The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine (HACC) has partially granted a lawsuit to declare the assets of former Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Vitalii Koval, as unjustifiably acquired. Under the court ruling, UAH 4.35 million will be recovered from the former high-ranking official into state revenue. The legal proceedings focused on a luxury Kyiv apartment legally registered in the name of the former official’s mother-in-law.
The lawsuit for civil forfeiture was prompted by materials from a journalistic investigation. In 2024, investigative journalists from Slidstvo.Info established that Vitalii Koval actually resided in a premium-class residential complex in the capital. The total area of the luxury real estate is 170 square meters, with an estimated market value reaching nearly UAH 18 million. Despite this, the register of property rights listed the official’s mother-in-law, Halyna Baraniuk, as the legal owner.
An analysis of the family’s income revealed significant discrepancies between official earnings and actual spending. Journalists found that Halyna Baraniuk is a pensioner living in Chernivtsi who previously worked as an accountant at local enterprises. According to tax records, her total official income over six years — from 2014 to 2020 — amounted to just UAH 495,000 (averaging around UAH 6,000 per month).
Furthermore, investigators checked property registries and confirmed that the pensioner had not engaged in sales of any other real estate or high-value assets. Consequently, she lacked legal financial sources to purchase the Kyiv apartment for UAH 17.7 million in 2021. In light of these facts, anti-corruption authorities initiated proceedings to declare these assets unjustified.
«The ruling of the High Anti-Corruption Court may be appealed within 30 days from the date of its announcement by filing an appeal with the HACC Appeals Chamber.»
The case regarding unjustified assets marks another phase in scrutinizing the wealth of current and former government figures. Vitalii Koval held executive positions in state governing bodies for an extended period. Notably, he headed the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine from September 2024 to July 2025.
Prior to his cabinet appointment, Koval served as the Chairman of the State Property Fund of Ukraine, and from 2019 to 2023, he led the Rivne Regional State Administration. Following his tenure in the executive branch, he continued public activity at the regional level.
Currently, Vitalii Koval heads the Rivne Regional Association of Employers’ Organizations. He was also previously involved in local governance; however, in June 2026, he prematurely resigned his mandate as a deputy of the Rivne City Council. The recovery of funds into state revenue serves as a civil liability mechanism for acquiring assets of questionable origin.