"I'll finish off this gang." People's Deputy Anton Yatsenko — on the coup in Uman and the city's new masters

The saga of toppling the mayor of Uman, Iryna Pletniova, is unfolding. Immediately after the interview with Glavkom, in which she named the influential party-list MP Anton Yatzenko, elected from a district centered in Uman, as the sponsor of her resignation, the politician himself reached out to the editors to offer his version of events.

Glavkom adheres to the principle of balance and impartiality: therefore it provides equal opportunity for all sides of the conflict to express their positions.

Yatzenko arrived at the meeting with journalists with a thick folder. Inside are sorted stacks of documents, materials of criminal proceedings, and various kinds of evidence. The legendary parliamentarian, in his characteristic expressive manner, refuted the accusations made by Iryna Pletnyova against him.

A piquant detail is 10 years ago the official was his assistant as a member of parliament; twice—in 2015 and 2020 years—Yatzenko supported her in mayoral elections. Now the deputy mercilessly exposes his former comrade and names by name those who now patronize the Uman city head from the capital.

The folder opens, and immediately there is a letter from the Cherkasy regional prosecutor’s office about the opening of 21 August 2026 year of a criminal case under the article 'State treason.' As part of the proceedings, possibly unlawful actions by Uman City Council officials are being checked.

In August this year, a criminal case under the article 'State treason' was opened against Uman city officials.

Anton Yatzenko prophesies: in the near future Iryna Pletnyova will be under suspicion for awarding a gratitude from the Uman City Council to the Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church, close to Patriarch Kirill. This happened in 2023 year. Then there will be more and more evidence of harmful and, according to the deputy, illegal activity of the mayor.

During the conversation Yatzenko flaunts his team's 'electoral' plans, which they conducted in social networks about two months ago (a Telegram poll). He says the mayor, whom his party and the community have ousted, has long been in the eyes of the townspeople.

Glavkom asks: why is Yatzenko not named among potential candidates for mayor? And the answer is intriguing: 'Me? Not yet. If I run in the elections, then 70-80% of people will support me. But do I need this? Look: I could leave the country or die, but there will remain places in Uman that I managed to build or renovate. Hydropark—Yatzenko, reconstruction of old Sofiivka—Yatzenko, new Sofiivka—Yatzenko, the city square—Yatzenko, the embankment—Yatzenko, fountains—Yatzenko. In other words, they don’t even have a place to shoot a video in a decent location that wouldn’t be associated with my deeds. Even the I love Uman sign is my gift to the city,' bragged the MP, for whom in the last parliamentary elections Uman gave 73% (in the district as a whole—record highs for those elections, almost 70%).

In 2019 year Anton Yatzenko arranged in Uman a symbolic location with the English inscription I love Uman.

a screenshot from a video.

The politician acknowledges: toppling Pletnyova is not formally finished yet. The 'For the Future' party, from which she ran for mayor, has already received a lawsuit from Pletnyova seeking recognition of the illegality and cancellation of the party congress’s decision to recall her from the mayor’s office. At the same time Yatzenko guarantees: his former ward returning to the mayor’s chair is no longer in the cards.

The toppled mayor of Uman, Iryna Pletnyova, is suing the 'For the Future' party and the local election commission over the recall decision.

data: Judicial Power of Ukraine.

Anton Volodymyrovych, this week the 'For the Future' party recalled from the position of Uman mayor Iryna Pletnyova, whom she herself had nominated in local elections 2020 year. What is your personal role in this process? There is a view that your persistence triggered a nationwide precedent—the recall of a city mayor was completed successfully?

Pletnyova gradually lost the trust of Uman residents. Many events preceded this. I think that the starting point should be approximately the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

First of all, you have probably heard that Pletnyova made her son Nazar a fictitious disabled person. In particular, he received a disability of the second group due to a musculoskeletal disorder, and the money obtained for the disability was gambled away at a casino. In wartime and with losses on the front, this certainly does not add popularity to the mayor of Uman.

Also in 2023 year Pletnyova awarded a gratitude to Ioann Dubninsky, the Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church. He is a close friend of Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev. He was given a certificate because he allegedly transmitted humanitarian aid. So the situation looks like this: in 2023 year the mayor of a Ukrainian city expresses gratitude to a representative of the ROC. After the story drew attention, a criminal case was opened for treason.

Anton Yatzenko showed journalists a copy of the Gratitude from Pletnyova to the ROC hierarch.

Moreover, Iryna Hryhorivna spent almost two weeks in California after blackouts. The mayor travels abroad often and does not miss any conference or seminar.

For comparison, since February 2022 year I took a vow of seclusion—not leaving Ukraine once: as a deputy, how could I travel abroad but I cannot permit myself this.

