Declarations of Kherson regional council deputies show millions in assets

The deputies of the Kherson Regional Council of the eighth convocation live in several parallel realities at the same time. Some are on the front line or evacuated, their declarations are closed for security reasons. Others are in the temporarily occupied territory, some of them registering businesses under Russian law or obtaining Russian passports. The six who were deprived of their voting rights for collaboration are still legally deputies. And those who did file open declarations declared almost 72 million hryvnias in cash and 614 land plots in the same hands.

The Center for Public Investigations and Intent analyzed the wealth of the richest and compared it to the previous year.

Who filed, who hid, who is on the TOT

Of the 64 MPs of the VIII convocation (including those who lost their mandate), only 25 have open declarations for 2025. This does not mean that the rest are breaking the law. For example, some of them have closed declarations for security reasons. Among them are Oleksandr Samoilenko, chairman of the Kherson Regional Council, Dmytro Butriy, first deputy head of the regional state administration,Viktor Korolenko , director of the regional clinical hospital, andIryna Sokur, director of the cancer center.

The exception that requires explanation is Halyna Hondarieva (First Deputy Mayor of Kakhovka). According to media reports, she has been outside Ukraine since 2022. In this case, there are no grounds for closing the declaration due to security risks, but there is no declaration.

Among those who have not filed declarations and are on the TOT, but with signs of active cooperation with the occupation structures:

• Iryna Zbarovska (OPFL): wife of a convicted collaborator. According to the CJR, she heads the financial department of the occupation administration of Kakhovka.
• Vitaliy Shtanko (OPFL) and Derenik Melkonyan ("We live here"): in the Russian Unified State Register, both are listed as citizens of the Russian Federation and founders of enterprises registered under the jurisdiction of the occupiers after 2022.

Millions from business, property sales and salaries

The first place in our income ranking was taken by Serhii Rybalko, a deputy of the Kherson Regional Council, who declared diverse income, the bulk of which was generated not only from salaries but also from business and financial transactions. He received the largest amount - UAH 2.7 million - from the alienation of securities and corporate rights. The declaration also includes UAH 474.8 thousand of salary, more than UAH 131 thousand of income from property lease, UAH 85.4 thousand of bank interest, and other income, including additional benefits and gifts.

Olena Rybalko, the MP's wife, made a significant contribution to the family budget - over UAH 2.3 million in income from business activities and UAH 373.2 thousand in salary. The declaration also includes social payments and charitable assistance in favor of a person under the family's care. In total, the family's total income exceeded UAH 6.4 million.

IMAGE: CPR/Intent/AI

Oleksandr Spivakovsky took the second place with UAH 3.2 million in total income for the year together with his family. The largest source of income was his salary at Kherson State University - over UAH 1 million. Additionally, he received UAH 36.7 thousand in lifetime benefits as a member of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, as well as UAH 261.6 thousand in pension. Another almost UAH 19 thousand was interest from a foreign bank and more than UAH 17 thousand - fees under civil law agreements.

The MP's wife also declared significant income. She received over UAH 532 thousand in salary from Kherson State University and UAH 214.3 thousand in pension. In addition, her income includes over UAH 1.1 million in cash gifts and UAH 49 thousand from the sale of real estate. Additionally, the couple received government payments in the form of "Made in Ukraine" cashback, totaling more than UAH 9 thousand.

Ruslan Romanenko took the third place in our ranking with UAH 1.8 million of income. He declared income generated from both basic payments and additional sources. The largest share is the salary at the state-owned company Ukragroleasing - over UAH 615 thousand. In addition, he received UAH 433 thousand of fees under civil law agreements, as well as income from the alienation of real estate in the amount of UAH 650 thousand. Other income includes a part-time salary at Kakhovske Sun, small amounts from renting property, insurance payments, social benefits, and other fringe benefits.

The MP's wife, Olena Romanenko, declared more than UAH 110 thousand of income from entrepreneurial activities, as well as social benefits.

The fourth place was taken by Anna Sinkevych with UAH 1.6 million of income. The largest share of her income is a salary of UAH 888,872 received from Ukrainian Demining Services LLC. In addition, she declared UAH 750,000 of income from the alienation of movable property. Other income included UAH 2,170 of additional benefits (cashback and bonuses) from Universal Bank JSC, as well as government payments: UAH 540 under the "National Cashback "Made in Ukraine" program and UAH 1,000 under the "Winter Support" program.

