Despite all the talk about the distinct lifestyle of the Ukrainian capital, the lawyers of the Declaration of Independence more often modestly show us poverty than prosperity. For example, the first deputy of the capital's prosecutor, Oleh Valendyuk, has acquired nothing during his years of service—no house, no apartment, no car. Deputy city prosecutor Anatoly Korzh is also financially poor, but this doesn't stop him from driving an expensive Toyota Camry.
But, as everywhere in our country, the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office has its exceptions. In the sense that alongside the "zhebraki" (prosecutors), there are also their more successful colleagues.
For example, the capital's deputy chief law enforcement officer, Alexander Avramenko, owns two apartments. Moreover, over the past year, he purchased a luxury SUV for more than his annual income. Another deputy, Alexander Buryak, is not far behind his colleague. He owns both land and a luxury Mercedes.
Oleg Valendyuk
The "asceticism" of Acting Prosecutor Valendyuk and the "extra earnings" of his deputy Korzh
Since March of this year, the acting prosecutor of Kyiv has been Oleg Valendyuk, who took over the position of his former boss, Sergei Yuldashev, who was dismissed in accordance with the law “On the Purification of Power.”
Regarding Valendyuk's declaration, it would probably be difficult to find a more profound "ascetic" in our country than this Kyiv prosecutor. After all, even the average prosecutor in a region far removed from Kyiv can boast of a more substantial property holding.
Alexander Korzh
Thus, as the first deputy Kyiv prosecutor, Valendyuk earned only UAH 271,1 in salary last year. The prosecutor has no other income besides his salary. Incidentally, throughout 2013, Valendyuk also lived solely on his salary of UAH 330,5, which, for some reason, turned out to be significantly higher than the previous year. The prosecutor's income, by average Ukrainian standards, is quite respectable. However, according to his income declaration, he has no housing, no car, and no family.
Wealthier than his boss is Deputy Prosecutor Anatoliy Korzh, appointed to his position in May of this year after previously serving as Deputy Prosecutor of the Kherson and then Lviv regions. On Kherson forums, the prosecutor is referred to as "one of the richest people in the region, an owner of land, real estate, and vehicles."
"Prokurorskaya Pravda" has previously reported that, as prosecutor of the Skadovsk district of the Kherson region, Korzh became notorious for covering up the crimes of local nouveau riche businessman Serhiy Kulchekovskyi, even helping him rise to the rank of First Deputy Head of the Skadovsk District State Administration. Korzh also earned additional income as head of the Investigative Department of the Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office. In this position, he paid a cut to cover for crime bosses—recidivists Yefstefeyev ("Yefstefey") and Tsan'ko ("Monya"), who, back in 2007, seized pipelines belonging to the former Brigantina plant and sold them for scrap metal.
In Kherson, Korzh "combatted" the "conversion" centers under the direct supervision of the then First Deputy Regional Prosecutor, Andriy Kuzmenko. The goal of the campaign was one: to force people to cash out their "cashless" money from the "conversion firm" controlled by the prosecutor's office.
These are the "extra earnings" of the current deputy prosecutor of the capital. However, judging by his declaration, Korzh's life (at least the official version) is not as rosy as it is portrayed.
Thus, in 2013, Korzh earned only 161,5 hryvnias as the first deputy regional prosecutor of the Kherson region, including 158 hryvnias in salary. Apparently, this money was sorely needed, as he was forced to lease his property, earning a whopping 3,4 hryvnias in exchange. He immediately deposited half of his annual income—approximately 80 hryvnias—into the bank for safekeeping.
The prosecutor's family wasn't exactly living a luxurious life in 2013, either, with their income only including a salary of 83 hryvnias. Two years ago, the prosecutor and his family owned only a 179,9-square-meter house. But in 2014, the Korzh family expanded their holdings: in addition to the house, they acquired a 12,9-square-meter plot of land and two apartments measuring 48,8 and 50,5 square meters.
Korzh drives two cars at once: a VAZ 21103, 2003 (market price is about 60 thousand UAH) and a Toyota Camry, 2012 (used costs from 600 to 800 thousand UAH).