By the way, we measured in Telegram channels the rating of support for the mayor; she has a very low one.

Why aren’t you on that list of potential candidates?

I’m not there. Yet. If I go, I will gather 70–80%, obviously. People would vote for me, but I’m currently working in Kyiv. If my name were included in the list, everyone would vote immediately.

Pletnyova also has her own 'devastating' evidence. Specifically, she accuses you of suspicious actions at the start of the invasion. What exactly happened in those days, and did you really tell her not to speak out against Russia?

Yes, she says that she held a session, allocated funds for the army, and that Yatzenko harassed her for this. It’s not all accurate. A local businessman fortified the city, and she, falsifying deputies’ votes, allocated funds for this, and did so later than other towns. Consequently a criminal case was opened. If she were so righteous, the case would have been closed long ago.

And yet she stated that 25 February 2022 year in a telephone conversation you said that Kyiv would fall in three days and that it would be necessary to negotiate with the Russians.

This matter was investigated by law enforcement, then closed, then reopened. I never had any conversations of that kind as Pletnyova describes. It’s her fantasy. She gave testimony. This case was investigated by the DIB, and later closed for lack of corpus delicti. On the contrary, a case was opened against her for knowingly false reporting of a crime. If we had a law enforcement system like in Europe, a person would have been under arrest for such things.

Additionally: I’m the only politician in Cherkasy region who has twice been under Russian sanctions (pulling from the folder a collection of sanctions decisions of the Russian Federation – Glavkom).

If, God forbid, the occupiers came here, I would be the first to be put against the wall. Everyone knows this, because since 2014 year we have helped more than a thousand people and the military when all this started.

One of the arguments of Pletnyova’s opponents is the monstrous water tariffs. She has an explanation for why such a sharp price increase was needed. Do you agree with it?

Indeed, the last drop was the water tariffs. Pletnyova says Uman is in a difficult situation. But look: in June water was twice as cheap as in July. What happened in a month?

The local water utility is headed by a former police officer who, as far as I know, was fired for corruption. They demand money from people, simply rob them, and water prices in Uman have become the highest in Ukraine (156 hryvnias per cubic meter – Glavkom).

The mayor talks about a difficult construction of the water supply, although they are currently receiving much more funding than before. But when they began this, they shut down all 27 wells to buy technical water from the Bila Tserkva Water Utility.

It’s simply a corrupt scheme, which we are challenging in court. I once built water systems in Khrystynivka, Monastyryshche, and Uman. I know this.

After such water tariffs, NABU cries over them.

Moreover, they raised water tariffs not due to higher cost of water, but by inflating charges for in-building internal network maintenance. In some buildings the price of a 'cube' of water reaches 225 hryvnias. People are very outraged.

I won’t even mention transport prices, route closures… People simply hate her for this. By the way, she deliberately intimidated people: she warned pensions and subsidies would be taken away, that there are criminals in Uman who would use personal data. She recruited municipal guard and TCC to pressure people. But people still came out and signed for her recall.

Anton Yatzenko named the sponsors of Iryna Pletnyova and challenged them to a polygraph.

photo: Stanislav Gruzdev, glavcom.ua

Let us acknowledge one more fact: you are a very active deputy both in the capital and in the district, and you often see things through to the end. Was the pressure on the Uman mayor, the 'people’s initiative' to topple her, organized under your guidance? All of this needs to be organized, signatures gathered, properly documented, and brought to a conclusive result…

I am a deputy from Cherkasy region, I take an active stance and believe this is the only correct decision. People write to me: 'With your victory,' but this is not my victory. It’s a problem, because the person many hoped would do so much was recalled from the mayor’s office. This is the first such case in Ukraine.

But Pletnyova was your assistant, political ally, a person you supported in the mayoral elections. What happened on this shared path? When and why did your paths diverge?

That’s true, she was my assistant back in 2015 year when she ran for mayor. But when we went to the elections as a team, we had a strict agreement that no one would steal, no one would make money in Uman.

Over time Pletnyova developed temptation, and she moved to even more corrupt schemes. Now a group of people runs the city. In fact, the city of Uman is governed by Andriy Dykin, a local 'power broker,' head of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council.

Pletnyova wrote to me: 'Sink me—sink yourself.' Sorry for the unparliamentary language—I’m not a bitch. People re-elected me and I continue to defend their interests. I bear responsibility for the city. Unfortunately, there was betrayal and a coup in Uman.

Pletnyova is not today the mayor in the sense of the word. Bonadrenko (the mayor of Cherkasy – Glavkom) is the mayor or Klitchko is the mayor. She is a figurehead, effectively controlled by Andriy Dykin.

