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.
The CJI wrote two years ago about members of Kherson Oblast Council who hid their declarations from free access and their voters. Unfortunately, local politicians have not become more transparent during the war.
Who made «secret» their public asset declarations?
Half of these twelve members represent presidential political party «Servant of People»: Pavlo Aleksandrov, employee of the secretariat of oblast council, Galyna Gondareva, the First Deputy Mayor of Kakhovka, Viktor Korolenko, Director of Kherson Oblast Clinical Hospital, Maryna Malakhova, Deputy Head of the Main Department of State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection in Kherson oblast, Oleksandr Samoilenko, Head of Kherson Oblast Council, and Dmytro Butrii, the First Deputy Head of Kherson Oblast State Administration.
Though, the data about salary of Butrii is freely accessible online. It has been updated monthly since November 2024. However, it is only part of the public asset declaration.
Public asset declarations of two members, representatives of Volodymyr Saldo Block, are also «secret» and not accessible: Mykhailo Zharov, Director of the Department on Urban Development, Architecture and Land Resources of Kherson City Council in 2021-2023, and Sergii Sorokunsky, owner of several agricultural companies. Sorokunsky has been accused of collaborative activity and war crime. His case is considered in the court.
Sergii Sorokunsky at the court session in Dniprovsky District Court of Kyiv, March 9, 2026. Photo: Ksenia Novytska, LB.ua
There is no access to public asset declarations of members from Igor Kolykhaev’s political party «We have to live here»: agricultural businessman Viktor Derkach and Oleksandr Knyga, Director of Kherson Oblast Academic Drama and Musical Theatre named after Mykola Kulish.
Access is also closed to declarations of Denys Mykytuk, representative of pro-Russian party «Opposition Platform – For Life», former Head of State Architectural and Construction Inspection in Kherson oblast, and Iryna Sokur, representative of political party «Our Region», Director of Kherson Regional Cancer Center of Oblast Council.
The overwhelming majority of these members have legitimate grounds to close open access to their public asset declarations during martial law. As the CJI reported, the following groups of Ukrainian citizens have the right to close their declarations: majority of servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, involved into war actions; policemen of the Ukrainian Police of special purpose; military intelligence officers; persons residing on temporary occupied territories of Ukraine; captives; interned persons and persons who permanently reside in areas of active combat actions, in order to perform their official duties.
Members of local self-government bodies fall within this group if they perform duties of local public officials and reside in Kherson and neighboring settlements, having the status of area of active combat actions.
lyna Gondareva, member of Kherson Oblast Council. Photo: Most
However, some members of the council hide their declarations without legitimate grounds. Galyna Gondareva from political party «Servant of People» is an example. According to the information obtained by the CJI, since 2022 she has been abroad, that it is to say, she has no resided in the area of active combat operations to perform her duties whereas her family members have not lived on occupied territories.
The CJI asked Gondareva about reasons to close access to her declaration but we did not receive her answer by the moment of publication.
Members of Kherson Oblast Council: Ruslan Romanenko (left), Sergii Drozdik (center) and Mykola Bagraev, former People’s Deputy of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2020. Photo from social media
Unlike Gondareva, her compatriot Ruslan Romanenko, member of the oblast council from political party «Motherland», does not hide his public asset declaration. He is the former First Deputy Mayor of occupied Kakhovka. As the businessman, he lost a number of assets on temporary occupied territory of Kherson oblast (for example, LLC «Troika» with its famous mineral water «Kakhovka»). Last years, Romanenko has worked as Deputy General Director of Ukrainian National JSC «Ukragroleasing».
Council members – state traitors, collaborators and businessmen on temporary occupied territories
There is another group of council members – those who do not declare their income, assets and expenses, in accordance with Law of Ukraine «On Corruption Prevention». Twenty members of Kherson Oblast Council fall within this group. Many of them collaborate with Russian occupants.