The Korzh family has outdone its patriarch here too – they own three cars. Specifically, they own a 2007 Toyota Avensis (market value: approximately 250 UAH), a 2004 Mercedes 311 CDI minibus (priced at approximately 300 UAH), and a 2012 Toyota Camry (priced at least 600 UAH).
In 2014, while serving as First Deputy Prosecutor of the Lviv Oblast, Korzh increased his income, earning UAH 202,7 in salary. He also received UAH 3,2 in dividends and UAH 9,7 in "other income." The prosecutor's family, however, landed bigger fish last year, earning almost twice as much as the head of the family. Specifically, they earned over UAH 505 in income, including UAH 470,7 in salary and UAH 35 in "other income."
Moreover, over the past year, Anatoliy Korzh has also increased his bank deposits – he has placed 118,3 thousand UAH in accounts at the financial institution.
And young prosecutor Avramenko acquired apartments and a car
Alexander Avramenko
Deputy Kyiv Prosecutor Oleksandr Avramenko was appointed to his current position at the end of May this year. Prior to this, the 32-year-old prosecutor served as an investigator in the Holosiivskyi District Prosecutor's Office; a senior investigator in the Obolonskyi District Prosecutor's Office; an investigator for particularly important cases in the Kyiv Prosecutor's Office; and as a deputy and first deputy prosecutor in the aforementioned Obolonskyi District.
Avramenko became known to the general public in February 2011, when, as an investigator for the Kyiv Prosecutor's Office, he led the case against the current Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Andriy Parubiy. Prosecutors charged Parubiy, then an opposition figure, under Articles 28 and 144 of the Criminal Code for unrest in the Verkhovna Rada after they pelted the parliament hall with eggs and smoke bombs in May 2010, protesting the ratification of the agreement extending the Russian Black Sea Fleet's presence in Crimea.
Avramenko also led the case under Part 2 of Article 296, opened in March 2012 against BYuT MP Andriy Pavlovsky. The MP was accused of organizing an unauthorized laser show during the 2012 New Year's celebrations on the Maidan, projecting the slogans "Freedom for Yulia!" and "Happy New Year!" onto the conservatory building.
Radical elements of the Right Sector have already tried to bring up these "sins" against Avramenko after the change of power last year. He and several other high-ranking Moscow prosecutors have demanded that he be held accountable for alleged abuse of office under the previous government.
After Vitaly Yarema was appointed Prosecutor General, no violations were found in the work of the capital's prosecutors, including Avramenko, and our hero successfully continued his work in the authorities.
Under the new Prosecutor General, Viktor Shokin, Avramenko received his final position. And it's no coincidence, since according to Moscow journalist Dmitry Gnap, Avramenko is the nephew of former First Deputy Head of the Prosecutor General's Office, Volodymyr Guzyr.
Regarding the income of the deputy capital's prosecutor, it's worth noting that Avramenko, who is single, earned 145,1 hryvnias in salary in 2014. This amount is almost identical to his income the year before last, when he earned 145,9 hryvnias.
Avramenko's real estate fortune has seen positive changes over the past year. While in 2013 he rented a 76-square-meter apartment, on which he spent 15,6 hryvnias, and another, more modest 29-square-meter apartment, last year he acquired two more apartments—one of 78,4 square meters, the other of 45 square meters. It's unclear how the young prosecutor financed his new home, as his salary isn't particularly high enough to afford apartments.
Moreover, in 2014, the deputy capital prosecutor acquired some “other real estate” comparable in area to the size of a country outhouse – 2,57 square meters.
Last year was also a successful one for Avramenko in terms of vehicle acquisitions, as he became the proud owner of a 2006 German Volkswagen Touareg SUV. He allegedly purchased it for 149 hryvnias. Even assuming Avramenko negotiated well, given the market price of such a car is at least 350 hryvnias, it's difficult to imagine how he managed to shell out a sum exceeding his official annual income. After all, according to his income declaration, the "blue uniform" would have no money left over, not only for gasoline for his new "iron horse," but even for basic food!
