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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Journalist of “18000” Iryna Malyukova told the story of Hryhoriy Zaichko’s rise to the position of director of the municipal enterprise Cheluash and about assets that exceed his salary many times over and are registered to his mother.
In 2016, one year after Anatoliy Bondarenko was first elected mayor of Cherkasy, Hryhoriy Zaichko became a co-founder of Prombud-Industry LLC. The company performed installation of water supply networks, cleaning, and construction work, and within a few months began receiving public contracts.
At that time the co-founders of Prombud-Industry included Zaichko, and the director was Yevhen Shcherbyna, whom local journalists called the godfather of the then-secretary of the Cherkasy City Council, Yuriy Trenkyn.
Land, a Mercedes, and the mayor
That same 2016 year the Cherkasy City Council transferred almost 10 sotok of land in Sosnivka to Hryhoriy Zaichko free of charge. Later that plot came into the ownership of the mayor’s brother, Mykola Bondarenko. As the outlet “18000” previously reported, the mayor’s brother bought the land from Zaichko and later resold it at a higher price.
Another link between Zaichko and the mayor was a car. In 2019 Zaichko provided Anatoliy Bondarenko with free use of a Mercedes‑Benz S 350 CDI. According to “18000”, at that time such a car, depending on the configuration, cost about $50–70 thousand. Bondarenko used it until almost the start of the full‑scale invasion.
From business to a municipal enterprise
In 2022 Zaichko became deputy director of the municipal enterprise Cheluash, which handles road repair and maintenance and manages budget funds. And in 2023 he headed the enterprise. The appointment was not publicly announced, and no competition for the post was held. Anatoliy Bondarenko himself previously stated “18000” that Zaichko was appointed by his first deputy, who, according to the mayor, had the appropriate powers.
Journalist of “18000” Iryna Malyukova asked Bondarenko about the nature of his relationship with Zaichko. He replied that he rather knows his father, and also his mother — Larysa Hryhorivna.
300 thousand hryvnias of income and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash
In Zaichko’s first declaration for 2021 he listed a house of 180 sq. m near Kyiv, three cars: two Toyotas and the Mercedes he used and later gave to the mayor, and 36 thousand UAH of income. At the same time the official declared a substantial amount of cash of about $383 thousand in equivalent.
Over 22 years of life Hryhoriy Zaichko officially earned 300 thousand hryvnias. During the first full check of Zaichko’s declaration the National Agency on Corruption Prevention found false information totaling 14 million hryvnias. In explanations to NACP he stated that the foreign currency funds were received before his appointment. According to the official, acquaintances and friends gave him money “as a sign of gratitude for his humanity.” He borrowed part of the funds at interest, and he saved what he earned.
After appointment as director his salary increased sevenfold
In 2022, when Zaichko worked as deputy director of Cheluash, his annual salary income was about 172 thousand UAH. After his appointment as director of the enterprise his salary increased substantially: in 2023 he received about 1,2 million UAH.
At the same time his car fleet changed. Zaichko sold the old Toyota, and his mother provided him with use of an Audi S6, year 2021. In the declaration the car is listed as the mother’s property, and Zaichko has the right to use it. Its purchase value at the date of acquisition was almost 2,86 million UAH.
In 2024, according to the declaration, his mother also transferred to her son the use of an Audi SQ7. At the same time $263 thousand in cash disappeared from Zaichko’s declaration, and the next year that amount reappeared.
In 2025 Zaichko purchased three plots of land in Sokyrna, Cherkasy district, and obtained rights to another. He also declared an unfinished summer house of 221 sq. m.
According to journalists, these properties are located near Anatoliy Bondarenko’s estate.
Mother’s apartments in Sosnivka
In 2025 Zaichko’s mother bought apartments in Cherkasy in Sosnivka. The residence is 143 sq. m with two parking spaces. According to “18000”, the price per square meter at the time of sale was about $900, and each parking space cost approximately $16 thousand. Thus, according to journalists’ calculations, the total cost of the apartments and parking spaces could be about $162 thousand.
These apartments are located in a complex built on land in Sosnivka. The land under it had earlier been transferred to Zaichko free of charge, and later ended up in the ownership of the mayor’s brother. Journalists saw the son of the owner — Hryhoriy Zaichko — in the apartment windows.
When asked about the origin of funds for the housing, the official replied that his mother should explain that.
A few days ago the third NACP check of the official’s declaration was completed. The report on the third check states that this time false information totaling 16,14 million UAH was found and a reasoned conclusion was sent under the article concerning signs of false information.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Як черкаський комунальник перетворив копійчані заробітки у мільйони і на кого записав майно". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Our Money.