Vitalii Buluk, council member from Ukrainian party «Our Region», is their most famous representative. In December 2022, Kherson Oblast Council deprived him of the right to participate and speak at its sessions. However, he still holds the status of council member. Buluk was accused of collaborative activity. Kherson City Court will have next hearing of his case on May 25, 2026.
Volodymyr Ganzha-junior, member of Kherson Oblast Council. Photo from social media
Voloymyr Ganzha-junior, council member from «Opposition Platform – For Life», is the son and business partner of Volodymyr Ganzha-senior, one of the richest land owners of the region from occupied Novotroitska Village Council of Genichesk raion. Ganzha-senior was sentenced for his collaboration with Russian occupants.
Oleksandr Kistechok, council member from party «Motherland», resides on temporary occupied territory of Kherson oblast. He has been among the richest farmers of Genichesk raion. He has not declared his assets for years.
In December 2022, Russian State Register of Legal Entities (EGRUL) registered Russian clone of Ukrainian LLC «Dnipro». The company has the same founders: Oleksandr Kistechok with share of 51% and unknown Tetyana Anastasova. According to the information of CJI, she is the mother of infamous criminal raider Viktor Anastasov, known under his nickname «Stas Makeevsky». Under the rule of President Yanukovych, he illegally raided private businesses in Kherson region.
Oleksandr Kistechok, member of Kherson Oblast Council. Photo: hgi.org.ua
It seems that the LLC «Dnipro» could have been registered in EGRUL on December 2, 2022 without his knowledge as he obtained Russian taxpayer number only in 2024. Russian occupation authorities hurried to expropriate Ukrainian assets immediately after occupation of Kherson region.
In April 2023, Russian clone received new director and co-founder – Khachatryan Ogannes Gagykovych from Crimea. He has been also director of Yalta company «New Crimea». We do not know why Kistechok lost his shares in LLC «Dnipro». At the same time, this company has been co-founder of LLC «Genichesk Central Drugstore». His wife Olga Kistechok owns 40% of its statutory capital.
«Dnipro» under control of Khachatryan-Anastasova supplies stolen grain to Russian occupants, as CJI uncovered in its investigation of how Russians transported stolen grain from Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia.
Sergii Kulchykovsky is the council member of Igor Kolykhaev’s party «We have to live here». In July 2022, he was declared wanted by Ukrainian law enforcement bodies under the suspicion of state treason.
Valerii Litvin is retired General of the Police, council member from Volodymyr Saldo Block. The Ukrainian court considers his accusation in violation of territorial integrity of Ukraine, numerous deaths etc.
Detainment of Svitlana Mezherytska after liberation of Kherson from Russian occupants. Photo: @KHERSON_KOLABORANT
Svitlana Mezherytska is the member of council from political party «Our Region». In November 2025, Kherson City Court recognized her guilty in collaborative activity. Mezherytska submitted an appeal. Its consideration is going on.
Eduard Repilevsky is the member of council from party «Opposition Platform – For Life», owner of large land assets and former Russian occupation minister of agriculture of Kherson oblast. Peresypsky District Court of Odesa considers his accusation in collaborative activity and state treason.
Viktor Pungin is the member of council from Ukrainian political party «European Solidarity» and farmer. According to the Russian State Register of Legal Entities, Pungin with his wife, son and daughter have been founders of private farm «Voskhod» in Mala Mayachka Village of Oleshky community. In 2025, his farm reported losses whereas before 2025 it demonstrated over 200 million Rubles revenues per year.
In 2024, Kherson Oblast Council deprived him of the right to attend and speak at its sessions. However, Ukrainian law enforcement bodies have not yet accused him of collaborative activity.
In 2023, Vitalii Shtanko from «Opposition Platform – For Life» illegally registered private farm «Viktoria-Askania» in Askania-Nova Village in Kakhovka raion under Russian jurisdiction. The Russian Register of Legal Entities indicates that Shtanko is the Russian citizen, director and founder of this farm.
