Back in 2014, before the last parliamentary elections took place in Ukraine, the country’s political parties packed their election lists with popular Ukrainian heroes who rose to prominence during the EuroMaidan Revolution and the subsequent war with Russia.
Two years later, these same heroes have declared their assets in online declarations, and the contrast between them and Ukraine’s established political figures is stark.
According to their e-declarations, Ukraine’s long-time political elite is astonishingly wealthy, owning masses of real estate, luxury watches, cars, collections of valuable paintings and even a church. In contrast, most EuroMaidan Revolutionaries live a modest lifestyle, according to the public database, although some of the military heroes and their family members possess several land plots, apartments, and large quantities of cash.
Volodymyr Parasyuk, a EuroMaidan activist and lawmaker, declared earnings of Hr 321,285 or $12,570 in 2015.
Volodymyr Parasyuk talking the floor on the main scene of the EuroMaidan on Feb. 21 2014 demanding that the then President Viktor Yanukovych stepped down. Yanukovych abandoned the presidency the following day. (Courtesy)
Official salary in 2015: Hr 75,586 or $2,957
Parasyuk rose to fame when he took to the EuroMaidan stage late on Feb. 21, 2014 and delivered and ultimatum to ex-President Viktor Yanukovych – to step down or be removed from power. After serving as the commander of a unit in the Dnipro-1 Battalion, Parasyuk became an independent lawmaker in 2014. He declared a 2011 Skoda SuperB car and a Samsung Gear s2 watch he received as a gift in 2015. He first wrote in his declaration that the watch was a gift from Santa, but later apologized and deleted the note. His other possessions include an iPhone and an iPad. Parasyuk also has $5,044 in PrivatBank and $6,000 in cash.
Mykhailo Havryliuk, EuroMaidan activist, People’s Front lawmaker
Mykhailo Havryliuk, EuroMaidan Revolution activist
No salary declared.
An ardent supporter of the EuroMaidan Revolution, Havryliuk first became publically known when he was subjected to torture by the now disbanded Berkut riot police officers in January 2014. In a video that went viral, a naked Havryliuk shown being humiliated by police officers in freezing temperatures. A year later he was elected to parliament on the party ticket of the People’s Front, led by ex-Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. He lives a modest lifestyle, declaring ownership of a 32 square meter apartment in the western Ukrainian city of Chernivsti. He bought it in 2007 for Hr 217,150 ($43,430). In the same year, he took a loan of $11,000. The declaration doesn’t list his salary: Havryliuk later told journalists that he was paid Hr 75,000 and had included this information in his e-declaration, but it didn’t show up in the online data. He didn’t declare ownership of any cars or land plots.
Yegor Sobolev, a EuroMaidan activist and lawmaker, declared earnings of Hr 286,548 or $11,211 in 2015.
Lawmaker Yehor Sobolev (C) speaks on Aug. 17 at a protest against the alleged torture of employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau by prosecutors in Kyiv.
Official salary in 2015: Hr 78,182 or $3,058
No cash was declared.
Sobolev, a founder of the Svidomo (Consciously), investigative journalism bureau, was a prominent civic activist. In June 2013, he became one of the founders of Volia (Freedom) political party, which took an active part in the EuroMaidan Revolution. Sobolev was later elected to parliament on the party ticket of Samopomich, led by Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovyi. He is also the head of the Ukrainian parliament’s committee on fighting corruption. Sobolev has declared a land plot and two houses – in Kyiv and Poltava oblasts. His wife – Ukrainian TV host Marichka Padalko – has declared a 47 square meter apartment in Kyiv and a 2005 Mazda 03 car.
Andriy Parubiy, a EuroMaidan activist and now the Verkhovna Rada’s speaker, declared earnings of Hr 347,280 or $13,587 in 2015.
Speaker of parliament Andriy Parubiy sings national anthem of Ukraine during opening ceremony of parliament session on Sept. 6.
Official salary in 2015: Hr 78,122 or $3,056
Declared cash: $28,500 and Hr 225,000 (or $8,803)
Parubiy was a field commander of the EuroMaidan protesters’ self-defense units. He also served as Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council and oversaw the start of the so-called “anti–terrorist” operation against Russian-backed separatists in the east of Ukraine in April 2014. According to his declaration, Parubiy owns two apartments in Lviv, a house in Lviv Oblast, and a land plot. While in Kyiv, he rents a hotel suite, according to his declaration. He drives a 2013 Suzuki SX4 he bought in 2013 for Hr 143,900 ($17,987).
Parubiy didn’t declare ownership of any expensive watches or valuable paintings.
Sergiy Melnychuk, an ex-commander of Aidar Battalion has declared earnings of Hr 73,478 or $2,874, which is his official lawmaker’s salary.
Former commander of Aidar battalion, lawmaker Sergiy Melnychuk
Melnychuk, a member of parliament who has fought against Russia-backed rebels in the east of Ukraine, mocked his colleagues by declaring ownership of 1 trillion hryvnia, or $39 billion, in cash. One of his aides later explained to local news media that the sum was just “a bad joke.” Besides his “declared trillion,” he also owns an apartment in the city of Vinnytsia, a land plot, and two cars.
Yevhen Deidei, a lawmaker and coordinator of the Kyiv-1 Special Police Battalion coordinator, declared earnings of Hr 331,488 or $12,969 in 2015.
Official salary in 2015: Hr 70,668 ($2,764)
Declared cash: 30,000 euros
Deidei, a native of Odesa, was an active EuroMaidan Revolution supporter before he joined the Kyiv-1 Battalion. He entered parliament on the party ticket of the People’s Front in 2014. According to his declaration, together with his wife he owns two apartments in Odesa and rents a 137.2 square meter apartment in Kyiv. He has declared ownership of a 1988 Toyota Corolla car, while his wife has a 2008 Subaru Tribeka, and two Audi Q7s she bought in 2015. Deidei’s wife also has $41,000 and Hr 350,000 ($13,693) in cash.
Semen Semenchenko, a lawmaker and ex-commander of Donbas Battalion, declared Hr 335,460 or $13,125 in earnings for 2015.
The former commander of Donbas Battalion Semen Semenchenko. AFP PHOTO / SERGEI SUPINSKY
Official salary for 2015: Hr 72,272 ($2,827)
Declared cash: $25,500
The former commander of the Donbas volunteer territorial defense battalion, Semenchenko was elected to parliament in 2014 on the party ticket of Samopomich, led by Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovyy. According to his declaration, he rents a hotel suite in Kyiv, while his wife has declared a house in Donetsk Oblast. She rents a 32 square meter apartment in Kyiv and drives a 2010 Nissan nv200 car. Semenchenko’s wife also has declared owning 17,500 euros in hard cash.
Yuriy Bereza, a lawmaker and commander of the volunteer Dnipro Battalion has declared Hr 455,399 or $17,817 in 2015.
Official salary for 2015: Hr 78,892 ($3,086)
Bereza, who was an active EuroMaidan Revolution supporter in the city of Dnipro (formerly Dnipropetrovsk) later entered parliament on the party ticket of the People’s Front. Bereza’s family declared ownership of seven land plots, a house, and two apartments in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. In addition, Bereza’s wife owns a 700 square meter stable in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Bereza has declared ownership of a 2014 Toyota Land Cruiser. The couple didn’t declare ownership of any watches or valuable paintings.
