The chief judge of a district court in the Mykolaiv region and another judge have been suspended

Valeria Barankevich, the presiding judge of the Novo-Odesa District Court in Mykolaiv Oblast, and Serhiy Serhienko, a judge at the same court, have been suspended from judicial duties.

This decision was adopted by the High Council of Justice based on a ruling by the Third Disciplinary Chamber.

The Third Disciplinary Chamber held both judges accountable for disciplinary violations and imposed sanctions on them in the form of a motion to remove them from office.

The High Council of Justice explained that following such a decision, a judge is automatically and temporarily suspended from administering justice. No separate decision by the High Council of Justice is required for this.

The suspension will remain in effect until the High Council of Justice either decides to dismiss the judges or overturns the Disciplinary Chamber’s decision.

The High Council of Justice has not specified the exact reason for holding the judges accountable.

According to MykVisti, yesterday, October 6, a preliminary hearing was held in the Novo-Odesa Court in the criminal case against Viktor Prokopchuk. He is accused of the murder of Svitlana Vanzhula and the illegal possession and carrying of a firearm.

The case was heard by a panel of judges consisting of Presiding Judge Serhiy Serhienko and Judges Valeriia Barankevych and Vasyl Kichula.

Intent reviewed the annual financial disclosures of the judges of the Novo-Odesa District Court who had been suspended.

Serhiy Serhienko declared 1,028,406 hryvnias in salary from his place of employment for the year 2025. The judge also reported $10,000 in cash.

Serhiyenko’s declaration lists a 107-square-meter residential building in Nova Odesa. His father is listed as the owner of the house. The judge himself, his wife Tetyana, his son Serhiy, and his daughter Kateryna have the right to reside there as family members of the owner. The value of the property is not specified in the declaration.

The judge also declared a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. He acquired ownership of the vehicle on January 24, 2022. The car’s value at the time of purchase was 255,797 hryvnias.

Valeria Barankevych declared approximately 1.48 million hryvnias in income for 2025. Of this amount, 1,336,900 hryvnias came from her salary, and another 110,900 hryvnias came from her pension. In addition, she reported 28,300 hryvnias in social benefits and 5,300 hryvnias in aid from the UN World Food Programme.

The court chair’s declaration lists three apartments in Mykolaiv ranging in size from 33.1 to 61.1 square meters. One of them belongs to her; the other two are jointly owned with other individuals.

Barankevych also uses a house in Nova Odesa with an area of 99.7 square meters. Stanislav Barankevych is listed as the owner of the property in the declaration.

As for cash, Valeria Barankevych declared $5,000 of her own funds. Another $8,000 belongs to her husband.

Ірина Глухова