₴7.5 million on salaries: What do the declarations of mayors in the Mykolaiv region reveal?

Salaries of mayors in the Mykolaiv region in 2025, infographic by NikVesti

Mayors in Mykolaiv region have published their declarations for 2025. NikVesti analysed the declarations of the mayors of nine cities: Mykolaiv, Pervomaisk, Voznesensk, Pivdennoukrainsk, Bashtanka, Novyi Buh, Nova Odesa, Ochakiv, as well as the head of the Snigurivka City Military Administration, Ivan Kukhta.

The highest salary among them is received by the mayor of Pervomaisk, Oleg Demchenko — an average of 107,800 hryvnias per month — while the lowest is that of the head of Snigurivka, Ivan Kukhta, who earns an average of 41,200 hryvnias per month.

Find out what’s in the mayors’ declarations in the article by NikVesti.

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Oleh Demchenko, Mayor of Pervomaisk

In his 2025 declaration, Pervomaisk Mayor Oleh Demchenko stated that he owns only a 36.2-square-metre flat in Pervomaisk.

The couple also have the right to use, free of charge, property in Pervomaisk: a residential house of 219.7 square metres and a plot of land, the area of which the mayor did not specify in his declaration.

All other property is owned by his wife, Iryna. She owns property in Kharkiv: one flat measuring 91.2 square metres and another in joint ownership, as well as three parking spaces.

Mayor of Pervomaisk Oleg Demchenko, photo: city council

The declaration of the mayor of Pervomaisk contains significant changes regarding land ownership. Whilst in 2024 his wife owned 18 plots of land in the Mykolaiv region, with a total area of 977.1 square metres, in 2025 she owned none.

Instead, she rents two plots of land in Pervomaisk with a total area of 231.3 square metres, owns 25% of a plot of land there with an area of 1,552 square metres, and is a co-owner of a shop with a basement and a non-residential premises covering 53.5 square metres.

The mayor of Pervomaisk also declared that he owns a ‘Volga’ car, which he purchased in 2011 for 3,000 hryvnias, whilst his wife owns a 2013 Porsche Cayenne, which she purchased in 2019 for 400,000 hryvnias.

In 2025, Oleh Demchenko received 1.2 million hryvnias in salary as mayor of Pervomaisk, averaging 107,800 hryvnias per month. At the same time, he received 336,700 hryvnias in pension payments. His wife received 415,500 hryvnias from her business activities.

The mayor’s wife also received 16,700 hryvnias in pension and 1,000 hryvnias in state winter support.

The mayor of Pervomaisk holds 200,000 hryvnias and 10,000 dollars in cash, whilst his wife holds 300,000 hryvnias, 15,000 dollars and 5,000 euros.

The couple also holds a further 114,500 hryvnias and 264 dollars in bank accounts.

Information regarding a 5 million hryvnia loan taken out by the mayor’s wife, which was included in the previous declaration for 2024, has also been omitted from the declaration.

Mayor of Mykolaiv Oleksandr Sienkevych

In 2025, Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych earned 1,177,559 hryvnias, which amounts to 98,100 hryvnias per month. This is 24.5% more than his salary in 2024.

He owns two plots of land, each measuring 1,000 square metres, in Mykolaiv; a 54.5-square-metre flat purchased in 2008; and a 69.9-square-metre flat. In addition, he owns another plot of land measuring 2,622 square metres in Nova Kakhovka.

«I hear a lot of things said about me, that we’ve supposedly left Mykolaiv and so on. It’s complete nonsense that I’m supposedly selling my property. I’m required to declare my assets, and all my declarations are public. You can see what I own and what I don’t. On the other hand, what to do with my property is my personal business, not the business of people who have achieved nothing in life,» said Oleksandr Sienkevych at a staff meeting.

Mayor of Mykolaiv Oleksandr Sienkevych, photo by NikVesti

Part of the property is registered in the name of his wife, Kateryna Sienkevych, including a plot of land and a complex of buildings in Nova Kakhovka, as well as a jointly owned flat. Since 2019, the family has been renting a house in Mykolaiv with an area of over 220 square metres.

In 2025, the mayor’s wife purchased a 74.6-square-metre flat in Poland, as well as a garage. The property was purchased on credit; the declaration lists a mortgage obligation to a Polish bank. In addition, she rents accommodation.

Their vehicles include a 2018 Volvo XC90, which the wife uses, and the mayor’s 2021 Indian Scout Bobber motorbike, which he purchased in May 2025 for 223,800 hryvnias.

Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych arrived at work at the city council on his motorbike, June 2025, photo by NikVesti

At the time, in a comment to NikVesti, Oleksandr Sienkevych explained that it was a second-hand motorbike he had bought from abroad.

The family also declared financial assets. In particular, the mayor’s wife holds 75,000 US dollars in cash. In addition, she has funds in bank accounts, including 8,500 dollars, as well as small amounts in hryvnias and Polish zlotys.

