The head of the sports department failed to explain to the court how her father-in-law, mother-in-law and nanny had been employed at the Mykolaiv sports school

On Monday, 4 May, the Central District Court of Mykolaiv remanded Iryna Bondarenko, head of the city council’s Department of Physical Culture and Sport, in custody. She is suspected of embezzling public funds. Bail was set at 832,000 hryvnias as an alternative to detention.

A correspondent for NikVesti reports on the key details of the case, as revealed during the court hearing.

The charges against Iryna Bondarenko were announced on 29 April. According to the investigation, since the start of the full-scale invasion, she organised a scheme of fictitious employment at sports schools in Mykolaiv. This involved hiring relatives and acquaintances without them actually performing any duties.

As prosecutor Ihor Belianskyi stated in court, the scheme allowed not only for salaries to be drawn from the budget, but also for deferrals from mobilisation to be obtained.

Iryna Bondarenko, according to the prosecution, gave verbal instructions to the directors of sports schools regarding employment, bonuses and salary payments. Among those implicated in the case are several individuals who, according to the investigation, were employed fictitiously.

In particular, in July 2025, Oleksandr Liutovych was registered as a cleaner at the Children’s and Youth Sports School of Olympic Reserve No. 6. However, he did not actually work there. During this time, he was paid 24,800 hryvnias. At the same time, he received a deferment from conscription. According to YouControl, the man is an entrepreneur and trades in food products.

Another person fictitiously employed is the official’s father-in-law, Valerii Mashkin. According to the investigation, from 2022 to 2024 he was listed as a gym attendant, but in reality he was in Kolomyia in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. During this time, he received over 121,000 hryvnias. A similar situation, according to the prosecutor, involved the official’s mother-in-law, Liubov Mashkina, who worked at Sports School No. 1. She was also outside Mykolaiv but received over 85,000 hryvnias. She left her post in January 2024.

The investigation mentions another employee — Lilia Gram, who was hired as a part-time gym attendant and caretaker. She received over 181,000 hryvnias.

Another employee identified by the investigation, Hanna Kovhanko, who was listed as a cleaner of industrial premises, was paid 145,766 hryvnias.

As prosecutor Ihor Belianskyi stated in court, all funds paid from the Mykolaiv budget to these fictitiously employed individuals were subsequently transferred to Iryna Bondarenko. She is therefore suspected of embezzling 558,855 hryvnias.

In his application, the prosecutor asked the court to suspend the official from her post. Among the evidence listed, gathered by the investigation, he cited a series of searches, notably at the Department of Physical Culture and Sport, and at sports schools №6 and «Peremoha». In addition, the investigation recorded withdrawals from bank cards allegedly made by Iryna Bondarenko herself.

Ihor Belianskyi noted that whilst in office, Iryna Bondarenko could influence the course of the investigation. According to him, she has connections among officials and could put pressure on witnesses who have not yet been questioned. He also highlighted the risks of documents being destroyed or tampered with and of further similar offences being committed.

In his statement, lawyer Yevheniia Pryluka made a remark and asked the prosecution to adhere to the principle of the presumption of innocence with regard to his client:

«Committed, did… This can only be stated in a court’s guilty verdict, not in a motion.»

That said, the defence lawyers were not opposed to her removal. They justified this by their desire to avoid further provocation from the law enforcement officers.

«For our own safety, we consider it necessary to support this motion,» said Yevhen Pryluka.

«Despite the fact that even the prosecutor has not substantiated the risks they are attempting to eliminate with this motion, we still agree,» added Dmytro Petrovskyi.

After a recess, Judge Halyna Podzihun ruled to suspend Iryna Bondarenko until 26 June 2026.

The court then moved on to determining a preventive measure for the official. The prosecutor noted that the pre-trial investigation has so far identified at least five people who were fictitiously employed. Investigators are examining the possible involvement of other individuals.

Prosecutor Ihor Belianskyi requested that Iryna Bondarenko be remanded in custody with the possibility of bail set at 500 times the minimum subsistence level, amounting to 1.6 million hryvnias.

He explained his position by stating that none of the other, less severe preventive measures provided for in the Code of Criminal Procedure would be sufficient to prevent the risks established during the pre-trial investigation.

It should be noted that, according to the article under which Bondarenko is charged, the amount of bail should not exceed 80 times the minimum subsistence level for an able-bodied person. However, the prosecution insisted on 500.

The prosecutor, citing the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, justified this by stating that the amount of bail must be such that a person perceives its potential loss as a real risk and does not attempt to obstruct the investigation.

«Bondarenko’s criminal offence has created a negative impression of disorder and impunity in the eyes of the public, which is an exceptional case given the current political situation in the country and the ongoing hostilities on Ukrainian territory,» said Ihor Belianskyi.

Commenting on the prosecution’s position, one of the defence lawyers described the text of the motion as «a script for a play in the theatre of the absurd», as he considers it unfounded and unproven.

«In her role, she is responsible for the actions of the administration. These are subordinate educational institutions and sports schools, which independently, through their directors, determine staffing levels and personnel, and monitor the performance of their duties and attendance records. In this case, Ms Bondarenko has absolutely no involvement. She may approve training sessions when they are submitted for booking, but she is not the one making the decisions. I tried to find, well, at least to question the school directors who at least mentioned that Bondarenko did indeed come to our school and said: «Either you take them, or you don’t.» In general, the allegations should be brought against the school headteachers who are responsible. Only then can we discuss whether Bondarenko is guilty and whether she should be held accountable,» said the lawyer.

