This is reported by Kyiv24
The former secretary of the Kyiv City Council has been charged with negligence and facilitating evasion of military service. This information was provided by the State Bureau of Investigations and the Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office.
Case Circumstances and Investigation Position
Investigators from the State Bureau of Investigations (DBR) established that in 2022–2023, the former city council secretary illegally paid a salary to the head of the Kyiv Council’s affairs, who, along with a group of other deputies, was mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is noted by the agency that the official “knew for certain that the latter was serving in the military.” The state suffered damages amounting to over 690 thousand hryvnias.
The DBR also reports that the former city council secretary sent an official letter to the Kyiv City Military-Civil Administration requesting the secondment of the mobilized employee to work in the Kyiv Council, although there are no positions in the council that can be filled by military personnel.
Prosecutor’s Position and Case Progress
According to the prosecutor’s office, the employee who was receiving a salary continued to receive financial support as a serviceman and, from July 2022 to March 2023, unjustifiably received a salary from the city council. The suspect also repeatedly contacted the military-civil administration with requests regarding the secondment of this employee.
“Thus, the mobilized employee effectively evaded military service, did not report to the military unit, and did not perform any defense tasks for Ukraine. The indictment against him is currently under consideration in court.”
The name of the suspect has not been officially disclosed by law enforcement. However, it is known that since 2020, the secretary of the Kyiv Council was Volodymyr Bondarenko. On his Facebook page, he confirmed receiving the charges, calling them “completely unfounded.” According to Bondarenko, this concerns payments to deputy Ihor Khatevych. He emphasized that Khatevych returned the funds received to the budget and did not receive a salary at his place of service.
In April, Volodymyr Bondarenko announced the premature termination of his powers, citing pressure from the central government.