“An Effective Manager” With Expensive Assets: Who Is Oleksandr Bornyakov?

Oleksandr Bornyakov worked at the Ministry of Digital Transformation for more than six years, served as acting minister for several months, and after his dismissal headed the supervisory board of the Innovation Development Fund. At the same time, his declarations list an apartment of 325,6 sq. m in Kyiv’s “Tsarske Selo” complex, a premium Mercedes, a Ducati, and one hectare of land in Sevastopol, while the family’s business circle is tied to Cypriot structures and a number of criminal proceedings. Against the backdrop of the parliamentary committee’s unsatisfactory evaluation of Bornyakov’s work and the scandal around the online gambling monitoring system worth 84,2 million UAH, questions arise about his activities, assets, and continued influence on state projects.

It often happens in Ukraine that an official leaves one influential state position and almost immediately gets another — despite unresolved questions about that official’s effectiveness. That is what happened with Oleksandr Bornyakov, who worked for more than six years at the Ministry of Digital Transformation and even served as acting head for several months. After his dismissal he headed the supervisory board of the Innovation Development Fund — an entity responsible, among other things, for supporting defense technologies.

And, as you may have already understood, there are questions about Bornyakov’s effectiveness in his previous post. The parliamentary committee itself, as “368. media” reported, found his performance as acting minister unsatisfactory due to problems launching the online gambling business monitoring system. 84,2 million UAH was spent on the innovation, but it never fully began operating.

But work results are only a small part of this multifaceted story. Bornyakov’s declarations list an apartment of more than 325 sq. m in the capital’s “Tsarske Selo” complex, two parking spaces, a Mercedes‑Benz, a Ducati motorcycle, and ten land plots in Sevastopol. His wife, formerly “Miss Ukraine Universe 2022”, declared jewelry, watches and bags by Rolex, Cartier, Tiffany, Bulgari and Chanel with a total value of almost 2,9 million UAH.

The official’s business surroundings also raise separate questions. Companies connected to his family are registered through Cypriot structures, appear in criminal proceedings, and their history shows dealings with Russian counterparties and people who continued to do business in occupied Crimea. Which of this is confirmed by documents and which remains a version — we examine further.

From an Odesa businessman to a system insider

Before telling the dubious stories and about the expensive property, it’s worth understanding how Oleksandr Bornyakov gained influence over the state’s key digital projects.

He began his career in the private sector: he founded the IT company SoftTechnics, the digital advertising platform VertaMedia, joined Clickky and the business incubator WannaBiz. By the way, an interesting point about LLC “SOFT TECHNICS.” Bornyakov is now merely a historical participant, meaning he stepped away from the company long ago. However, among the company’s founders is the British offshore INTERSOG LLP, and the owner of that UK company, according to the registry, was the Belize offshore BOSFOR VENTURES LTD. According to Bornyakov’s declaration, he is the owner of that Belize offshore. This raises the logical question of whether Bornyakov, despite formally leaving the list of participants, could have continued to own assets.

But Bornyakov worked not only in IT — he was involved with companies in real estate, car rental, trade and agribusiness. Later some of these assets ended up owned by his brothers and Cypriot companies, which we will describe in more detail shortly, including in the agricultural sphere.

In 2015 Bornyakov was elected a deputy of the Odesa City Council from Samopomich, where he chaired the commission on economic and investment policy. And in 2019 he became deputy minister of digital transformation and was assigned “Diia.City,” uResidency, development of artificial intelligence, the crypto industry and startups. The official also coordinated the work of the Brave1 defense cluster.

In January 2026 Bornyakov began serving as acting minister, but in July the government dismissed him. Before that, the relevant parliamentary committee had recognized his work as unsatisfactory.

Where did 84 million go?

One of the most telling episodes of Oleksandr Bornyakov’s tenure was the launch of the State Online Monitoring System for gambling. It was supposed to provide state control over the legal gambling business, but it never fully started operating.

As we wrote earlier, 84,2 million UAH was spent to create the system. At least 23,77 million UAH may have been used without the expected result. The story drew the attention of the Office of the Prosecutor General.

The parliamentary committee also raised objections. As 368.media reported, deputies found the work of then‑acting minister of digital transformation Oleksandr Bornyakov and PlayCity head Hennadiy Novikov unsatisfactory. The reason was failure to implement the Accounting Chamber’s recommendations and problems launching the system.

The committee recommended considering personnel measures for the responsible officials. Soon Novikov resigned, and Bornyakov was dismissed from his post as first deputy minister. However, a month later he headed the supervisory board of the Innovation Development Fund, retaining influence over strategic state projects.

