Back
Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Bozhenko leaves the tax service: failure of excise duties by 7,1 billion UAH, tobacco schemes and the «Monaco» trail
Head of the Excise Department of the State Tax Service, Khrystyna Bozhenko, is being dismissed amid billions in budget losses, investigations of tobacco schemes and preparations for operations against the illegal circulation of cigarettes and alcohol. Along with her, according to Yevhen Plinskyi, a risk department employee linked to the organized crime group “Monaco” is leaving. The new team at the Ministry of Finance is trying to distance itself from the excise vertical of Ruslan Kravchenko and Lesia Karnaukh, reports Yevhen Plinskyi.
Order of the State Tax Service No. 1532-o dated 6 November, signed by Yurii Koniushenko, confirms Bozhenko’s dismissal effective 9 November 2026 by mutual agreement. Basis — resignation and Ministry of Finance approval No. 17030-16-62/32633 dated 4 November. Compensation is provided for 33 days of main and 30 days of additional leave for 19–20 years of service.
October State Tax Service receipts — 74,2 billion UAH against a plan of 86,1 billion: shortfall 11,9 billion (13,9%), including 11,7 billion VAT (32%), 7,1 billion excise (40%), of which 3,8 billion was tobacco excise (32,4%). For ten months the shortfall is 40,8 billion UAH. Over-collection of profit tax by 3,9 billion, dividends by 1,8 billion and rent by 1,6 billion did not compensate for the failure.
Bozhenko started in the Donetsk tax service, then oversaw excises in the Vinnytsia region. On 20 January 2025 she was made acting director of the department by order No. 36, and on 30 May by order No. 561 she received the director’s powers, including signing tax consultations. Deputy — Olha Danylova. Journalists call her the sister of the head of the Donetsk State Tax Service, Oleksandr Holovyn, linking this personnel circle to Olha Prokopenko. In the Vinnytsia region investigators described an underground alcohol workshop in Mohyliv-Podilskyi and alleged protection by the entourage of MP Hennadii Vatsak.
Bozhenko’s declaration for 2025 year: salary 1,148 million UAH at the central State Tax Service and 74,6 thousand in Vinnytsia, apartments in Mariupol and Melekino, housing used in Kyiv and Dnipro, a KIA Sportage for 601,5 thousand UAH, family use of a Volkswagen Tiguan 2022 year belonging to Hennadii Holovyn, $16 thousand in cash held by her husband. In December 2025 her damaged Kia blocked access for firefighters after shelling in Kyiv.
Criminal proceeding No. 22026101110000171 dated 06.02.2026, part 3 of article 212 of the Criminal Code, reveals the scale of tobacco fraud. In “Ukrainian Tobacco Production” (41519237) the investigation identified 511,161 tons of discrepancies in raw materials, signs of unpaid excise of 1,679 billion UAH and unrecorded sales of 127,79 million over 2022–2025 years. On 13 March the court seized 100% of corporate rights nominally worth 2,2 million UAH.
In case No. 460/8431/25, decision No. 138661694, the tax authority imposed on the same manufacturer excise assessments of 2,337 billion UAH for 2018 — June 2023. An expert examination in proceeding No. 72024001600000011 supported the calculations. The company referred to the theft of 1186,7 tons of tobacco and 236,98 million filter sticks worth 251,47 million UAH. On 30 July 2026 the court of first instance refused to cancel the assessments. The audit periods overlap; amounts do not automatically add up.
Owners of the tobacco enterprise — Dmytro Kim and Nodar Hlukhyi, with 50% ownership, director — Pavlo Dovzhenko. Losses — 317,95 million UAH for 2023 and 706,8 million for 2024, liabilities — 1,712 billion, assets — 652,85 million. In proceeding No. 72024171100000002 dated 18.01.2024 illegal cigarette production, counterfeit excise stamps and smuggling to the EU are being investigated. The materials mention “Marshall Finest Tobacco Ukraine” (43264239), “Tabako Dim” (43873464), “Vynnykivska Tobacco Factory” (37741731) and “Imperiya.Tabak.LTD” (42267033).
Against the backdrop of billion-hryvnia tax claims, law No. 5013-IX postponed mandatory e-Excise from 1 November 2026 to 1 July 2027. Until 30 June paper stamps and a test mode of digital control remain in place.
After Karnaukh’s departure on 25 September Yurii Koniushenko was appointed; since 29 he has been acting head of the State Tax Service; on 5 October Serhii Marchenko introduced him to the staff. After the 40-percent excise failure and ahead of promised searches, the head of the relevant department is being dismissed.
Incredible, but true...
Telegram publication