An interesting fact. A law firm that is now representing Iryna Pletnyova previously worked for Andriy Dykin.

Separately, I should note: despite all this, in Cherkasy region we opened a humanitarian hub. The second largest hub in Ukraine. We provide medicines and other goods. The region accepts aid, but in Uman it was forbidden to receive our aid.

What can you tell me about Mr. Dykin, whom you mentioned?

Businessman Andriy Dykin and his brother Liubomyr Dykin, a Cherkasy regional council deputy from the Servant of the People party, are swindlers who profit during the war. A major criminal case is being investigated about the looting of pickups. Their cover is VAR—some kind of ordeal… I have many questions for them.

By the way, Andriy Dykin has psychological complexes. Primarily connected with losing elections. He ran many times and always lost (twice in 2012 year and in 2014—he ran in 200 district and lost to Yatzenko. In 2020 year Dykin tried to become mayor of Uman but finished third, losing to Pletnyova – Glavkom). Politics is not his.

This summer you were even deprived of the title of honorary citizen of Uman. And essentially, it was done by deputies—people who came to power under your aegis. What happened? It’s not only Pletnyova who is bad.

Yes, bought deputies. Some for money, some for a job, some for exemptions from the TCC. But look: I can leave the country or die, but in Uman there will remain places I managed to build or renovate. Hydropark—Yatzenko, reconstruction of old Sofiivka—Yatzenko, new Sofiivka—Yatzenko, city square—Yatzenko, embankment—Yatzenko, fountains—Yatzenko. That is, they don’t have a place to shoot a video that would not be associated with my deeds.

I’m not boasting, I’m just saying that people know we’ve always worked for the city’s development. So when I was deprived of the title, I essentially didn’t care. I don’t chase medals. The main thing: they cannot take away what I did for Uman.

By the way, this story (about stripping the honorary status – Glavkom) caused a very negative resonance among residents. I care not about ‘medals,’ but about the fact that when Umanites recall that water was only two hours a day and became round-the-clock, they remember who did it.

The city of Uman is effectively controlled by Andriy Dykin, a local ‘power broker.’

Do you admit that you are also a person of conflict? What is your current relationship with Cherkasy mayor Anatoliy Bondarenko, whom you threatened to 'give it to the back of the head'?

We currently have no conflicts with Bondarenko. He is an emotional person, like me, but once we sorted things out, the conflict was resolved.

When we joined as a team, you see, I don’t need ‘sixers’ in the city. I have no property or business in Uman. I need a team to work with. I simply love developing the territory and land.

Pletnyova is helped and all issues are resolved by individual MPs. In particular, Serhiy Babak, Oleksandr Kovalchuk, Oleksandr Zavytnevych—all from the Servant of the People faction. Some of them even joined the supervisory board of Uman National University.

Here too is a paradox. Now the 'For the Future' party you represent has constructive relations with the ruling party 'Servant of the People.' For the authorities, 'For the Future' is effectively one of the crutches it relies on in parliament. Why is this local conflict provoked by 'servants of the people' whom you listed?

Pletnyova is not from 'Servant of the People.' Why should the ruling party intervene in this process? Although locally sometimes they intervene, for example, the head of Cherkasy OVA Taburets, but that is another conversation.

I am even ready for an experiment: we take Yatzenko, Taburetets, Pletnyova, Dykin, and MP Zavytnevych. We pick a place, any city in Ukraine where we can pass a polygraph. We will ask everyone: who takes bribes and 'kickbacks'? The result will surprise you!

Anton Yatzenko tells journalists: 'I don’t need sixers in Uman'.

photo: Stanislav Gruzdev, glavcom.ua

Anton Volodymyrovych, but you can admit that your personnel selection failed? You ‘produced’ Pletnyova…

Sure. There is no harsher judge for me than myself. I always say: I am to blame, I made a mistake, I’m very sorry. I bear full responsibility for bringing such people to power.

If Pletnyova somewhere was involved in corruption, as you say, she would hardly have been able to do so without permission from above…

Her ‘roof’ is Zavytnevych, Dykin, Taburets… By the way, I have never spoken with the head of Cherkasy ODA. Here’s an interesting incident: when I was going to Uman in April 2022 year, they set up a checkpoint, awaited me, and threatened me. Supposedly it was unsafe for me to come here. Later it turned out that these were Taburets’ people.

I am Anton Yatzenko, not Vito Corleone.

Now about the recall procedure itself. Pletnyova claims that during signature collection there were mistakes: dead souls, etc.