Iryna Zbarovska, member of Kherson Oblast Council. Photo: hgi.org.ua
Iryna Zbarovska, member of the council from «Opposition Platform – For Life», headed local office of oblast employment center in Novotroitske Village in Genichesk raion in 2020. She is the wife of Russian collaborator Petro Zbarovsky, former Ukrainian Head of Novotroitska Village community, then, Russian occupation head of Nyzhni Sirogozy Village and Russian occupation minister of agriculture of Kherson oblast. Since November 2025, he has been director of JSC «Kalanchak Bread Factory», illegally created in Skadovsk raion.
According to Russian sources, Iryna Zbarovska is now heading the financial department of occupation administration of Kakhovka (since 2023 it has worked in occupied resort village Lazurne in Skadovsk raion).
Source: website of Russian occupation administration of Kakhovka
Sergii Drozdik, council member from «Opposition Platform – For Life» and Kakhovka entrepreneur, also illegally registered his business in Russian jurisdiction. Last time he submitted his public asset declaration in 2020, before the Russian invasion and occupation. According to CJI, he does not reside now on occupied territory. It is likely that he lives in Turkey.
At the end of 2023, Derenik Melkonyan, council member from Igor Kolykhaev’s party «We have to live here», also illegally registered his LLC «Arm-Agro», situated in Nova Kakhovka, in Russian jurisdiction. EGRUL indicates that Melkonyan is the Russian citizen and founder of this company.
Source: EGRUL
Council members with unknown whereabouts
The following council members have not submitted their declarations for a long period of time: Sergii Maksymenko, agricultural businessman, representative of Igor Kolykhaev’s party «We have to lieve here»; Vadym Makhonin, representative of the same party, founder and director of Odesa private enterprise «Lava; representatives of party «Opposition Platform – For Life» Vitalii Pyshny, Mykhailo Romanii and Yegor Ustynov; representatives of «European Solidarity» Olga Sedina and Natalia Tarasova and representative of «Our Region» Oleksandr Synenko.
Kherson Oblast Council tried to determine whereabouts of all its members. Members Yurii Vlasov, Vadym Makhonin and Yegor Ustynov did not provide any information. What we know is that they do not reside on temporary occupied territory. For example, in 2025, it was reported that Yegor Ustynov had car accident in Italy. Last time he submitted declaration in 2023.
Kherson Oblast Council informed the CJI that the following council member may reside on temporary occupied territories as they did not provide any information about their whereabouts: Oleksandr Kistechok, Derenik Melkonyan, Vitalii Pyshny, Viktor Pungin, Mykhailo Romanii, Olga Sedina, Oleksandr Synenko and Natalia Tarasova.
Hanna Novosyolova, Deputy Head of Information Policy and Communications Department of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention, answered information request of the CJI and stated that for council members, residing on occupied territory, the term of submission of declarations has been postponed until cancellation or suspension of the martial law. But if they leave the occupied territory, they must submit declarations within 90 days after their departure from occupied territory.
For example, Valerii Saltykov, council member from party «European Solidarity», recently acted in accordance with this rule. He left occupied territory and, in March 2026, submitted declarations for 2021-2025.
Vladyslav Barakhta, newly elected member of Kherson Oblast Council. Photo: Most
There are no declarations of Vladyslav Barakhta, elected from party «Servant of People» in May 2024. He was appointed instead of traitor. However, the oblast council has not yet registered him officially because Kherson Oblast Territorial Electoral Commission has not yet issued necessary order. Thus, he is not obliged de jure to submit public asset declarations.
«Some council members lost everything»
Submitted and accessible declarations demonstrate that income of some council members has significantly fallen down during Russian-Ukrainian war. On the other hand, it seems that some members hide their real revenues.
