Mykolaiv Mayors' Wealth Revealed: Salaries, Land, and Luxury Cars in 2024

Mayors' declarations are not just about salaries. Some have millions in cash at home, others have dozens of hectares of land or cryptocurrency. They also have large car fleets: from retro to Porsche.

The Center for Public Investigations analyzed the financial reports of the mayors of four district centers in Mykolaiv Oblast - Bashtanka, Voznesensk, Mykolaiv, and Pervomaisk - for 2024.

The mayor of Pervomaisk, Oleh Demchenko, earned the most - UAH 1.7 million: salary, pension, and a little from the sale of property. In 2023, his salary alone was at the same level. Voznesensk Mayor Yevhen Velychko received a little over a million: salary, honorarium from an NGO, and car sales. However, it is unclear from the declaration what kind of cars he sold, as the car fleet has not changed.

The third was the mayor of Bashtanka, Berehovoi, who received almost a million hryvnias, including 854 thousand in salary. He also received a gift worth UAH 179 thousand and a cashback from the Ministry of Economy. Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych earned UAH 946 thousand and received a small gift. In 2023, his salary was lower - 678 thousand.

The Senkevych family has the largest family budget: 7.6 million hryvnias, of which 4.8 million is the business income of his wife Kateryna. The second place goes to the Berehovoi family: UAH 4 million, mainly due to the wife's business activities. The Demchenkos are in third place: 2.3 million hryvnias, part of which is for rent and sale of property by his wife. Yevhen Velychko's family has the lowest income: UAH 6.8 thousand in social benefits for his wife.

In terms of savings, the Velychko family is in the lead, with $782,000 in cash plus some hryvnias and euros. The Sienkevychs keep $75,000 in cash and a little more in accounts. His wife also declared cryptocurrency and loans in euros and zlotys. Oleksandr Berehovoi has 140 thousand hryvnias, his wife has 1.5 million hryvnias and 25 thousand dollars. The Demchenko family keeps 230 thousand hryvnias in accounts and about 25 thousand dollars and 400 thousand hryvnias in cash.

The Demchenkos have the largest apartment: over 165 m². Two apartments of his wife in Kharkiv, one apartment of the mayor in Pervomaisk. Berehovoi has two houses in Bashtanka and his wife's apartment in Mykolaiv, totaling almost 159 m². The Senkevychs have two apartments in Mykolaiv and a share in a house in Nova Kakhovka, totaling 146 m². Velychko has 73 m²: an apartment in Voznesensk and his wife's share in another.

Berehove's family has the most: 389 square meters for the mayor and another 447 square meters for his wife in Bashtanka, Mykolaiv, and Pyatikhatky. Demchenko 's wife has three parking spaces, a shop, and a non-residential building. Senkevych 's wife owns 261 m² of commercial real estate in Nova Kakhovka. Velychko 's family has not declared any property.

Pervomaisk Mayor Demchenko is also a leader in land. His wife owns 97.5 hectares, and the official himself has 0.2 hectares. The Senkevychs own only 0.4 hectares of land. Velychko has one plot, his wife has nothing.

As for the vehicle fleet, Velychko is the leader with five trucks, and his wife has a Fiat Doblo and a Toyota RAV4. Berehovoi has a Renault Kangoo and a trailer, and his wife has two Skodas. Demchenko has a retro Volga and his wife's Porsche Cayenne. Senkevych does not have a car, his wife rents a Volvo XC90.

Most mayors receive income not only from their salaries but also from family members' businesses, real estate, and savings. Some invest in land, some in dollars, and some collect trucks.

Earlier, the Center for Public Investigations analyzed which officials of the Mykolaiv City Council and the regional military administration received not only salaries, allowances and bonuses, but also additional payments - even during the war. They are used to solve social and domestic issues.

Анна Бальчінос