The declaration also states that Kateryna Sienkevych received a gift of 2 million hryvnias. Furthermore, the family holds cryptocurrency assets stored on the Binance exchange. Specifically, the mayor’s wife owns:

• 0.0265 Bitcoin (worth approximately 21,900 hryvnias),
• 0.053 Ethereum (worth around 4,000 hryvnias),
• 0.85 Solana,
• 85.9 units of Fantom (worth around 698 hryvnias),
• 2.37 Polkadot (worth around 542 hryvnias).

Mayor of Novyi Buh, Maksym Lahodiienko

Maksym Lahodiienko, Mayor of Novyi Buh, has declared a 122-square-metre house and a 36-square-metre flat in Novyi Buh.

He also owns three plots of land in Novyi Buh, with a total area of 1,700 square metres. Maksym Lahodiienko owns another plot of land in the village of Pokazne, Bashtanka district — its area is 49,600 square metres. His wife owns two plots of land in Novyi Buh, with a total area of 2,200 square metres.

In 2025, Maksym Lahodiienko received over 1 million hryvnias in salary as mayor of Novyi Buh, averaging 90,800 hryvnias per month.

He received a further 27,900 hryvnias for «independent professional activities» from the Department of Education, Youth and Sport of the Executive Committee of the Novy Buh City Council.

His wife, Viktoriia, received 312,500 hryvnias in salary from the private rental enterprise «Viktoriia».

Mayor of Novyi Buh Maksym Lahodiienko at the Ukraine-2025 Recovery Conference, photo by NikVesti

Mayor of Nova Odesa, Oleksandr Poliakov

The Mayor of Nova Odesa, Oleksandr Poliakov, declared a 69.6-square-metre residential property in Nova Odesa and a 508-square-metre plot of land.

His wife owns a plot of land measuring 20,000 square metres in the village of Novoshmidivka.

According to the declaration, the couple do not own any cars.

In 2025, Oleksandr Polyakov earned over 1 million hryvnias in salary as mayor, which averages 84,100 hryvnias per month.

His wife received 195,200 hryvnias in salary from the Department for Coordination with Local Authorities of the Mykolaiv District State Administration.

The couple each received 1,000 hryvnias in state winter support and 795 hryvnias in cashback.

The couple also have four bank accounts, though the amounts held in them are not specified.

Mayor of Nova Odesa Oleksandr Polyakov, photo: city council

Mayor of Pivdennoukrainsk Valerii Onufriienko

The mayor of Pivdennoukrainsk, Valerii Onufriienko, owns a flat in Pivdennoukrainsk. He owns 25% of this flat, with a further 25% each owned by his wife Tamara, his daughter, and a foreign national, Anna Bolhova.

The mayor also owns a Toyota RAV4-HYBRID, which he purchased in 2021 for 1.1 million hryvnias.

In 2025, Valerii Onufriienko received 994,600 hryvnias in salary as mayor of Pivdennoukrainsk, which averages 82,800 hryvnias per month.

The mayor’s wife received 140,000 hryvnias in pension payments last year, whilst Valerii Onufriienko himself received 241,300 hryvnias.

The mayor also declared that his daughter received over 1 million hryvnias in wages from the state-owned enterprise NAEK «Energoatom».

Mayor of Pivdennoukrainsk Valerii Onufriienko, photo by NikVesti

The mayor of Pivdennoukrainsk also received 665,000 hryvnias last year following a court ruling. After Valerii Onufriienko’s resignation, a court ruling reinstated him as mayor in April 2024. Subsequently, Valerii Onufriienko filed a lawsuit seeking payment of his average earnings for the period of forced absence from work between 16 June 2022 and 15 April 2024. Case №400/6103/24 was opened. The court upheld the mayor’s claim.

The mayor also received 3,200 hryvnias in compensation for the Chernobyl disaster and 4,700 hryvnias in social benefits.

Valerii Onufriienko holds 14,000 dollars and 100,000 hryvnias in cash.

Mayor of Voznesensk Yevhen Velychko

Yevhen Velychko, the mayor of Voznesensk, stated in his declaration that he owns a 20,000-square-metre plot of land in the village of Akmechetski Stavy.

He and his wife live with their children in a 137.7-square-metre house in Voznesensk, which is owned by Alla Velychko.

Yevhen Velychko also owns six lorries and a 2012 FIAT DOBLO passenger car.

His wife owns a 2020 TOYOTA RAV-4 HYBRID, which she purchased that same year for 1.1 million hryvnias.

Voznesensk Mayor Yevhen Velychko, archive photo ‘NikVesti’

In 2025, Yevhen Velychko received 728,700 hryvnias in salary as mayor of Voznesensk, which averages 60,700 hryvnias per month.

The mayor of Voznesensk holds 327,600 hryvnias and 7,000 euros in cash. Yevhen Velychko also declared that he and his wife hold 74,400 dollars in cash.

Mayor of Bashtanka, Oleksandr Berehovyi

The mayor of Bashtanka, Oleksandr Berehovyi, has declared two houses in Bashtanka, with a total area of 114.6 square metres. He also owns two non-residential premises there, with a total area of 389.3 square metres.

He also owns three plots of land in Bashtanka, with a total area of 2,000 square metres. Another plot of land there, measuring 100 square metres, is leased.

