Ukraine’s Public Integrity Council (PIC) has issued a negative finding against Evhen Bolybok, a judge of the Derhachi District Court of Kharkiv Oblast, deeming him unfit for a position on the appellate court due to ethics and integrity violations. The evaluation highlights a series of concerns, including undisclosed travel to Russia after the 2014 invasion, suspicious asset declarations, and questionable judicial rulings.
The most critical issue cited by the PIC involves border-crossing records showing that Judge Bolybok and his wife traveled to Russia in June 2016 for approximately five days, alongside a separate trip by his wife in October 2014. Bolybok had already been serving on the bench for over a decade at the time of these visits.
«Voluntary travel to the aggressor state by a sitting judge without urgent need creates serious security risks, including potential recruitment by enemy intelligence agencies, and inflicts reputational damage on the judicial branch,» the PIC noted in its finding.
An audit of the candidate’s financial disclosures revealed several discrepancies and potential asset laundering:
Audi A6 Quattro (1999): Bolybok claimed free use of his daughter’s car in 2015, despite the vehicle appearing in his own 2013 declaration and his daughter lacking verifiable income to purchase it.
Chevrolet Aveo (2008): Bought for 78,600 UAH in 2008 and sold to his sister-in-law in 2020 for 120,000 UAH, the car remained in continuous use by Bolybok’s wife, raising questions about a fictitious transaction.
Understated Market Value: In 2020, Bolybok declared purchasing an Audi Q3 (2017) for 450,000 UAH (~$16,500), significantly below the market rate starting at $20,000. Similarly, his wife declared a Ford Escape (2017) in 2021 for 162,000 UAH (~$5,800), well below market prices starting at $13,000.
The watchdog raised additional concerns regarding Bolybok’s handling of cases stripping mothers of parental rights or establishing sole paternal custody. These expedited, default rulings—often issued without hearing the children or consulting child protection services—coincided with military mobilization law updates, where sole custody status provided grounds for draft deferrals.
Bolybok also carries a history of procedural violations. In 2024, the High Council of Justice disciplined him with a reprimand for violating procedural rights. His appeal was definitively rejected by the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court on June 5, 2025. Further issues cited include authoring over 300 rulings in Russian (including 27 after the legal prohibition took effect in 2012), issuing rulings while officially attending training courses, and systematic delays in case processing.
The High Qualifications Commission of Judges (HQCJ) will issue the final determination on whether Bolybok can advance to the appellate bench.