20.06.2025 Arbitrariness of judges Ecology Kharkiv

A court defending corruption: how the Osnoviansk District Court covers up the crimes of mayors, police and oligarchs

In Kharkiv, the shameful practice of judicial cover-ups of officials’ crimes continues to take root. The Osnovianskyi District Court of Kharkiv, which is supposed to protect the law and the rights of citizens, is increasingly demonstrating a blatant disregard for the facts of corruption, environmental crimes, and embezzlement of budget funds.

Investigating judges of this court have consistently refused to oblige the prosecutor’s office to register criminal proceedings even when there are obvious grounds to initiate investigations. This indicates not only indifference but also potential bias, which undermines trust in justice.

The arbitrariness covered up by the judges of the Osnoviansk District Court is striking in its scale and audacity.

Lozova for sale: Mayor Zelensky and police create a corruption network

Serhiy Zelenskyi, the mayor of Lozova, is a key link in a network of corruption that has engulfed the city. From embezzling budget funds for firewood programs to misappropriating humanitarian aid, his activities have caused outrage in the community.

According to sources, Zelensky once hoped for the “arrival of Russia,” having managed to sell his business for $5 million, but the Armed Forces thwarted his plans. Residents of Lozova have repeatedly complained about the mayor’s arbitrariness, but the inaction of law enforcement agencies only confirms the rottenness of the system.

One of the key figures in the corruption schemes is the head of the Lozova district police department, Vitaliy Glushchenko. According to sources, he provides “protection” for a number of criminal transactions, including:

  1. Forging medical certificates to evade mobilization.
  2. Operation of an underground workshop for the production of excisable goods.
  3. Illegal sale of methadone under the guise of substitution therapy.
  4. Corruption in Lozova also affected the Lozova Central District Hospital.

During the renovation of the hospital, the prices for work and materials were artificially inflated. The chief physician, Ivan Zhovtyy, refused to sign fictitious certificates of completion and was fired. He was replaced by Volodymyr Sergienko, who, according to sources, unquestioningly signed all documents, facilitating the implementation of corruption schemes. These actions took place with the consent of Mayor Zelensky, which casts doubt on his role in these transactions.

Despite a number of facts and allegations from Lozova residents that only confirm the lawlessness in the city, investigating judge of the Osnovianskyi District Court of Kharkiv V. Barabanova refused to oblige the authorized persons of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office to initiate a pre-trial investigation into the case.

Akhmetov vs. Nature: How the oligarch is destroying Kharkiv region with Nereta’s help

Kharkiv region is on the verge of an environmental disaster. The Smaragdove Dzherelo Regional Landscape Park, which was supposed to become part of the Emerald Network of Europe, has not appeared due to the actions of oligarch Rinat Akhmetov and his company Naftogazrazrabotka LLC. With the support of corrupt officials from the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Kharkiv Regional Environmental Agency and environmental inspections, Akhmetov is destroying the region’s subsoil for gas production, ignoring the law, the community and nature.

Registered in 2015 in Kyiv, Naftogazrozrabotka LLC is owned by Rinat Akhmetov and the Dutch company DTEK Oil & Gas Development B.V., which is part of his business empire. The company has received a special permit for geological exploration and commercial development of the Khoroshivska license area in Kharkiv region, located near the villages of Bezlyudivka, Babai, Khoroshevo and Zhikhar. The plans include drilling wells, construction of gas pipelines and gas treatment facilities.

Under the slogan of “energy independence,” the company is breaking the law and putting pressure on the community. Back in 2019, Naftogazrozrabotka illegally installed geophones (seismic receivers), violating the rules for subsoil use.

On November 28, 2019, public hearings were held in Kharkiv district on the arrangement of Khoroshivska Square. Residents categorically opposed the drilling of wells and the construction of a gas pipeline, fearing water, air, and soil pollution in a densely populated area. However, they were ignored.

On January 20, 2020, the Department of Environmental Protection of Kharkiv Regional State Administration, headed by Andriy Nereta, issued an environmental impact assessment conclusion that allowed Naftogazrazrabotka to start work. The document ignored real environmental risks and contained dubious data, which indicates that it was tailored to the company’s interests.

Now Kharkiv region is losing its chance to become a part of the Emerald Network of Europe due to the actions of Akhmetov and corrupt officials.

Despite the above, Investigating Judge of the Osnovianskyi District Court of Kharkiv S.V. Klimova refused to oblige the officials of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office to enter the information into the URPTI.

Fraud within the Regional Water Resources Office

The Regional Office of Water Resources in Kharkiv Oblast, which is supposed to ensure the conservation and efficient use of the region’s water resources, has found itself at the center of a scandal. Illegal dismissals, misuse of budget funds, the disappearance of equipment worth millions of hryvnias, and inaction of regulatory authorities are just some of the problems that are destroying the water sector in Kharkiv region.

Financial irregularities in the ROVD are systemic. According to the Accounting Chamber, in 2021, ineffective management of budget funds in the amount of UAH 497.29 thousand was revealed, which contradicts Article 7 of the Budget Code of Ukraine. The management of the ROVR announced that measures had been taken, but no real changes had occurred. Among other violations:

  1. Late use of allocations and their return to the state budget, which indicates inefficient planning.
  2. Misuse of funds for labor remuneration in the amount of UAH 318.71 thousand, including the payment of unified social contribution in the amount of UAH 41.43 thousand, without complying with the terms of the Collective Agreement.
  3. Incorrect reflection of expenses in accounting, in particular, incorrect classification of labor costs under budget programs KPKVK2407050 and KPKVK2707050.
  4. Payment of bonuses without performance criteria, in some cases up to 300% of the official salary.
  5. Uneven bonuses that violate the principle of equality in labor relations.
  6. The disappearance of equipment worth millions of hryvnias

One of the most resonant violations is the disappearance of pumping equipment with a residual value of UAH 2.2 million. According to ROVR officials, the equipment was allegedly transferred for repair, but the state auditors did not find it either at the repair company or elsewhere.

The location of the equipment remains unknown, which may indicate theft or intentional concealment of assets.

Once again, despite the evidence and facts, the investigating judge of the Osnovianskyi District Court of Kharkiv, Hloba M.M., refused to oblige officials of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office to enter the information into the URPTI.

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