March 8, 2026, 1:27 p.m.
(Mykhailo Lazarenko. PHOTO: Facebook)
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved the dismissal of Mykhailo Lazarenko, head of the Podil District Military Administration in Odesa Oblast, based on his resignation, which was forged.
This was reported to Intent by sources in the district administration.
Currently, a criminal proceeding has been registered in the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations under Part 3 of Article 358 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - forgery of documents. The reason for this was Mykhailo Lazarenko's statement that his handwritten statement and signature were forged.
Journalist Oksana Pidnebesna said that the head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, Oleh Kiper, may be involved. However, as Oleh Kiper's spokeswoman, Nadiya Maksymets, explained to Intent, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approves appointments and dismissals, not the head of the regional administration.
In turn, the district administration told Intent that the Cabinet of Ministers approved the dismissal based on a submission from the head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, but that the police should investigate who falsified the application. The Cabinet of Ministers also received a photocopy of the statement from the OMA.
"Who wrote the statement is only an assumption. The head of the DIA claims that he received it from Lazarenko. Mykhailo Lazarenko claims that this is nonsense and that he did not write such a statement and did not submit it to the DIA. Now we have the fact that Oleh Kiper was involved in submitting a fabricated statement to the Cabinet of Ministers. But whether he has anything to do with the fabrication itself is the subject of investigation," the administration said.
The Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on the Functioning of Civil Service and Local Self-Government during the Period of Martial Law" stipulates that the military administration of a settlement (settlements) is headed by a chief who is appointed and dismissed by the President of Ukraine on the proposal of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine or the relevant regional state administration.
The Law "On the Legal Regime of Martial Law" stipulates that the heads of regional military administrations approve the structure and staffing of district military administrations and military administrations of settlements located in the regions where regional military administrations are established.
Mykhailo Lazarenko became the head of the Podil District Administration in August 2020. Prior to that, he was elected as a deputy of the Balta District Council of the IV, V, VI convocations and was a deputy of the Odesa Regional Council of the VII convocation. The presidential decree on the dismissal of Mykhailo Lazarenko has not yet been made public.
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