Furthermore, lawyer Yevhen Pryluka dismisses as mere speculation the claim that verbal instructions were given to school headteachers, as it is not based on anything.

«Ladies and gentlemen, this is the headteacher’s order. The headteacher signed the order. The headteacher is responsible for workplace discipline. The headteacher was not questioned; there are no suspicions against him. How exactly does this prove Bondarenko’s guilt?» said Yevhen Pryluka.

The defence also emphasises that the investigation does not specify exactly how Iryna Bondarenko came into possession of the funds allocated to the employees. A similar position applies to the submission of staff for booking — as the defence points out, these are submitted by school heads, not the head of the department.

In concluding his speech, he asked the court to impose a more lenient preventive measure in the form of night-time house arrest or to reduce the bail amount to a more reasonable figure.

Another defence lawyer, Dmytro Petrovskyш, supported Prylyuka’s position. He drew the judge’s attention to the fact that, under labour and disciplinary legislation, responsibility for appointments lies with the head of the institution, not with a person higher up in the administrative hierarchy.

«For some reason, when employees fail to fulfil certain duties, the head of the department is held responsible for this failure.For some reason, in our case, the person higher up in the administrative hierarchy bears responsibility. In that case, let’s hold the deputy mayors, the mayor himself, and perhaps even the governor accountable,» suggested Dmytro Petrovskyi.

«Let’s get to the point,» Judge Halyna Podzihun interrupted him.

He pointed out that Bondarenko, in addition to her position in the department, also works as a coach. Athletes are currently being prepared for the European Kickboxing Championships, which Irina Bondarenko’s trainees are due to attend.

When Halyna Podzihun gave the floor to Iryna Bondarenko, she supported her defence team and asked the court to allow her to prepare her pupils.

«I am requesting night-time house arrest. I really need to work. On 14 May, the Ukrainian national team is travelling to the championship in Germany. I have 22 years’ experience as a coach, and my athletes are going there,» said Iryna Bondarenko.

However, the prosecutor opposed the application of a more lenient preventive measure, given the seriousness of the case and her previous influence and connections among her subordinates.

«You are asking for 1.6 million hryvnias in bail. Why such an amount?» asked the judge.

«Firstly, at this initial stage, we have established losses of 550,000 hryvnias; we are continuing to identify other individuals who were fictitiously employed. The losses will increase during the pre-trial investigation,» explained the prosecutor.

Judge Halyna Podzihun asked Iryna Bondarenko whether her family members — her father-in-law and mother-in-law, as well as her nanny — had indeed been employed by the relevant administrative bodies.

«My father-in-law was employed there, but I don’t remember when at all,» replied Iryna Bondarenko.

«They worked…» the lawyer tried to prompt her.

«Perhaps she will answer that herself,» Halyna Podzihun said, addressing the defence.

«He became my father-in-law in 2023. They were still working, as they say, before my time. Well, I don’t know when...» Iryna Bondarenko began to recall.

«If you don’t know, just say you don’t know,» said the judge.

«They weren’t employed during my time there,» said the suspect.

«Neither your father-in-law, nor your mother-in-law, nor the nanny?» the judge clarified.

«My mother-in-law was there, but I don’t remember when or how long she worked,»

said Iryna Bondarenko.

«And what was her job?» asked Halyna Podzihun.

«Honestly?» Iryna Bondarenko shrugged her shoulders, unable to explain.

«A nanny?» the judge clarified.

«What do you mean, a nanny?» Bondarenko asked.

«You don’t ask the court questions. Either you answer, or you refuse.

«I refuse,» said Iryna Bondarenko.

«That is your right».

After examining the written evidence, the prosecution asked the court during the hearing to grant the application in full. The defence objected. The court deliberated in chambers and remanded Iryna Bondarenko in custody until 26 June. However, the motion was granted in part: the bail amount was halved to 832,000 hryvnias.

The case of Iryna Bondarenko

On 29 April 2026, Iryna Bondarenko, head of the sports department at Mykolaiv City Council, was charged with embezzlement of public funds. The sum in question is over half a million hryvnias. Prior to this, law enforcement officers had carried out a search of her home and car.

However, this is not the first search linked to Iryna Bondarenko. Investigative activities at the building of the Department of Physical Culture and Sport of the Mykolaiv City Council came to light on 20 January. Sources at NikVesti within law enforcement agencies reported that searches took place at Iryna Bondarenko’s department and two sports schools. According to our information, these are the «Peremoha» sports school, run by Oleksandr Munch, and the «Specialised Children’s and Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve №6», where the former head of the sports department, Oleh Mashkin, works as deputy director and boxing coach.

A few days later, Iryna Bondarenko, head of the Department of Physical Culture and Sport at Mykolaiv City Council, commented on the searches that took place last week. She accused the media of spreading rumours, whilst confirming that the department had provided all the necessary documents requested by the law enforcement agencies.

On 23 January, the Central District Court placed a seizure order on property belonging to the Department of Physical Culture and Sport of the Mykolaiv City Council that had been seized during the searches.

At that time, Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych did not suspend Iryna Bondarenko from her post. In a comment to NikVesti, the mayor later stated that the claim that the Department of Physical Culture and Sport had organised the sale of exemptions from mobilisation for $5,000 was untrue and that he was awaiting the outcome of the investigation.

After the charges were served, Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych stated that Iryna Bondarenko would be suspended from her post for the duration of the investigation.

On 4 May, following a court ruling, she was suspended from her post as head of the department and remanded in custody until 26 June, with the possibility of bail.