

With largely new leadership, Estonian NGO Slava Ukraini announced in December plans to sue Lehtme to recover damages from her tenure as head of the Ukraine aid group.

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