Ex-customs officers with "black grain," NABU detectives and lecturers: who is vying for the customs chief's chair

Ex-customs officers with "black grain," NABU detectives and lecturers: who is vying for the customs chief's chair

42 people expressed a desire to lead the State Customs Service of Ukraine.

About the most unusual and scandalous candidates - in the Informator's piece.

The bulk of the contenders, of course, hold (or held until recently) positions in the State Customs Service, primarily managerial ones. However, there are also people who have practically no connection to that organization. 4 candidates were already screened out by the selection commission for late or incomplete submission of documents.

Top-level officials

The most multifaceted figure here appears to be Oleksandr Fedoryshyn. Since March he has been acting head of the state enterprise "Spectekhnoexport," which handles export and import of military products. Earlier this year he also led his own law firm. In 2022-2023 years Fedoryshyn worked at the State Property Fund of Ukraine, where for 2 months he was deputy to the current Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, and then for another 2 months he served as acting head of the SPF after Umerov moved to the Ministry of Defense. By the way, "Spectekhnoexport" is subordinated to the Ministry of Defense.

But Fedoryshyn also has ties to customs: for more than 2 months he headed the Department of Legal Support there during COVID-19. Fedoryshyn is a candidate of juridical sciences and has taught at the Academy of Advocacy of Ukraine, the International Institute of Business, and the Minor Academy of Sciences. He has also served on supervisory boards of enterprises.

Among the contenders is Anatoliy Komirnyy — since March 2025 he has been deputy minister for digital development at the Ministry of Social Policy. In 2021-2025 years he held a similar position at the Ministry of Infrastructure. In 2014-2021 years he worked in IT. In 2012-2014 years he headed the Department of Economic Development at the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration. In 2021 year he founded and headed the company "Premium Tobacco Market" (LLC "PRETOMA"), work he temporarily combined with public service (which is prohibited by law), for which he received a fine of 5100 UAH. Specialties: economic cybernetics, mineral resources development. Candidate of public administration.

Mykola Marchenko has also decided to compete for the customs chief post. Since 2019 year he has been first deputy head of the Secretariat of the "Servant of the People" faction in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. In 2021-2025 years he was a member of the "Servant of the People" party. By education he is a lawyer and political scientist. In 2007-2012 years he was an assistant to MP Mykhailo Chechetov from the Party of Regions. In 2014-2019 years he was an assistant to MPs Oleksiy Mochkov ("UDAR"), Iryna Konstankevych and Viktor Shevchenko ("UKROP"). Mykola Marchenko's brother is an assistant to the "Servant of the People" MP Mykola Zadorozhniy.

Among the contenders for the vacant post is Viktor Denysovets, who since October 2022 has been chief specialist of the sector for the Volyn region at the National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Public Utilities (NKREKP). He has degrees as an electrical engineer and a lawyer. In 2000-2017 years he worked at "Volynoblenergo," rising from site foreman to head of the Lutsk district branch. The police stopped him twice for signs of alcohol intoxication; 1 time he won in court, and 1 time he was fined and deprived of his driving rights for a year. Also, Forward Bank and Oschadbank recovered over 53 thousand in accumulated loan debts from him. But that was long ago.

Olha Korkh, in 2021-2025 years was deputy chair of the board and acting head of the state enterprise "Automobile Roads of Ukraine," which reported to the State Reconstruction chaired by Mustafa Nayyem and Serhiy Sukhomlyn. Before that she headed the Zaporizhzhia division (2020-2021). Earlier she worked as chief lawyer of the Road Service of Zaporizhzhia region and as a lawyer for the Zaporizhzhia regional road authority.

Scandalous customs officers

The most notable is Mykhailo Miroshnychenko. In 2007-2023 years he worked in the State Customs Service. He was acting head of the Odesa Customs and head of the Internal Audit Department of the SCSU.

"One of the main 'figures' in our temporary investigative commission's probe into the export of 'black grain' was acting head of Odesa Customs Mykhailo Miroshnychenko. After the scandal he was removed from Odesa, but officially he remained working as head of the Internal Audit Department of the State Customs Service of Ukraine. He appears in the conclusions of our TSC on this episode," wrote MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak about him in April.

In 2017 year the NGO "Anti-Corruption Forum of Lviv Region" sent a complaint to NABU because in 2016 year Miroshnychenko's family's assets "increased and did not correspond to declared income." In November 2020 the State Bureau of Investigations searched Miroshnychenko's home and the homes of two other former officials on suspicion of smuggling. But these accusations were only in the media — the ex-customs officer has not been criminally charged.

Stanislav Baluyev — since 2023 year deputy head of the Service for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Zakarpattia region. An economist by education. In 2001-2019 years he worked in customs and headed the Zakarpattia Customs. In 2019 year President Zelensky urged the acting head of the State Tax Service to dismiss heads of customs in 4 western regions of Ukraine. At that time Baluyev headed the Zakarpattia Customs. As a result of a performance evaluation he received a negative score (1,4 points) and was dismissed from his post. Court attempts to challenge the result proved futile.

As "Antikor" notes, an SBU check found violations of requirements for safeguarding state secrets in the position of head of the Zakarpattia Customs, which was qualified as an administrative offense. Also, in 2021 year he officially divorced his wife. However, during the war she published photos from their shared vacations abroad and from the ex-husband's house. Additionally, Baluyev was fined and deprived of the right to drive for 1 year — for driving under the influence in 2020 year.

