Oleksandr Palamarchuk, head of the Hatne village territorial community, continues to lead his local administration and take on new appointed positions despite an ongoing criminal case involving extortion. Although Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) officers arrested the official in the summer of 2023, the trial at the Kyiv-Svyatoshyn District Court of Kyiv Oblast remains unresolved three years later, with no final verdict delivered.
The high-profile corruption scandal involving the community’s leadership broke on June 27, 2023. According to prosecutors, local officials demanded $120,000 from land plot owners in exchange for altering the designated land use status.
SBU agents detained Palamarchuk while he was receiving a portion of the payoff. During subsequent searches, law enforcement officers discovered and seized an additional $80,000 in cash.
Despite the severity of the charges, case №369/18003/23 has faced significant procedural delays. The court initially refused to suspend the village head from his official duties. Although a suspension order was eventually granted in August 2023, Palamarchuk later successfully resumed his duties leading the Hatne community.
Three years after the initial arrest, the court process shows no sign of resolution, a delay civic activists attribute to defense stall tactics.
«The defendants simply failed to show up for court hearings for long stretches. Specifically, Oleksandr Palamarchuk actively avoided appearing in court starting from October 2023,» noted public activist Olena Tereshchenko.
According to the Unified State Register of Court Decisions, the most recent hearing took place on July 8, 2026, but the court has yet to render a verdict.
Facing active criminal prosecution has not hindered the official’s public career. In April 2025, Palamarchuk was elected head of the Kyiv regional branch of the All-Ukrainian Association of Amalgamated Territorial Communities.
Palamarchuk currently remains in office as head of the Hatne community while awaiting further proceedings at the Kyiv-Svyatoshyn District Court.