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.
Yaroslav Shanko, the Head of Kherson City MA, received the largest salary among 49 heads of local MAs of Kherson oblast – almost 185 thousand UAH per month, on average (around 4 300 USD).
TOP 10 heads with largest salaries include the following public officials.
Sergii Kukhta, the Head of Skadovsk City MA, obtained around 109 thousand UAH per month whereas Oleg Tarabaka, the Head of Nova Kakhovka City MA, appointed in August 2025, – around 104 thousand UAH. His predecessor Valerii Brusensky had similar salary. Upon his dismissal, he was awarded compensation of 154,5 thousand UAH.
Yaroslav Shanko, Head of Kherson City Military Administration, 2025. Photo: Facebook/Ярослав Шанько
Oleksii Marchenko, the Head of Lazurnenska Village MA of Skadovsk raion, and Tetyana Gasanenko, the Head of Oleshky City MA of Kherson raion, received around 100 thousand per month each.
The sixth position is occupied by Anatoly Didur, the Head of Dariivska Village MA of Kherson raion, with around 97 thousand UAH. Igor Dudar, the Head of Chornobaivka Village MA of Kherson raion, Oleksandr Levechko, the Head of Novooleksandrivka Village MA of Beryslav raion, and Ruslan Rusal, the Head of Chulakivka Village MA of Skadovsk raion, received approximately the same amount each.
The tenth place is taken by Oleksandr Alchiev, the Head of Beryslav City MA, with around 95 thousand UAH.
Mykola Yatsenko, the Head of Tyagynska Village MA of Beryslav raion, Oleksandr Babutsky, the Head of Stanislav Village MA of Kherson raion, Svitlana Linnyk, the Head of Gola Prystan City MA of Skadovsk raion, Yevgenii Rodionov, the Head of Genichesk City MA, Vitalii Nemerets, the Head of Kakhovka City MA, and Mykola Rizak, the Head of Tavriisk City MA of Kakhovka raion, obtained from 90 to 95 thousand UAH per month.
Oleksandr Alchiev (right), Head of Beryslav City Military Administration. Photo: Facebook/Олександр Алчієв
Ten heads of MAs of Kherson oblast received average salary from 80 to 88 thousand UAH and heads of fifteen MAs – from 72 to 79,9 thousand UAH.
The lowest salaries in 2025 were obtained by Artur Davydov, the Head of Verkhnyorogachytska Village MA of Kakhovka raion (around 62 thousand UAH), Ludmyla Kostuk, the Head of Kochubeivka Village MA of Beryslav raion (around 57 thousand UAH) and Yevgenia Glebova, the Head of Novomykolaivka Village MA of Skadovsk raion (56,7 thousand UAH).
Рейтинг зарплат керівників місцевих військових адміністрацій Херсонської області у 2025 роціWe analyzed salaries and income of heads of local MAs of Kherson oblast on the basis of their responses to information requests of the CJI. When we prepared this article, we have not yet received responses from three heads: Tetyana Yuschenko from Tavrychanska and Yevhen Poznyak from Zelenopidska Village MAs of Kakhovka raion, and Lubov Minko from Mylivska village MA of Beryslav raion.
Who earned more?
In comparison with 2024, those heads of local MAs who have been servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine received significantly higher salaries. Before the middle of May 2025, they have received salaries from the budget of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. Roman Mrochko, previous Head of Kherson City MA, is an example.
«Since appointment until his dismissal, Mrochko has received the salary as the member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has had information about his salary», as explained Mykhailo Linetsky, the First Deputy Head of Kherson City MA.
Sergii Kukhta (left), Head of Skadovsk City Military Administration, November 2025. Photo: Skadovsk City Military Administration.
We know from open sources that some other heads of local MAs have been also acting servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2025: Valerii Melnychenko, the Head of Vynogradivska Village MA, Sergii Kukhta, the Head of Skadovsk City MA, Oleksii Batkalov, the Head of Bekhterska Village MA, and Mykola Yatsenko, the Head of Tyagynska Village MA.
Changes in procedures of allocation of their salaries resulted in their significant increase. For example, in 2024, Oleksii Batkalov declared his salary of almost 200 thousand UAH. In May-December 2025, he received almost 530 thousand UAH. In 2024, his colleague Sergii Kukhta declared 267 thousand UAH. In May-December 2025, he received almost 873 thousand UAH as his salary.
As Valerii Melnychenko, the Head of Vynogradivska Village MA, explained to the CJI, since May 12, 2025, salaries of heads of local MAs, army servicemen, have been paid by their military administrations.
«Army servicemen are paid salaries in accordance with positions they hold in their military administrations. They can also receive additional payments for their military ranks, number of years in service etc.», as noted Valerii Melnychenko.
This procedure has been set up by the Order of the Cabinet of Ministries of Ukraine. Kherson City MA referred to this Order when it explained principles of remuneration of Yaroslav Shanko, its current Head.