Avramenko doesn't have any bank deposits. However, he incurred 14,1 hryvnias in financial liabilities over the past year, paying premiums under his voluntary insurance contract.
Buryak, who pressured judges, is living in rented apartments without a place to live.
Alexander Buryak
Oleksandr Buryak is considered one of the wealthiest members of the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office. He was appointed to his current position as Deputy Prosecutor of Kyiv quite recently, replacing Serhiy Timchenko in September of this year. Prior to this, the prosecutor worked as an investigator in the Vyshgorod District Prosecutor's Office of Kyiv Oblast; as an investigator for particularly important cases in the Kyiv Regional Prosecutor's Office and the Prosecutor General's Office; as a deputy prosecutor in Sumy; as a deputy prosecutor in Lviv; as a first deputy prosecutor in Kyiv's Darnitsky District; and as a deputy and acting prosecutor in Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky District.
Buryak's personality is best known for the fact that, while working for the Prosecutor General's Office, it was he who, in May 2007, closed the criminal case against Constitutional Court judges Suzanna Stanyk and Valeriy Pshenichny, accused by associates of President Viktor Yushchenko of misappropriating their official powers.
After Viktor Yanukovych was elected head of state in 2011, Buryak oversaw the criminal proceedings against the former head of the State Employment Center, Volodymyr Halytsky, who was accused of bribery.
Regarding Buryak's income, it's worth noting that the year before last was more successful for the prosecutor and his family, with six-figure income declarations. However, the past year, 2014, brought in much more modest gains for the prosecutor and his family.
For example, in 2013, Oleksandr Buryak, while working as a deputy prosecutor in Lviv, earned 483,4 hryvnias in income. Of this, only 163,4 hryvnias came from his salary, while 320 hryvnias came from the sale of property.
The past year, as we've already mentioned, was marked by a much more modest income: Buryak received "only" 163,3 thousand UAH (158,3 thousand UAH in salary and 5 thousand UAH in insurance payments).
The prosecutor's wife, a true millionaire, has a much higher income. In 2013, she earned UAH 1,588,000 in income. This astronomical sum came from her business—UAH 988,000—and another UAH 600,000 was earned by the deputy city prosecutor's wife through the sale of property. Last year, however, was far less fruitful for her, as she earned UAH 243,600 in total income. Of this, UAH 130,500 came from salary and UAH 113,000 from the sale of property.
In real estate, Prosecutor Buryak owns three plots of land, measuring 1165, 1000, and 1655 square meters. However, as his primary residence, he is forced to live in rented apartments – he rents a 65-square-meter apartment, despite the fact that as recently as 2013, he owned a 60-square-meter apartment.
The prosecutor's family owns a 1000 square meter plot of land. This is despite the fact that just two years ago, they owned three plots of land measuring 1200, 1489, and 2000 square meters, an apartment, and "other real estate" measuring 37 and 205 square meters, respectively.
The prosecutor uses an elite German sedan, a 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-350 (the minimum market price for such a car is approximately 700 thousand UAH), as transportation. Apparently, the entire Buryakov family uses it, since the 2008 Toyota Corolla (priced at approximately 250 thousand UAH), which belonged to the wife of the capital's deputy chief law enforcement officer back in 2013, is no longer listed in the declaration for last year.
This is how the capital's prosecutors live, with millionaire wives, "additional earnings" that they don't show out of "modesty," and a boss who hasn't accumulated anything in his life.
In connection with the above, Prosecutor's Truth has several questions:
— What did acting Moscow prosecutor Oleg Valendyuk do during all his years of gallant service, when he couldn't earn enough for an apartment or a car?
How did Deputy City Prosecutor Anatoliy Korzh finance a luxury car that costs at least three times his total annual income? Is the "extra income" scheme he established during his time in Kherson and successfully adapted to Kyiv helping him?
How did Kyiv Deputy City Prosecutor Oleksandr Avramenko manage to acquire two apartments and a luxury car in the past year, considering his annual income is at least 10 times lower than such purchases?
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