Nataliia Kriuchko Removed from Office
The head of a district court in Poltava, Nataliia Kriuchko, has been dismissed following a decision by the High Council of Justice. The removal was triggered by evidence of improper, out-of-court communications in which the judge discussed favorable rulings in specific cases. Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) filed a disciplinary complaint with the High Council of Justice, stating that 'the complaint was based on evidence gathered during a pre-trial criminal investigation. The evidence concerns the judge’s extra-procedural communication with several individuals regarding desired outcomes in an administrative and a civil case.'
In the first instance, Kriuchko allegedly promised to influence a fellow judge to prevent the prosecution of a colleague’s son—a judge from the Poltava Court of Appeal—who had been caught driving under the influence of alcohol. In the second instance, she granted a motion to secure a claim in a land dispute.
On June 16, 2026, the First Disciplinary Chamber of the High Council of Justice imposed a disciplinary penalty in the form of a recommendation for dismissal, which the full High Council of Justice subsequently upheld.
Victoria Moskalenko Takes Over
Victoria Moskalenko has been appointed as the new head of the Podilskyi District Court in Poltava. Moskalenko was first appointed as a judge at the Rubizhne City Court in Luhansk Oblast in June 2007 and was elected to an indefinite term in May 2012. She transferred to Poltava in May 2022 under a decision by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Kriuchko’s dismissal highlights the critical importance of ethical conduct within Ukraine’s judiciary. Cases involving improper judicial communications undermine public confidence in the independence of the courts. The appointment of Moskalenko may reflect the High Council of Justice’s efforts to promote transparency and restore trust in the judicial system in the region.