Oleksandr Cherkunov, head of the personnel department for territorial bodies of the personnel department of the State Customs Service, has worked in the structure since 2017 year. Before that, since 2014 year he worked at the SFS, the Ministry of Ecology, and the State Tax Inspectorate. He is the son of Vitaliy Cherkunov — former head of the Kherson, Lviv, and Odesa customs, who Roman Nasirov appointed to Lviv region; media accused him of not entirely honest activities and discrepancies between his and his son's assets and income, but there were no court cases. In particular, in 2016 year the 23-year-old Oleksandr drove a Jaguar XF that cost over 500 thousand UAH, which at that time corresponded to his father's income for about 6 years.

Tetiana Buriak in 2013-2021 years was first deputy head of the Kyiv Interregional Customs. Since then she was dismissed due to staff reductions and reorganization. She worked in customs since 2006 year in Kryvyi Rih and in Kyiv region. Since 2021 year she has not officially worked anywhere. It is interesting what she has been doing all this time and why she now decided she can lead the State Customs Service.

Serhiy Buyalskyi — head of Donetsk Customs since the end of 2024 year. Since the end of 2020 year he headed the Dnipro, Poltava, Vinnytsia, and Podilsk customs, but he is also a politician. In 2010-2015 years he was a deputy of the Vinnytsia Regional Council from the Party of Regions. In 2015-2020 years he was in the Mohyliv-Podilskyi district council of Vinnytsia region from the "Nash Krai" party (he also ran for the regional council but did not get elected). He has worked in customs since 1999 year.

Business representatives

Maryna Svytelska is a lawyer by training. Since 2019 year she has been owner and director of PP "Alliance Car" in Zhytomyr — the enterprise deals in trade and importing cars from abroad, so it deals with customs procedures. However, judging by tax reports, since 2023 year the company has not sold anything. In 2003-2008 years she worked in the tax service in Zhytomyr and Kyiv.

Yaroslav Savchenko works as a manager at LLC "YUT Company." The firm supplies food to the military and previously belonged to Ruslan Shostak — founder of Varus stores. Previously Savchenko worked at Shostak's company Terwin, before that at "Alpha Bank"/Sense Bank, and "PrivatBank" — dealing with investments, logistics, and business project support.

The creative intelligentsia

Andriy Baranov — from 2021 to 2025 years was an associate professor in the law department at Poltava University of Economics and Trade, and also voluntarily served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Until 2022 year he was a reserve major. In 2008-2010 years he was deputy head of the Poltava Regional State Administration. According to media, in 2014 year he led Petro Poroshenko's election campaign in Poltava region and was considered a potential candidate for head of the regional administration, but was not appointed. Former deputy of the Poltava City Council (1998-2006). Candidate of public administration, he holds degrees as a radio engineer, lawyer, and public development manager.

Ivan Berezhnyuk — head of Khmelnytskyi Customs since 2024 year. He previously headed Zhytomyr and Zakarpattia customs. A well-known scholar, doctor of economic sciences and candidate of technical sciences. He worked as a professor at the University of Customs and Finance in Dnipro and was a prorector. He commanded a military unit in 2022-2023. He assisted MP Oleksandr Sova (2022). In 2021-2022 years he was an unpaid adviser to Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko. In 2021 year he served as first deputy head of the State Customs Service.

Vladyslav Lipynskyi — director of the Institute of Law and International Legal Relations at the University of Customs and Finance since 2019 year. In 2004-2010 years he worked at the Dnipropetrovsk Customs; in 2010-2019 he taught at UCF. He holds degrees as a transportation engineer and a lawyer. Doctor of juridical sciences, professor.

Yevhen Harmash has taught at the University of Customs and Finance (earlier — the Academy of the Customs Service of Ukraine) in Dnipro since 2003 year. Candidate of juridical sciences. Since 2015 year he has been prorector for academic affairs and associate professor of the Department of Public Administration and Customs Administration.

Taras Yurchenko has worked as an attorney since 2019 year, and since 2023 has also lectured at the Department of Jurisprudence of the Vinnytsia Educational and Scientific Institute of Economics. He worked in the regional branch of the State Property Fund, the Vinnytsia District Administrative Court, and the Odesa District Administrative Court.

Law enforcement officers eager for the post

Ruslan Damentsov — deputy head of the second subdivision of detectives at NABU. He has worked there in various positions since 2017 year. Before that he worked in the militia and police. He wanted to head the State Bureau of Economic Security this year, but did not succeed. Media reported that the detective since 2022 year owns a Lexus and an apartment in Odesa, but he is officially registered in a dormitory. 2 houses in Odesa and a plot of land belong to his father-in-law. His wife had a plot and 2 passenger cars. Unfortunately, the detective's declarations have disappeared from public access, so we cannot verify this now.

Orest Mandziy — head of the Sixth subdivision of detectives of the Fourth main subdivision of detectives at NABU. From 2001-2017 years he worked in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, from where he moved to NABU.

Oleksiy Ovsyannikov — head of the third investigative department of the SBI (in Kramatorsk). In 1995-2019 years he worked in militia and police in Donetsk region.

Mykhailo Burtovyi — senior detective at NABU since the beginning of 2023 year. From 2006 year he worked in criminal investigation in the militia/police in Kyiv. Candidate of juridical sciences. He has education in law, accounting and audit, agricultural sciences and food.

The next meeting of the commission for selecting the head of the State Customs Service of Ukraine under the chairmanship of former WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya took place in Kyiv on 17 December. The video begins at 13:15 minutes.