Oleg Baturin

Ukrainian citizen 26 years old Yevhen Kalashnykov from occupied Novoazovsk in Donetsk oblast has been kept in Ukrainian captivity for over three years. In autumn 2022, Russian occupants arrested him for his pro-Ukrainian position and, as persecution, mobilized him into Russian troops invading Ukraine. Kalashnykov almost immediately surrendered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

In summer 2023, Solomyansky District Court of Kyiv cancelled criminal investigation about him and ordered his immediate release. But this order has not been fulfilled: Yevhen Kalashnykov has been still detained in the Ukrainian camp for prisoners of war. It is explained by drawbacks of the Ukrainian legislation. For the fifth year of the Russian full scale invasion into Ukraine, the Ukrainian decision makers have not yet developed mechanism to release Ukrainian citizen, prisoners of war, surrendered to Ukraine under “I want to live” project, before the completion of the war. Meanwhile, Russian citizens, prisoners of war, have been regularly exchanged and returned to Russia. 

“Mama, it is my flag, it is my entrance permit for Ukraine”

While growing up in his native Novoazovsk in Donetsk oblast, occupied since 2014 by Russians, Yevhen Kalashnykov did not hide his pro-Ukrainian views. At the beginning of the Russian full scale invasion into Ukraine, he launched anti-Russian Telegram channel “Funerals of our future”. In October 2022, Russian law enforcement bodies illegally arrested and detained him.

Svitlana Kalashnykova, the mother of Yevhen, told the CJI that her son went by the bridge in Novoazovsk guarded by Russians. 

“Russian soldier stopped him, checked his mobile phone, found a lot of pro-Ukrainian materials and called the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). FSB people detained and brought him to Mariupol. They have inquired, beaten and threatened him for two days. Then, they brought him home and did the search in the house. They allowed him to take some personal stuff with him. He chose white T-shirt and then wore it everywhere. He told: “Mama, it is my flag. It is my entrance permit for Ukraine. He was going to surrender to Ukrainian troops even at that time”, as recalls Svitlana Kalashnykova. 

As the punishment, Russian occupants forced Yevhen Kalashnykov to sign contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense and enlist with Russian troops invading Ukraine. Everything was done in accordance with best traditions of the Russian propaganda: Yevhen was forced to participate in video and say “words of repentance” before Russians. The video was then widely broadcast in social media. 

Screenshot of Russian propagandist report about Yevhen Kalashnykov, December 8, 2022

Consequently, Solomyansky District Court of Kyiv ruled that Yevhen’s arrest by FSB, psychological pressure related to his pro-Ukrainian views and forced participation in the propagandist video demonstrated that he committed the crime against the national security of Ukraine under extreme circumstances. The ruling closed criminal investigation against him.

Meanwhile, Yevhen was waiting for the opportunity to surrender to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as his mother told. He knew about Ukrainian project “I want to live” which provides an opportunity for Russian soldiers to voluntary surrender and save their lives. Yevhen hoped that this project would give him a chance to become again full-fledged citizen of Ukraine.

Number of members of Kherson Oblast Council, who closed free access to their e-declarations (public asset declarations), has increased from ten to twelve members during last two years. Majority of them are representatives of presidential political party «Servant of People». Twenty council members do not submit declarations at all. This number includes collaborators, who reside on occupied territory and collaborate with Russian occupants, and those who fail to abide by their duty to declare their assets, income and expenses for other reasons.

Более 140 тысяч гривен выплатили в феврале Виталию Чернявскому, управляющему делами исполнительного комитета Каховского горсовета Херсонщины. Это – оплата за его простой с июня 2025 года. Кроме того, Чернявскому должны выплатить около 190 тысяч гривен за вынужденный прогул из-за незаконной приостановки с ним действия трудового договора с 3 июня 2024 года – точку в этом вопросе еще должен поставить Верховный Суд. Тем временем Чернявский с декабря 2023 года работает «учителем истории и обществознания» в школе оккупированного Крыма и выступает там с пророссийскими лекциями.

