Viktor Brahinskyi, the director of the Kyiv Metro, will be dismissed from his position in light of a Bihus.Info investigation into Brahinskyi's financial misconduct, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on March 14.
The investigative outlet Bihus.Info reported that Brahinskyi appears to have embezzled funds and committed multiple violations in his asset declarations, using his relatives to hide the extent of his wealth.
"Viktor Brahinskyi will be suspended from his duties as director of the Kyiv Metro," Klitschko said on Telegram.
"Or he will not resist and will write a letter of resignation. And then the facts revealed in the investigation by Bihus.Info journalists should be dealt with by the relevant authorities. Law enforcement agencies."
Bihus.Info journalists discovered suspicious declarations of land and expensive Kyiv properties among Brahinskyi's relatives. Brahinskyi's mother's declaration included Hr 2 million (approximately $52,000) which were immediately transferred to her son. Brahinskyi's sister was also implicated in the investigation.
"Philosophically speaking, you can't look into everyone's soul," Klitschko said.
"But when they lie to your face and pull rabbits out of a hat behind your back, it looks too bad. And not only in relation to me personally, but in relation to the people of Kyiv."
The system of compulsory asset declarations was originally instituted as part of the country's fight against corruption following the 2014 Euromaidan Revolution. At the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, the requirement for submitting e-declarations was suspended.
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law on Oct. 10, 2023, to resume asset declarations for officials and immediately make them publicly accessible.
Ukraine's National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) on Dec. 10, 2023, opened 24-7 access to the Unified State Register of Declarations of persons authorized to perform the functions of the state or local self-government.
Igor Kossov
(Updated: )