The last place in the ranking went to Oleh Fedak with UAH 1.5 million in income. The main source of the MP 's income was his salary from Pallada Shipyard LLC - UAH 1,128,167. In addition, he received two pension payments from the Main Department of the Pension Fund of Ukraine in Kherson region totaling UAH 283,320, as well as UAH 12,873 in interest from MTB Bank PJSC. The MP's wife, Tetiana Fedak, declared UAH 72,024 of income from electricity generation, as well as UAH 52,641 of pension.

Million-dollar business loans and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash

The first place in the ranking for savings was taken by Victoria Havrenkova , a member of the Kherson Regional Council . She has declared tens of millions of hryvnias in assets, a significant portion of which are funds lent to private companies and enterprises. Among them are agricultural, construction and trade structures, to which the deputy provided repayable financial assistance. The total amount of savings is approximately UAH 111 million (savings in foreign currency converted into hryvnias according to the NBU as of December 31, 2025 - ed.)

According to the declaration, the largest amounts are related to the private agricultural enterprise Kaissa. In total, the documents indicate numerous loans to this company, ranging from several hundred thousand to almost UAH 4.7 million. Separately, she declared multimillion-dollar loans to Sun Light LLC, Vlada Inc LLC, Profi-Trade PE, and V.I.P.Stroy PE.

The MP's largest financial assets include:

• UAH 9 million borrowed from Sun Light LLC;
• over UAH 7 million to the same company;
• UAH 5 million - another financial assistance to this company;
• more than 4.1 million hryvnias to VVVV LLC;
• 4.7 million hryvnias to the private enterprise Kaissa.

Havrenkova also declared significant foreign currency savings. In particular, she keeps USD 531.6 thousand in an individual bank safe. In addition, she has funds in hryvnias, dollars and euros, as well as UAH 230 thousand in cash on her bank accounts. The declaration also states that the MP has the right to claim funds from VIPSTROI PE for repayment of loan interest under the surety agreement. The amount of such funds exceeds UAH 346 thousand. The financial assets of the MP's mother, Nina Ryabinina, are listed separately. She has funds in accounts at the state-owned Oschadbank and Pivdennyi Bank.

IMAGE: CPR/Intent/AI

The second place in the ranking was taken by Oleksiy Marushchenko, who declared significant monetary assets, most of which are registered as loans to third parties and repayable financial assistance to various enterprises. The total amount of declared savings and financial assets is about UAH 90.1 million. Among the largest amounts are UAH 13.9 million provided by his wife Marta Marushchenko to SUN LIGHT LLC, as well as UAH 9.7 million loaned to the private agricultural enterprise KAISSA.

The declaration also lists numerous financial transactions with PROFI-TRADE, VVVV, VLADA INC, V.I.P.STROY and other companies. Some of the loans amount to several million hryvnias, including UAH 5.6 million, UAH 5 million, UAH 3.9 million, and UAH 3.3 million. In total, we are talking about tens of millions of hryvnias of assets registered as financial assistance to businesses.

In addition, the spouses declared UAH 410 thousand in cash and USD 21.5 thousand in joint property. The family's bank accounts hold relatively small amounts - the largest amount, UAH 265 thousand, is on Martha Marushchenko 's account at Universal Bank.

The third place was taken by Volodymyr Khvostov, a deputy of the Kherson Regional Council, with UAH 39.6 million in savings. The deputy keeps UAH 192,251 in PrivatBank, UAH 1,135 in Credit Agricole Bank, and UAH 144,794 in Universal Bank. In addition, the accounts contain 26,212 and 46,403 euros, 26,152 US dollars, as well as more than 22 thousand and almost 40 thousand Polish zlotys.

Khvostov keeps UAH 3.6 million, USD 130 thousand and EUR 50 thousand in cash.

A separate and revealing item in the declaration is a loan to third parties. The MP lent 62 thousand and 25 thousand euros, 10 thousand US dollars, 20 thousand and 860,663 Polish zlotys, as well as 7.2 million UAH to Agroproduct Logistic LLC. In total, the MP declared more than 166 thousand dollars, 209 thousand euros, 942 thousand Polish zlotys and 11.2 million UAH.

The fourth place was taken by Serhiy Rybalko with a total of UAH 21.3 million in savings. He keeps USD 50 thousand, EUR 174 thousand and UAH 720 thousand in cash. Additionally, he has UAH 1.8 million, USD 56,835 and EUR 3,307 on his accounts with Ukreximbank, as well as EUR 10,500 in another bank. The MP's wife, Olena Rybalko, declared another 84,700 euros on her bank account. In total, the family borrowed more than 106 thousand dollars, 272 thousand euros, and 2.6 million UAH.