Lubov Minko, the Head of Mylivska Village of Beryslav raion, received the second largest salary among 49 heads of military administrations (MAs) of Kherson oblast in 2025, after Yaroslav Shanko, the Head of Kherson City MA. Her average monthly income reached over 110 thousand UAH. Representatives of Kherson Oblast State Administration think it was justified.

Last year heads of local military administrations of Kherson oblast (hereinafter referred as MA) received larger salaries than in 2024. Their average monthly salary varied from almost 57 thousand to 185 thousand UAH. Majority received from 70 to 90 thousand.

The Center for Journalist Investigations analyzed responses to its information requests sent to 49 heads of MAs. We did not obtain responses within time limits stipulated by the legislation from heads of three MAs: Tavrychanska and Zelenopidska Village MAs of Kakhovka raion and Mylivska Village MA of Beryslav raion.

The CJI investigated income of Kherson public officials in 2024 here.

The emergency is not available at night, catastrophic shortage of doctors and looting of hospitals – what is going on with health care system on Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia? 

За понад три роки з моменту свого звільнення Великоолександрівська селищна громада стала справжнім центром відродження деокупованої частини Херсонщини і неформальним центром Бериславського району. На вулицях Великої Олександрівки багато людей, тут триває відновлення не лише пошкоджених війною обʼєктів, а й втілюються давно задумані ідеї, про що раніше тут могли тільки мріяти. 

Ми зустрілися з Наталією Корнієнко, селищною головою, начальницею Великоолександрівської селищної військової адміністрації (СВА), щоб розпитати про те, чим зараз живе її громада, які найбільші інфраструктурні проєкти втілюються в життя і які тут плани на найближче майбутнє. 

За кілька днів після запису інтервʼю Херсонська обласна прокуратура повідомила Наталії Корнієнко про підозру у розтраті бюджетних коштів та службовому підробленні при відновленні пошкоджених російськими обстрілами будинків у серпні-листопаді 2023 року. За версію слідства, через це громаді завдано збитків у розмірі 300 тисяч гривень. 

Під час обрання запобіжного заходу суд не відсторонив Наталію Корнієнко від її службових обовʼязків, вона продовжує керувати громадою. Проте говорити про обставини цієї справи Корнієнко відмовляється, додаючи одне: «Час покаже, хто був правий, а хто ні в цій історії».

Из-за дефицита местных коллаборантов назначать на руководящие должности в оккупационных администрациях Херсонщины в очередной раз приходится заезжих гастарбайтеров из России. Очередной новой заместительницей у гауляйтера Каховки Павла Филипчука стала 42-летняя россиянка Наталья Горковец, работавшая до этого чиновницей одного из сельских поселений Краснодарского края.

Last year heads of local military administrations (hereinafter referred to as MA) of Kherson region have received average monthly salaries from 16 to almost 110 thousand UAH. The monthly average for their majority has been between 70 and 90 thousand UAH. 

The Center for Journalist Investigations collected this information from public asset declarations published by the Register of e-declarations of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) and answers from local military administrations whose heads closed an access to their declarations.  

Two heads of MAs – Tavrychanska MA and Khakhovka City MA – refused to provide information about their salaried paid by Ukrainian taxpayers. Bilozerka Village MA ignored our request. 

Our previous material explained why some heads of local military administrations of Kherson region closed access to their asset declarations, without legitimate grounds. Now we look at their salaries and reasons some officials use to hide them from the public. 

Heads of 15 local military administrations in Kherson region closed an access to their asset declarations for 2024 and previous years. It is almost one third of people within this group of public officials.

Earlier the Center for Journalist Investigations (CJI) analyzed why deputies of Kherson Oblast Council closed an access to their declarations. Now we look at respective behavior of heads of military administrations in the region, created after full scale Russian invasion into Ukraine. But let us first examine legislative grounds and procedure for closing such an access.