People Bornyakov brought in

During Oleksandr Bornyakov’s tenure at the Ministry of Digital Transformation, several people connected to his former business and political circle received government positions.

One of them is Hennadiy Novikov, who in 2019 worked concurrently at private enterprise “Alfin”, associated with Bornyakov’s family, while also serving as a specialist at the ministry. Later Novikov headed the state agency PlayCity, created to regulate gambling. His work in that role was deemed unsatisfactory and he was dismissed. Earlier he also worked in the Bilyayivka district organization of Samopomich — the party from which Bornyakov was elected a deputy in Odesa.

Another example is Denys Maiboroda, whom the media call Bornyakov’s lawyer. Later he became head of “Diia.” According to Anticor, Maiboroda was also involved in operations around assets of Odesa mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov.

Another personnel overlap concerns Oleksandr Kompaniiets, who in 2021 headed the Department of Digital Economy at the ministry and now works in the Foreign Affairs system. His father‑in‑law, Hryhoriy Behei, has managed the same private enterprise “Alfin” since 2016; that company belongs to the Cypriot offshore EPICA ASSETS PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED, which is currently owned by Bornyakov’s brother — Yuriy Bornyakov. By the way, Oleksandr Bornyakov is a historical participant in private enterprise “Alfin” at least until 2019.

Who he left the business to

After Oleksandr Bornyakov moved into public service, some of the businesses associated with him remained within the family circle. A key figure became his brother Yuriy Bornyakov, who is now listed as beneficiary of a number of companies, including “Logistic Invest Center”, “Profi Odesa”, “Art Studio Druku”, “UIK”, “Shapa‑Group”, “AGV Plus” and private enterprise “Alfin.”

Many of these enterprises are connected to the Cypriot companies Epica Assets Public Company Limited and Hespain Investments Ltd, of which Yuriy Bornyakov is also listed as beneficiary. At the same time, some of these assets previously belonged to or were directly linked to Oleksandr Bornyakov himself.

For example, in 2020 the official declared 1,3 million UAH of income from the disposal of an offshore company. After that, the asset remained within his family’s sphere of interest. In addition, some companies from this family business group appear in criminal proceedings. Thus, LLC “Profi Odesa”, whose beneficiary is Yuriy Bornyakov, appears in an NABU case concerning the alleged illegal transfer of Odesa communal real estate to private companies in 2015–2017 without the required competitions and auctions.

Private enterprise “Alfin” is also involved in a proceeding from 2024 regarding alleged fictitious disposal of hazardous medical waste. Searches were conducted in premises on a land plot that the company rents from the Odesa community and that was used by “UkrekoProm”. Earlier “Alfin” also featured in a case on privatization of a building on Admiralsky Avenue in Odesa. Law enforcement tried to seize it, but company representatives insisted on the legality of the purchase. Ultimately the court lifted the seizure and refused the investigation’s request to re-impose it.

Russian episodes in the connected business

Several Russian episodes can be traced in the history of companies linked to Oleksandr Bornyakov and his family. However, this does not prove Bornyakov’s personal involvement in processes connected to Russia, but rather a number of coincidences recorded during the activity of companies to which he was in one way or another related.

For example, among former participants of Bornyakov’s venture LLC “Soft Technics” in 2012–2015 was Henrikh Agadzhanyan. According to Russian registries, he now does IT business in occupied Sevastopol and pays taxes to the Russian Federation budget.

Another episode concerns LLC “Vivatum UA”, which in 2014 imported goods from Russia. The official’s brother Dmytro Bornyakov became a participant in the company in 2015 — already after those operations. The head of the enterprise, Ruslan Merzlyakov, is included in the “Myrotvorets” database and, according to the information there, in 2016–2019 he regularly crossed the border into the Russian Federation.

Private enterprise “Alfin” also cooperated with Russian firms. For instance, in May 2014 it purchased lighting equipment from the Russian LLC “Export Rus” — already after the start of the occupation of Crimea. However, it is worth noting that the officially known period of Oleksandr Bornyakov’s participation in the company begins only from 2016.

Separate questions are raised by Bornyakov’s ten land plots totaling one hectare in Sevastopol. He acquired them on 29 January 2014 — before the occupation. It remains unknown whether this land was re-registered under Russian law and whether taxes are paid to the occupation authorities.

An apartment of 325 “square meters,” land in Crimea and questions about the source of funds

Bornyakov’s largest declared asset is a six-room apartment of 325,6 sq. m in the capital’s “Tsarske Selo” complex in Pechersk. He purchased it in August 2020 for 12,06 million UAH.

