Ex-Justice Minister Rents Seized Mansion at Fraction of Market Rate, Prompting Corruption Probe

Controversy Over Seized Property Occupied by Former Official

According to Главком: Former Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko has justified his residence in a seized mansion belonging to ex-Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko by citing a below-market rental price. Lawmaker Anastasiia Radina has raised concerns about potential information concealment and has formally requested an investigation by Ukraine's anti-corruption bodies. This case highlights ongoing challenges in Ukraine's fight against corruption, particularly regarding the management of seized assets from former officials.

The property, located at 40 Dobrovolchykh Batalioniv Street in Kyiv, spans 650 square meters. Halushchenko claims his monthly rent is approximately $3,000 (126,000 UAH). However, since May 2025, the market rental rate for such a property has been around $15,000 (654,000 UAH) per month. The threshold for declaring significant changes in assets for officials in 2025 was 151,400 UAH. Zakharchenko's mansion has been under seizure since 2021 and was valued at 48.48 million UAH as of early June 2025. The property was originally purchased in 2013 by the Dutch firm Stichting Administratiekantoor LVV.

Management Failures and Official Concern

Anastasiia Radina stated she discovered information about the property through real estate rental websites. She emphasized that Halushchenko's admission of renting the mansion from June to October confirms her initial suspicions:

"This raises serious questions about ARMA and its ability to control seized assets" - Anastasiia Radina.

Despite the mansion being under seizure and placed under the management of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) since 2021, the agency failed not only to manage it but even to notice that the property was being used by a third party.

The situation surrounding the seized mansion occupied by Halushchenko underscores systemic issues in managing confiscated assets in Ukraine. The lack of oversight by ARMA and the potential for such properties to be used by third parties has alarmed lawmakers and anti-corruption advocates, who see it as indicative of broader corruption risks within state institutions. A full investigation into this matter could reveal wider problems related to transparency and the effectiveness of Ukraine's anti-corruption measures.