Serhiy Khlan took the fifth place with his UAH 17.1 million. He declared 380 thousand US dollars and 363 thousand hryvnias in cash. The MP did not specify how much he keeps on his accounts, but he has a financial obligation of UAH 634,167.

Millions for cars and equipment without a price

The undisputed leader in terms of cars is Victoria Havrenkova, who declared 26 vehicles - one of the largest fleets among the deputies of the Kherson Regional Council. It includes premium cars, trucks, semi-trailers, and trailers.

The most notable part of the declaration is three Audi cars. The most expensive of them is a 2021 Audi SQ8 purchased in May 2024 for UAH 1.6 million. Also declared is a 2016 Audi Q7 for UAH 2.5 million and another 2017 Audi Q7 purchased in 2021 for only UAH 300 thousand, which is significantly lower than the market value. In addition, there is a 2011 VAZ-211440 in the property without any indication of its value.

The freight transport consists of nine units: four Renault trucks of different models (Premium 385.19, Premium 420, Magnum 440, Premium and 22G), three MAZ trucks (models 53366 of two years of production and 53362), DAF XF 95.480 and a 1999 Ford Transit. The cost of any of the trucks is not specified.

Trailer equipment consists of eight units: MAISONNEUVE Original semitrailers (UAH 216,100), BSL STC-1A (UAH 106,100), MAGYAR SRP3MER (UAH 154,100), KRONE SDC 27, GENERAL TRAILERS TF34CZ, SARA NS37FL and two VAN HOOLs made in 1985, as well as trailers SZAP-83571, GKB-8352, KRD-050108 and ODAZ-83571.

Most of the vehicles are listed without a price, which makes it impossible to estimate the total value of the fleet. However, for the three declared Audi cars alone, the total purchase amount is over UAH 4.4 million.

IMAGE: CPR/Intent/AI

The second place was taken by Viktor Vetrov, who declared 14 vehicles, including cars, trucks, semi-trailers and agricultural machinery. Among the cars, the most notable are a 2019 Mercedes-Benz S 350 D, purchased in 2021 for UAH 1.8 million, and a 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350, which was not valued. In addition, the MP owns a 2010 Renault Kangoo (UAH 92 thousand) and a classic GAZ-21, the year of manufacture of which is not specified. Iryna Vetrova, the MP's wife, declared a 2017 Skoda Octavia A7 without any value.

Freight transport is represented by two DAF trucks - FX 95.430 (2004, UAH 117 thousand) and CF 85.430 (2006, UAH 120 thousand), a 2007 Ford Transit, as well as Soviet trucks ZIL-MMZ 554M of 1992 and GAZ-3307. 1991.

The fleet also includes three semi-trailers - OVIBOS 36W1 2009 (UAH 294 thousand), GRAS GS44 2005 (UAH 161 thousand) and JANMIL NW-15 2005 (UAH 153 thousand), as well as a TTZ DT-75 tractor made in 1994.

The third place in the ranking was taken by Oleksiy Marushchenko, who declared 12 vehicles - trucks, semi-trailers, cars and agricultural machinery, the vast majority of which were purchased in 2016 without specifying the cost.

The trucks are represented by three DAF trucks - XF 95.380 (2003), 95XF 430 (2005) and XF 95.430 (2004). The fleet also includes five semi-trailers: two Hungarian MAGYAR models SRP3MER and 34E (both 1992), an Austrian RINNER TP4 (1989), a Hungarian GUHUR SEM 332 (1988), and a German SCHMITZ SKO 24 (1998).

Among the cars, the MPs declared a VAZ-212140 made in 2011, without specifying its value. In 2022, the MP's wife Marta Marushchenko purchased a 2018 Toyota C-HR for UAH 195 thousand.

Agricultural machinery is represented by a 2005 MTZ-82.1 tractor and a 2015 2PTS-4 trailer, both without specifying the cost. It is worth noting that none of the declared vehicles of the MP himself has the full purchase price, which makes it impossible to fully assess their total value.

The fourth place went to Yuriy Vlasov, who owns six vehicles - cars and a truck.

Among the passenger cars, the Mercedes-Benz Viano of 2013, purchased in 2019 for UAH 788,969, as well as the Toyota Sequoia of 2010 and the Volkswagen Transporter of 2008, both without a value, stand out. The most budgetary car in the declaration is a 2009 Skoda Fabia purchased in 2020 for 127 thousand UAH. Alina Vlasova, the MP's wife, declared a Mercedes-Benz GLE 250 made in 2018 without specifying the purchase price.