Salary of Yaroslav Shanko, Head of Kherson City Military Administration. Source: answer to the information request of CJI
We noticed that monthly bonuses of Yaroslav Shanko often exceed its salary. For example, in December 2025, Shanko’s salary reached 72 111 UAH whereas its monthly bonus – 77 339 UAH.
As the Department of External Communications and Cooperation with Media of Kherson City Council explained to the CJI, the decision about awarding bonuses to the Head of Kherson City MA has been taken by the Head of Kherson Raion State Administration (Head of Kherson Raion Military MA), upon consent of the Head of Kherson Oblast State Administration. Shanko was appointed to his current position in June 2025. Earlier he has worked as the Deputy Head of Kherson Oblast MA for two years.
No discipline – no bonuses
Since October 2025, Viktor Debely, the Head of Ivanivka Village MA of Genichesk raion, has not received monthly bonuses. As Dmytro Butrii, the First Deputy Head of Kherson Oblast State Administration, explained to the CJI, it was related to the corruption crime Debely has been suspected. At the beginning of October 2025 it was reported that public officials of Ivanivka Village MA were accused of extorting «kickbacks» from bonuses of their subordinates.
Viktor Debely, Head of Ivanivka Village Military Administration. Photo: Ivanivka community
«Under these circumstances we cannot pay him bonuses. However, now there is only suspicion to Debely. Investigation is going on. We will take further actions when there will be court decision and he will be recognized as guilty or all accusations will be dropped», as told Dmytro Butrii.
Total salary of public officials has been also shaped by the material assistance from the state budget and so-called «double salary» when they work in areas of active fighting – for example, in Kherson or other settlements in river close communities of region.
«I and my subordinates of MA work in Kherson. Our salary is multiplied by additional coefficient, regulated by respective Order of the Cabinet of Ministries», as explained Ruslan Rusal, the Head of Chulakivka Village MA.
According to Dmytro Butrii, this coefficient is applied for working days spent in the area of active fighting.
Dmytro Butrii, First Deputy Head of Kherson Oblast State Administration (extreme left), 2025. Photo: Facebook/Олександр Прокудін
«We have heads of MAs of temporary occupied territories of Kherson region who now work in other regions of Ukraine. This coefficient is not applied in their cases. If they will work, for example, three days in dangerous area and move to Kryvy Rih or Kropyvnytsky, then, this coefficient will be applied only for three days», as told Dmytro Butrii.
He explained that in 2022 some heads of MA in Kherson region, for example, Vitalii Nemerets from Kakhovka, allocated themselves very large salaries. Since then, Kherson Oblast State Administration has tried to restrict their ambitions. According to Dmytro Butrii, bonuses have been used to stimulate those public officials who are disciplined and perform well.
Lubov Minko, Head of Mylivska Village Military Administration (center), 2025. Photo: Facebook/Любов Мінько
«We know that Kakhovka City MA has large budget. However, it does not manage de facto its city and community because they are occupied by Russians. Kakhovka City MA is more concerned about its hub in Kyiv. So, they have less work than their colleagues in Mylove, Tyagyntsi or other communities in de-occupied part of the region. Their work load, their functions, staff and number of tasks differ significantly from MAs of occupied communities. They are situated near the frontline, under bombing and other extreme circumstances. That is why I believe that it will be unfair if Lubov Minko from Mylivska community will receive less salary than her colleagues caring about occupied communities of Left Bank Kherson region», as told Dmytro Butrii.
«Information about salary threatens the constitutional order»
Out of 49 local MAs of Kherson oblast, only Tetyana Yuschenko, the Head of Tavrychanska Village MA, for the second time did not answer requests of the CJI about her salary, paid from taxes of Ukrainian taxpayers.
When she explained her refusal last time, she referred to the threat to state sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order in Ukraine. Publication of the amount of her salary would undermine all of the above, to her mind.
«Tavrychanska Village MA concluded that publication of requested information [about salary of the head of administration] may result in uncovering above mentioned persons, situated on the occupied territory of Left Bank Kherson region. It may do significant harm – abduction, inquiries, torturing and death of mentioned citizens. Harm to citizens on occupied territories and harm from disclosing this information prevail over public interest in receiving it», as Tetyana Yuschenko wrote us.
The CJI has already explained that the Ukrainian legislation does not stipulate any restrictions on access to public information under martial law, besides those restrictions, introduced before the Russian full scale invasion into Ukraine.
Tetyana Yuschenko, Head of Tavrychanska Village Military Administration, 2017. Photo: CJI
The Law of Ukraine «About Access to Public Information» directly states: «there can be no restrictions on access to information about the use of budgetary resources, including access to copies of respective documents, conditions for receiving these resources or assets, names of physical persons, recipients of these resources or assets».
Implementation of the Ukrainian legislation is not yet a priority for some Ukrainian public officials.
This article is written within the project of IWPR «Strengthening Civic Control» under financial assistance of Norway.
