Subbotenko Oleksandr Serhiyovych

653 thousand dollars — in grandmother's garage pit

Acting Head of the State Ecological Inspectorate Oleksandr Subbotenko, during an NACP inspection, explained the origin of over 623 thousand dollars in cash as follows: he found it in the parking cooperative "Progress" in Kharkiv after his grandmother’s death in 2020. The same version was presented in 2022 during a previous inspection. NACP checked: grandmother, a district Komsomol committee secretary dismissed in 1984, did not have the financial means to save such an amount — and dollars were completely illegal in the USSR until 1991.

Court refusal — Subbotenko remains in office

Kharkiv District Court denied the official’s claim to ownership of the "found" money: no evidence was provided that the money belonged to the grandmother. The court noted that by its characteristics it was a treasure. NACP identified violations amounting to 26.7 million hryvnias and forwarded materials to law enforcement as signs of a criminal offense. The Cabinet of Ministers remained silent. Subbotenko stayed as head of the State Ecological Inspectorate.

"Family rule" to keep dollars in a pit

During interrogation, Subbotenko explained: in his family there was a "family rule" — to keep savings in cash dollars. Anti-corruption activists called this a classic scheme for legalization of funds of unknown origin. The State Ecological Inspectorate imposes and cancels million-hryvnia fines on businesses for environmental pollution — and it is headed by a person with $623k in cash with no proven source.

Position without consequences

Despite the NACP decision, the court refusal, and the public scandal — as of April 2026 Subbotenko continues to perform the duties of the head. The Cabinet officially refused to explain to journalists why the official remains in office despite the conclusion of signs of a crime. The grandmother’s garage proved to be a more reliable protection than any declaration.