His wife, Yelyzaveta, has owned a 44-square-metre flat in Mykolaiv since 2019, as well as two non-residential premises in Mykolaiv with a total area of 70.3 square metres. She also owns another non-residential premises measuring 251.84 square metres and a garage measuring 23.4 square metres in Bashtanka.

The mayor’s wife also owns two non-residential premises in the villages of Piatykhatky and Pervomaisk.

Mayor of Bashtanka Oleksandr Berehovyi, photo from the mayor’s Facebook page

The wife of the mayor of Bashtanka owns two plots of land in Bashtanka. Their total area is 71,300 square metres. She also rents a plot of land in Bashtanka, measuring 366 square metres.

Oleksandr Berehovyi has declared two cars and a trailer. The mayor’s wife owns

• a 2021 SKODA KODIAQ, which she purchased in 2021 for over 1 million hryvnias
• a 2023 SKODA KAMIQ, which she purchased in 2023 for 941,100 hryvnias.

The mayor of Bashtanka has owned a car trailer since 2008.

In 2025, Oleksandr Berehovyi received 658,900 hryvnias in salary as mayor of Bashtanka, amounting to an average of 54,900 hryvnias per month.

The mayor also received 1,000 hryvnias in state winter support and 1,100 hryvnias in national cashback.

His wife received 5.8 million hryvnias in income from business activities and 37,000 hryvnias from letting out property. She received a further 240,000 hryvnias from the sale of a Renault Kangoo and 100,000 hryvnias from the sale of a plot of land.

The mayor of Bashtanka keeps 140,000 hryvnias in cash, whilst his wife holds 25,000 dollars and 1.2 million hryvnias.

It is worth noting that the mayor of Bashtanka, Oleksandr Berehovyi, is suspected of embezzling funds intended for the purchase of clothing for the military. In September 2025, his wife posted bail of 1.1 million hryvnias and he was released from the detention centre.

Head of Snihurivka Ivan Kukhta

Ivan Kukhta, head of the Snihurivka local military administration, has owned seven plots of land in Snigurivka since 2014. Their total area is 14,000 square metres, and their value is 169,400 hryvnias.

His wife also owns a plot of land in Snihurivka, measuring 2,000 square metres and worth 24,200 hryvnias.

Ivan Kukhta’s wife also owns a 66.8-square-metre flat in Mykolaiv and a 1.1-hectare plot of land in the village of Rybakivka.

She also jointly owns with Yurii Chichkov a 230-square-metre office and a 240-square-metre plot of land in Bashtanka.

Ivan Kukhta owns three cars: a 2006 Volkswagen Transporter, a 2008 Skoda Superb and a 2013 Peugeot 5008. He also owns a 1996 Mercedes-Benz 609 D bus.

His wife owns a 2013 Opel Insignia.

Ivan Kukhta, head of the Snihurivka Military Administration, archive photo from NikVesti

The declaration states that Ivan Kukhta’s wife owns the company Kiv-Trans LLC, with a registered capital of 100,000 hryvnias. The company’s main business activities are the wholesale trade in grain, unprocessed tobacco, seeds and animal feed, and freight handling.

The head of the Snihurivka City Military Administration has the lowest salary among the region’s city leaders — on average, Ivan Kukhta receives 41,200 hryvnias per month. Last year, he earned 494,900 hryvnias. Unlike mayors, whose salaries are boosted by monthly bonuses, the head of the military administration cannot award himself these payments, as this is the prerogative of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration.

Ivan Kukhta received a further 24,000 hryvnias in income from the company «Kiv-Trans» and 1,200 hryvnias in income from the company «Yug-Tir-Service». Ivan Kukhta also declared that he received 81,800 hryvnias in insurance payments.

His wife received 10,300 hryvnias in social benefits.

Ivan Kukhta holds 105,000 dollars in cash. The couple have no registered bank accounts.

Serhii Bychkov, Mayor of Ochakiv

The income declaration of Ochakiv Mayor Serhii Bychkov remains classified by the National Agency for Corruption Prevention. However, following audits of the mayor’s declarations for 2021 and 2022, the Agency reported that Serhii Bychkov had purchased a flat in Spain worth over 5 million hryvnias and received a gift of 12 million hryvnias from his mother.

The NACP stated that the audits revealed signs of illicit enrichment and the declaration of false information amounting to over 3 million hryvnias.

Serhii Bychkov, Mayor of Ochakiv, in his office, photo by NikVesti

He also allegedly received gifts from his mother in the form of cash totalling over 12 million hryvnias. However, as the NACP notes, these funds exceed the woman’s legal income, which since 1998 has amounted to just over 580,000 hryvnias.

«The income of the Mayor of Ochakiv and his wife from verified sources also did not allow them to purchase a flat in Spain using their own funds. Moreover, in his declaration, the official noted, among other things, an increase in cash assets of 2 million hryvnias during the reporting period, the legality of the sources of which he failed to confirm during the audit,» the agency emphasised.

Read also the article by NikVesti, which details the declarations submitted in 2025 by Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych and his deputies.