Cargo transport is represented by one car DAF LF 45.180 2003, purchased in 2016 for UAH 50 thousand. Of the declared vehicles, the cost is indicated for only three - in total, for more than UAH 965 thousand, while the real market value of undeclared cars, including a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 250 and a Toyota Sequoia, may significantly exceed this figure.

The fifth place was taken by Serhii Rybalka, who declared seven vehicles and one watercraft - cars of different classes, a tractor and a motorboat.

The most notable items are two premium cars. A 2016 BMW X5 was purchased for UAH 1.6 million, but the owner in the declaration is listed as Adelaide Farm, while it is used on a lease basis. The situation is similar with the 2019 Lexus LX459D - the car also belongs to the Adelaide Farm, but is used on a different right of use without specifying the cost. Olena Rybalko, the MP's wife, declared a 2014 Toyota Land Cruiser purchased for UAH 1.1 million.

Other vehicles include a 2004 UAZ-31519 and a 2002 ZAZ-110217, both without specifying the value. A 1992 DT-75ML caterpillar tractor worth UAH 12 thousand and a 1987 Progress-4 motor boat were declared separately. made in 1987 and purchased in 2010 for UAH 8 thousand.

It is worth noting that the two most expensive cars - BMW X5 and Lexus LX459D - formally belong to a farm related to the MP. This is a common scheme of declaring expensive vehicles without registering them as personal property.

Real estate: 614 plots and 2 thousand hectares of land

In total, 25 MPs declared more than 1,300 real estate objects. But this figure is almost entirely determined by one person.

The undisputed leader of our ranking in the real estate section is Albert Cherepakha, who declared 614 real estate objects - mostly agricultural land plots with a total area of over 2,150 hectares. For comparison, this is more than the area of the entire city of Kherson in its pre-war boundaries. At the same time, his income fell from UAH 5.36 million in 2024 to UAH 1.14 million in 2025.

The second place was taken by Volodymyr Khvostov, who listed at least 196 real estate objects in his possession. Most of them are land plots acquired in different years. The MP leases another 7 properties, and the declaration also includes 4 properties in joint fractional ownership. The total area of real estate privately owned by the MP exceeds 1150 hectares. Among the declared assets are dozens of large land plots ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of square meters.

The MP acquired some of his assets at the end of 2018. The declaration includes land plots of more than 8.3 hectares, 5.8 hectares, and 4.9 hectares. At the time of acquisition, the value of individual objects ranged from tens to more than a hundred thousand hryvnias. In addition to his own real estate, the MP uses leased properties, which are also listed in his declaration.

Ruslan Romanenko and his wife took the third place with 175 real estate objects listed. Of these, 173 are owned and 2 land plots are leased. The total area of real estate owned is over 361 hectares. The family leases another 743 hectares. The declared property includes dozens of land plots, residential buildings, an apartment and a dental office.

The fourth place was taken by Serhiy Rybalko, who together with his wife declared at least 107 real estate objects in their possession. Among them are apartments, houses, condos, parking spaces and dozens of land plots. The total area of real estate owned is over 158 hectares. Another leased property, a land plot of almost 5.1 hectares, is listed separately in the declaration. In addition, the MP uses three more objects on the rights of other use.

And the last place was taken by Viktor Vetrov, who declared at least 42 real estate objects. Of these, 40 are owned or co-owned by the family, and 2 land plots are leased. The total area of the declared real estate is about 975 thousand m², of which more than 5 hectares is leased land. The assets include houses, apartments, shops, a livestock complex, commercial premises and dozens of land plots.

Dynamics of 2024 vs 2025

Out of 22 MPs who have declarations for both years, 17 declared a drop in income. But a drop in declared income is not always a sign of real impoverishment.

The largest increase

• Vadym Chaban: +159.5% (from UAH 391 thousand to one million).
• Oksana Palamarchuk: +43.7% (from UAH 441 thousand to UAH 634 thousand).

The biggest drop is with unchanged or growing property

The most interesting are those where the income has fallen, but the property has not disappeared:

• Sergey Khlan: -93.2% of income (was UAH 889 thousand - became UAH 60 thousand), but the accumulated UAH 16.3 million in cash has not decreased.
• Volodymyr Khvostov: -80.1% of income (from UAH 3.9 million to UAH 774 thousand), cash decreased from UAH 13.5 million to UAH 11.3 million.
• Albert Turtle: -78.7% of revenue with 614 properties and UAH 2 million in cash unchanged.

