Bread, meat and VLK: a female doctor from Mykolaiv declared over 3 million in business income

A member of the external military-medical commission at KNP Mykolaiv City Council “City Hospital No.4” Olena Smokvina declared more than 3 million hryvnias in income from entrepreneurial activity for 2025.

This was reported by Nikcenter with reference to Olena Smokvina’s income declaration.

According to journalists, a year earlier the doctor’s business income was approximately 5 times smaller and amounted to 564 thousand hryvnias. The increase in entrepreneurial income occurred after she became an external member of the military-medical commission.

In January 2024, according to the declaration, Olena Smokvina became the owner of an apartment in Mykolaiv. The dwelling with an area of 93 sq. m cost her 1.6 million hryvnias.

In March 2025 the VLK doctor purchased another real estate item — a metal frame with a canopy of 15 sq. m for 123 thousand hryvnias.

According to the declaration, in 2025 Olena Smokvina at her main place of work at City Hospital No.4 earned slightly more than 280 thousand hryvnias. At the same time, the largest source of her income was entrepreneurial activity — over 3.3 million hryvnias for the year.

According to the analytics system YouControl, Olena Smokvina is engaged in the production and sale of food products. Among the activities of her sole proprietorship (FOP) are the production of bread and bakery products, processing and preserving meat, as well as the trade of fruits, vegetables and other foodstuffs.

In addition to business income and salary, the doctor received 39 thousand hryvnias in pension and 2 thousand hryvnias from the state. Her husband Hennadiy Smokvin, according to the document, is not employed and receives a pension — its amount was slightly more than 40 thousand hryvnias.

The total income of Olena Smokvina for the past year amounted to 3.6 million hryvnias.

The declaration also draws attention to cash savings. The VLK member declared 52 thousand dollars, 12 thousand euros and 2 million hryvnias in cash.

Her husband Hennadiy Smokvin holds 230 thousand hryvnias, 4 thousand dollars and 2.5 thousand euros in savings.

Also, since July 2025 the family has had a loan in the amount of 200 thousand hryvnias.

Against the backdrop of ongoing public tension around the work of VLK, mobilization and scandals over medical conclusions, such declarations raise reasonable questions — especially when it comes to a sharp increase in income after appointment to a position related to military-medical commissions.

At the same time, the very fact of increased income or the presence of savings is not proof of a violation of the law. But in wartime, when VLK decisions can directly affect the fates of those liable for military service and wounded servicemen, the transparency of the incomes of members of such commissions should receive special attention.

Earlier we wrote:

• Two apartments in Odesa and a car worth a million: the declaration of a VLK member from Mykolaiv raises questions
• In the Mykolaiv region a VLK doctor demanded money from a wounded serviceman for “write-off”
• A million from a grandfather and an SUV: a VLK doctor from Mykolaiv bought a Land Cruiser
• TCC, VLK and nerves on edge: since the beginning of the year Ukrainians have been flooding the ombudsman with appeals
• Corruption in the military enlistment office: a court in Mykolaiv closed the case of a VLK doctor due to the statute of limitations