Yurii Vlasov, member of Kherson Oblast Council. Photo: official website of oblast council
Deputy Head of Kherson Oblast Council Yurii Vlasov from Nova Kakhovka and Igor Kolykhaev’s party «We have to live here» is the owner of shop network «Vlastelyn». In 2024, he declared that his family earned 220 thousand UAH and had savings of 650 thousand UAH in cash. According to his 2025 declaration, his wife bought two apartments in Bulgaria for around 3,8 million UAH. But last year revenue of his family reached only 190 thousand UAH whereas its savings significantly grew to 3,2 million UAH and 7 thousand Euro.
Hanna Pylai, council member from Volodymyr Saldo Block, declared no housing, no other immovable property, no financial earnings or assets in 2025. Her 2024 income reached only 4 thousand UAH (it has been state assistance for internally displaced persons).
In 2025, income of family of Sergii Khlan, elected from party «European Solidarity», has been around 63 thousand UAH. He also declared savings of 363 thousand UAH and 380 thousand USD in cash. In 2024, his assets have been larger: 412,4 thousand USD and 363 thousand UAH whereas his salary has been 888,8 thousand UAH.
Ukrainian journalist project «Schemes» has recently disclosed interesting details about well being of Yurii Sobolevsky, the First Deputy Head of Kherson Oblast Council, in 2018-2022. During one year, he has enriched himself for over 3,5 million UAH. He declared this sum (mostly, in hard currency cash) without explaining its origin.
It should be added that three council members resigned voluntarily after the Russian full scale invasion into Ukraine: Igor Yosypenko from party «European Solidarity» and Vesna Martynova and Volodymyr Senyk from «Opposition Platform – For Life».
Danylo Repilevsky, suspected in state treason. Photo from social media
Powers of two council members Danylo Repilevsky and Yurii Kovalyov were cancelled because they collaborated with Russian occupants. Both were representatives of presidential party «Servant of People». The decision about them was taken upon people’s initiative.
The following council members died after the Russian full scale invasion: Gennadii Laguta and Oleksandr Gordienko from Igor Kolykhaev’s party «We have to live here» (the latter was killed by Russians) and Bohdan Artuschyk from «Opposition Platform – For Life».
As Oleksandr Samoilenko, Head of Kherson Oblast Council, told the CJI, three council members submitted requests for early voluntary resignation: Diana Bobrovska from party «Opposition Platform – For Life», Volodymyr Khvostov from «Servant of People» (both – last year) and Valerii Saltykov from «European Solidarity» (in March 2026). Their consideration has been regularly delayed.
«This issue can be considered only by Kherson Oblast Council. Powers of city or village councils of communities in Kherson oblast have been transferred to local military administrations. Their heads are empowered to take decisions about members of these local councils. However, Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration, does not have the right to take decisions about members of oblast council. As far as I know, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine considers several draft laws proposing alternative methods to cancel the status of member of oblast councils. After their approval, the situation will be easier», as told Oleksandr Samoilenko.
Oleksandr Samoilenko, Head of Kherson Oblast Council, 2025. Photo: Facebook/Олександр Самойленко
Residents of local communities believe that the wish to travel abroad freely (since 2023, there has been a ban on travel abroad for people’s deputies of all levels, except for work trips) and unwillingness to submit public asset declarations are main reasons behind council members’ voluntary resignation. However, Samoilenko thinks that there is no such problem in Kherson Oblast Council. He states that the council developed its own procedure for travels abroad if it is allowed by the age of council member or exceptions from mobilization.
«We send a letter to the State Security Service of Ukraine and ask them whether they have restrictions about council member who would like to travel abroad for work purposes. If the Service does not have restrictions, then, we address the State Border Service of Ukraine and indicate that no sessions of oblast council or other events are planned for the period of travel abroad. We say that council members are able to go from the company they are employed. Our council members from agricultural businesses use this method», as told Oleksandr Samoilenko.
Samoilenko states that material well being of council members has not changed significantly during the war: «there are people who lost everything – either on occupied or on liberated territory of the region».
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