Mandate is there - no conscience

The most egregious feature of the Kherson Regional Council of the eighth convocation is not the size of the wealth of its members, but the fact that six deputies who were deprived of their voting rights by the council itself for collaborating with the occupiers still retain their mandates. The Rada recorded their crimes in the decisions of its sessions, but to deprive them of their mandate, a separate vote is required, which the majority never took.

Vitaliy Buliuk, Danylo and Eduard Repilevsky, Svitlana Mezerytska. COLLAGE: CPR/Intent/AI

Mezherytska: the verdict is in, the mandate is in

The most high-profile case is Svitlana Mezherytska ("Nash Krai"). In November 2025, the Kherson City Court convicted her of collaboration. Mezherytska appealed the verdict, and until the court of appeal decides the case, she formally retains her parliamentary mandate. She has been deprived of the right to speak since July 2024. She has not filed any declarations.

Buliuk: customs officer of the occupiers

Vitaliy Buliuk (Nash Krai) was the first to be included in the list - in December 2022, the council deprived him of his right to vote (decision No. 496). He agreed to cooperate with the occupiers and headed the so-called Kherson Customs of the Russian Federation. Since May 2022, he has been under suspicion under Part 7 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code (collaboration), the case is being considered by the Kherson City Court. He did not file a declaration for 2025.

Repilevsky: father and son

• Eduard Repilevsky (OPFL) took the position of the occupation "Minister of Agriculture of Kherson region". He is suspected of treason, an article that provides for life imprisonment with confiscation of property. He has been deprived of the right to speak since December 2022 (decision No. 495). He has not filed any declarations since 2022.
• Danylo Repilevskyi (Servant of the People) received a Russian passport, registered companies under Russian law, and forced employees to vote in a pseudo-referendum. In April 2025, the SBU notified him of suspicion of treason. The mandate was revoked by popular initiative in 2024, but he managed to enter the scandal by receiving a diploma from the occupation administration of Kakhovka at the end of 2024.

Litvin, Kulchykovsky, Pungin

• According to the SBU,Valeriy Litvin (Blok Saldo) organized volunteers for the occupiers' "power bloc" and registered businesses in Crimea under Russian law. Suspicion of encroachment on territorial integrity, which led to the death of people. The indictment was submitted to the court. He was deprived of the right to speak in April 2023.
• Serhiy Kulchykovsky ("We Live Here") has been wanted since July 2022 on suspicion of treason. He was deprived of the right to speak in July 2024.
• Viktor Pungin ("European Solidarity") is the only one in this group without a declared suspicion. However, in the Russian state register, he is listed as a co-owner of the Voskhod farm (Mala Mayachka village), registered with his wife and children under occupation. Revenue of up to 200 million rubles. He was deprived of the right to speak in July 2024.

Business under occupation: Russian passports and false flag companies

A cross-check with open sources and Russian state registries revealed several MPs who have registered or kept businesses under the jurisdiction of the occupiers.

• Vitaliy Shtanko (OPFL): in the Russian Unified State Register, he is listed as a citizen of the Russian Federation and the founder of the Victoria-Askania farm in Askania-Nova, registered under the laws of the occupiers.
• Derenik Melkonyan ("We live here"): in December 2023, he registered Arm-Agro LLC in the Russian Unified State Register - he is also listed as a citizen of the Russian Federation.
• Viktor Pungin: Voskhod Farm (Mala Mayachka village) is registered in the Russian register for Pungin and his family members. The company declared revenues of up to 200 million rubles.
• Volodymyr Hanzha: his father was convicted of aiding the enemy. The deputy himself is a business partner of a convicted latifundist, his whereabouts are unknown.

Four realities of one council

The first reality is the deputies who save people or perform their official duties in the conditions of hostilities. Their declarations are legally closed, and their presence in the council is justified.

The second reality is those who found themselves in the occupied territory: some remain silent, others actively interact with the occupiers, register businesses and receive Russian passports. All of them are still MPs.

The third reality is 25 MPs with open declarations, whose figures raise more questions than they answer: 72 million in cash, 614 land plots in the same hands, falling incomes with unchanged or growing assets.

The fourth reality is that six people against whom courts have passed sentences or investigators have announced suspicions of treason are still legally considered deputies of the Kherson Regional Council. Not because of a legal conflict, but because of the lack of political will of the majority to vote for the revocation of their mandates.

Олеся Ланцман

Анна Бальчінос