June 4, 2025, 1:43 p.m.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed decrees appointing new judges in different regions of Ukraine. Among them are three female judges who will now work in Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kherson regions.
The Center for Public Investigations decided to find out what the declarations of the new officials hide.
According to the presidential decrees, Natalia Medvedeva was appointed as a judge of the Pervomaisk City District Court of Mykolaiv Oblast, Natalia Panchenko was appointed to the Tatarbunary District Court in Odesa Oblast, and Natalia Pavlenko was appointed as a judge of the Economic Court of Kherson Oblast.
According to her declaration, Natalia Medvedeva, a judge of the Pervomaisk City District Court in Mykolaiv region, has a solid list of property: two apartments, a country house, a land plot, and two cars. One of them, a 2007 Volkswagen Passat, belongs to her husband, and the other, a 2005 Nissan Micra, is shared.
Some of the assets are registered to her relatives. In 2024, Medvedieva earned more than 1.1 million hryvnias and received payments under government programs. Her daughters declared scholarships and bank bonuses.
Natalia Panchenko, who will now work in the Tatarbunary District Court of Odesa Oblast, was previously the head of the land and property relations department in the Shyriayivka village council. Her declaration includes two residential buildings, two land plots and a 1989 VAZ 2107 car.
The largest land plot of 0.15 hectares cost 343 thousand hryvnias. Last year, Panchenko earned 230 thousand hryvnias and received assistance under the state program "Winter Support".
Natalia Pavlenko became a judge of the Economic Court of Kherson region after serving in a similar court in Odesa region. She declared a 188-meter apartment co-owned with Tetiana Pavlenko, a land plot (1000 m²), and two cars - a Mazda 3 (2013) and a Hyundai Sonata (2010) - which are registered to another person but are in her use.
Pavlenko's income in 2024 amounted to over UAH 1.1 million. The family also received social benefits, subsidies, and even winnings. The judge has assets in bank accounts and open loans of more than 380 thousand hryvnias.
In May, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed decrees appointing 22 new judges to local courts. Among them are three representatives of the southern regions, who are to work in Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions. The appointments were made in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine and the law "On the Judicial System and Status of Judges". The new judges are expected to strengthen the local judicial system.
Анна Бальчінос