Scandal at Mykolaiv City Hall: Falko demanded that an official under investigation resign and threatened her, — Stadnik

Former head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration Oleksandr Stadnik on October 15, 2026, published a post on his Facebook page in support of Iryna Bondarenko, head of the Department of Physical Culture and Sports of the Mykolaiv City Council. He alleged that the official was being pressured and threatened by City Council Secretary Dmytro Falko.

According to Stadnik, Bondarenko, who holds sports titles and has worked in the sports sector for many years, allegedly faced persecution after exposing corrupt actions by her subordinates and submitting documented evidence to the competent authorities. The former regional administration chief claims that, instead of receiving support, the official came under pressure, and he considers the criminal case against her to be fabricated. However, this is Stadnik’s assessment, not a fact established by a court.

In his post, Stadnik also focused on Dmytro Falko, Secretary of the Mykolaiv City Council. According to the former regional administration chief, Falko personally summoned Bondarenko and allegedly issued an ultimatum: resign or face new criminal proceedings.

The first secretary of the Mykolaiv City Council, Falko, personally summoned her and issued a direct ultimatum, threatening further persecution through new criminal proceedings unless she immediately submitted her resignation and “kept her mouth shut.” This is no longer simply pressure—it is a direct threat to the life, health, and freedom of a person, a Merited Coach of Ukraine!

Stadnik portrayed the situation as an attempt to force the official to remain silent. He also said he considers these actions a threat to her freedom, health, and safety. The author of the post separately appealed to the regional prosecutor’s office and police leadership, questioning their response to the situation. He called on the President of Ukraine, the Prosecutor General, and regional leadership to intervene.

Stadnik also asked members of the public, journalists, and human rights advocates to share information about the situation surrounding Bondarenko. As of the time this article was prepared, no independent confirmation of the described conversation between Falko and Bondarenko had been found in public sources. Nor could a public response from the city council secretary to these accusations be found. Therefore, the allegations of threats should be treated as Stadnik’s claims. The former regional administration chief made his statement against the backdrop of a criminal case in which Iryna Bondarenko is a suspect.

Investigators suspect the official of organizing a scheme involving the fictitious employment of people at municipal sports facilities in Mykolaiv. According to the investigation, employees were paid salaries despite not actually performing their job duties.

The case file refers to five employees who were paid a total of more than 558,000 hryvnias in public funds. According to investigators, one of those involved obtained an exemption from mobilization through formal employment. In early May 2026, the court ordered Bondarenko held in custody, with the option of posting bail of 832,000 hryvnias. She was also suspended from her position at that time.

However, on September 23, 2026, the Central District Court of Mykolaiv rejected the prosecutor’s request to extend the official’s suspension. As Nikcenter reported, the court concluded that the prosecution had not provided sufficient evidence that Bondarenko might influence witnesses. The court also took into account that documents and items important to the investigation had already been seized. Bondarenko subsequently returned to her official duties.

At the same time, the refusal to extend the suspension does not mean that the criminal case has been closed or that the official has been found innocent. The decision concerns her continued employment in the position, not a final assessment of the charges. A person’s guilt must be proven in accordance with the procedure established by law.

In his post, Oleksandr Stadnik presents Bondarenko as an official who allegedly suffered for opposing corruption and alleges that she may have been threatened by a city government representative.

At the same time, court documents cited by journalists describe the suspicion against the head of the sports department herself: alleged misappropriation of public funds through fictitious employment. These circumstances remain under investigation in the criminal case.

We previously reported:

• Iryna Bondarenko returns to leading Mykolaiv’s sports sector: court rejects prosecutor’s request to suspend the official
• Relatives “worked” only on paper: Mykolaiv city council official taken into custody
• More than 550,000 “vanished” from the budget: city council department head suspected of employing “ghost” relatives
• Conscripts were given jobs for money at the Mykolaiv City Council’s sports department
• As investigations continue, officials from Mykolaiv region who are under suspicion declare millions and luxury cars