I must note: it was not Yatzenko who recalled Pletnyova, but the people. A real person from Uman came and signed. Here is the signature sheet, where it says signatures were collected in the city of Uman. In the sheet there are columns indicating the person’s address. There were cases when people instead of their address indicated only the name of the city of Uman.

These questions were considered at the committee, and if you read world practice, there is a term—'excessive formalism.' So the law is still on the voter’s side. I emphasize: these aren’t fake signatures; no one manipulated statements.

Currently Pletnyova has filed a lawsuit. However, she writes nonsense like 'signatures were collected in a tent, but she did not give permission to place it there, so the signatures are invalid.' Or she claims I took dead souls and signed for them.

I am confident there will still be a celebration on our street. I will finish this gang, in plain words…

How often do you yourself visit the district now?

I visit the district, and I also go to Cherkasy itself. I constantly communicate with people from Uman. The mayor’s office does not cooperate with me, but it should be noted that Taburetets does not prohibit regional institutions from receiving help from us.

I have another dilemma: for instance, the war ends, and many Uman residents will petition me to become mayor. I must think about it.

But Pletnyova deserves more than that if she thinks I’m criticizing her to take her place. That is not her place.

Do you practice reporting to voters? When was the last time you did this?

When there was no internet, in the old days a deputy announced reporting: roughly once a week for two hours he came, spoke, and left. We never did that; that’s Soviet.

All voters have my phone number; everyone can write to me in social networks with requests. I post all reports in social networks.

Finally, explain your endless political maneuvering in parliament. Over seven years you changed ‘residences’ seven times: For the Future, Batkivshchyna, back to Batkivshchyna, etc. What is it connected with?

I ran as an independent. I have no party obligations. And I can be where I feel comfortable. My rating is always higher than the rating of any party.

Regarding the move to Batkivshchyna, there were ideas about party development, then certain events occurred, varied tempo of its development, but working relationships with Tymoshenko remained.

Anton Yatzenko: 'How much they’ve persecuted me, I have never been a suspect'.

photo: Stanislav Gruzdev, glavcom.ua.

How is 'For the Future' coordinated now?

We have a secretariat, we discuss the agenda and make decisions. There is no party dictatorship. The leader of the party and the parliamentary group in the parliament is Taras Batenko.

My rating is always higher than the rating of any party.

And the former head of the party, MP Ihor Palytsia, is somehow involved in making key decisions?

It is hard to comment. At least from his side there were no requests for how to vote in the Rada. He is a member of parliament and works for the benefit of Ukraine.

Have you already anticipated what will happen after the recall of the Uman mayor? What two scenarios do you see for the situation’s development?

Two forecasts. First: if there is no procedural measure to secure the lawsuit, Pletnyova will simply go, lose the case—and that’s it. Second option: if there is a procedural measure to halt the party congress decision, then most likely Uman will face a revolutionary situation, a prolonged Maidan.

After the recall, someone must lead the city. On the eve of the party congress, Rostyslav Zavoloha was chosen as secretary of the city council. You are not very happy with him either. What exactly is wrong with him?

Not that I am unhappy with him. I will explain what they did: on Monday, a day before the party congress deprived her of the mayor’s post, they hurriedly elected the secretary with votes from Pletnyova and certain deputies. It’s temporary. Believe me, remember this conversation. Because after these water tariffs NABU will cry.

In 2021 year you got into a scandal—you didn’t stand during the performance of the Ukrainian anthem in the Uman city council. What was that?

It was a provocation organized by Dykin’s people who came to the session. I then did not stand, thereby signaling that no one would manipulate me.

And regarding the Ukrainian national anthem, in my view it should be respected and performed. Moreover in Cherkasy region in recent years, except for me, no one did more for the development and popularization of Ukrainian culture. We installed monuments to Ivan Bohun, Dmytro Baid-Vyshnevetsky; refurbished Shevchenko Park; we help libraries and have done many other good deeds.

And finally: 20 years ago you were called 'the head of the tender mafia.' Did that label offend you?

Listen, you either go into politics or you don’t. How much they’ve persecuted me, I’ve never been a suspect. National Agency on Prevention of Corruption came to me twice for checks.

All these talks that Yatzenko is some mafia boss, a bandit… I am absolutely not a bandit. I am Anton Yatzenko, not Vito Corleone (the Godfather character by Francis Ford Coppola about an Italian-American mafia clan—Glavkom). I was the youngest candidate of sciences. In 21 year I completed my studies as an external student. And, in principle, I work honestly.

No one can say that I stole budget funds, land, a stock reserve, or anything of the kind.

Mykola Pidvezian, Vitaliy Taranenko, Mark Liubarov, Stanislav Gruzdev (photos), Glavkom