Ex-Kyiv Council secretary in Klitschko’s team stays under arrest

5 September 2025 15:10

Volodymyr Bondarenko (right) in the courtroom. Photo: Kyiv24

Ivanna Chayka

editor

Former Kyiv City Council secretary Volodymyr Bondarenko will remain under 24-hour house arrest until October 10, 2025. He is accused of negligence and aiding a soldier in evading military service.

The Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office reported the court decision on Friday, September 5.

Bondarenko — another Klitschko ally caught up in "Clean City" scandal

According to prosecutors, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv extended the preventive measure against Bondarenko, who previously served as Klitschko’s deputy and City Council secretary. He faces charges of official negligence with serious consequences and complicity in helping a serviceman avoid duty.

Bondarenko’s downfall began in April 2025, when the City Council voted to remove him as secretary amid the high-profile "Clean City" investigation by NABU and SAP. The probe uncovered a large-scale land corruption scheme involving Klitschko’s close associates, including former council member Denys Komarnytskyi. Bondarenko was featured on wiretaps released by investigators.

In July, prosecutors served him with a new suspicion: illegally paying salaries to a Council official who had already been mobilized into the Armed Forces. This caused losses of more than 690,000 hryvnias to the state budget.

If convicted, Bondarenko faces up to 10 years in prison. Critics say the case highlights the scale of corruption and mismanagement inside Klitschko’s City Hall.