In the same building the official owns a non-residential premises of 5,9 sq. m valued at 82,2 thousand UAH and two parking spaces bought for 232,5 thousand and 630 thousand UAH.

Bornyakov also owns ten land plots in the Balaklava district of Sevastopol:

8536300000:58:002:1***, 8536300000:58:002:1***, 8536300000:58:002:1***, 8536300000:58:002:1***, 8536300000:58:002:1***, 8536300000:58:002:1***, 8536300000:58:002:1***, 8536300000:58:002:1***, 8536300000:58:002:1***, 8536300000:58:002:1***.

Each has an area of 0,1 ha, so the official owns one hectare of Crimean land in total. He acquired the plots on 29 January 2014 — on the eve of the peninsula’s occupation. Their combined value at acquisition was 864 thousand UAH.

Among Bornyakov’s vehicles are a Mercedes‑Benz GLS 400 D 4MATIC 2019 year, purchased for 3,06 million UAH, and a Ducati Diavel Carbon motorcycle valued at 745,3 thousand UAH.

He also declared a Ulysse Nardin watch, but its value was not specified.

However, the approximate total declared value of these assets, excluding the watch, at the dates of their acquisition is at least 17,68 million UAH.

Bornyakov’s declarations also list significant receipts from the sale of property and corporate rights. In 2019, according to his financial and property reports, he received 1,7 million UAH from his brother Dmytro for disposal of real estate and another 1,04 million UAH from the sale of movable property to Viktor Kutsaryov. In 2020 the official declared 1,3 million UAH from the disposal of an offshore company. Earlier he also received 135 thousand UAH from the sale of corporate rights.

Another notable financial episode is a loan to Oleksandr Moskalenko of up to 4,66 million UAH. According to the declarations, the debtor repaid these funds in installments during 2019–2023. The fact of making such a loan indicates that Bornyakov had a substantial sum at his disposal even before purchasing the capital apartment.

Media also reported possible undeclared incomes of the official. According to Anticor, law enforcement allegedly seized documents on Bornyakov’s cryptocurrency, investment and other financial operations totaling more than 2 billion UAH in 2021–2024. The outlet also wrote about accounts in Interactive Brokers and Citibank with turnovers of about 41 million pounds sterling — against 16,24 million UAH of officially declared income.

The my.ua outlet, referring to an NACP check, also reported about supposedly “extra” 11 million UAH that disappeared from the declaration after the audit. At the same time, as of preparation of this material, no official suspicions had been reported against Bornyakov in connection with these claims.

Rolex, Cartier and Chanel for the wife at the price of an apartment

The official’s current wife, Viktoriya Bornyakova, who, by the way, became Miss Ukraine Universe in 2022, declared a collection of jewelry, watches and luxury accessories with a total value of 2 879 781 UAH.

It includes Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, Rolex Lady‑Datejust and Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas watches, a Cartier ring and two bracelets, a Tiffany & Co pendant and a Chanel bag.

The most expensive item is the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, declared at 608,9 thousand UAH. The Rolex Lady‑Datejust was valued at 503 thousand UAH.

The Cartier ring owned by Bornyakov’s wife cost 424 thousand UAH.

By rough estimates, the total value of Viktoriya Bornyakova’s collection at acquisition was about 64–65 thousand dollars. With that money one could buy a premium‑class car or an apartment on the secondary market in the capital.

At the same time, Viktoriya Bornyakova does not own separate real estate in Kyiv: she uses her husband’s apartment in “Tsarske Selo,” as photos on her social media confirm, and owns 25% of an old residential‑fund apartment in Chernihiv.

So what’s the conclusion?

This story is far from being only about a six‑room apartment in Pechersk, a hectare of land in occupied Crimea, premium vehicles and his wife’s nearly three‑million collection of accessories. Above all, it is the story of an official who, after more than six years at the Ministry of Digital Transformation and an unsatisfactory assessment from the parliamentary committee, did not leave the state orbit but almost immediately took another influential position.

Documents show the Bornyakov family’s extensive business ties, participation of related companies in criminal proceedings, transactions with Russian counterparties in the past and substantial declared assets of the official himself. At the same time, some of the most striking claims — in particular about billion‑UAH financial operations and foreign accounts — so far remain media‑reported information and have not resulted in an official suspicion.

But key questions remain. Who will be held responsible for the online monitoring system for the gambling business, to which 84,2 million UAH was directed but which never fully worked? Did Bornyakov retain influence over assets that after his move to the civil service ended up within the family business circuit? And did authorized bodies verify the origin of the funds that made it possible to form such a large property portfolio?

StopCor sent a corresponding request to the NACP. To be continued.