The scandal-ridden Ukrainian mayor of Rivne, Oleksandr Tretyak, has been removed from his post due to corruption charges. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice has been trying to recover money stolen by convicted criminal and former Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko for over 20 years.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, visits to the United States by Ukrainian officials—including government and military officials, civilian specialists, and volunteers—have increased significantly. Most of them travel to establish contacts with American organizations, politicians, and entrepreneurs to secure both political and financial support.
For over 10 years, Ukraine, which is desperately fighting against the Russian military, has also been plagued by rampant internal corruption. Having gained its political independence after the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Ukraine has struggled to free itself from the Soviet mindset. As a result, nepotism, corruption, and impunity remain among the most severe problems facing the Ukrainian people.
“The World’s Most Corrupt Leader”
Let’s delve into some details. Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice announced its intention to confiscate $200 million from former Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko in favor of Ukraine. The legal battles have been ongoing for about 25 years.
According to United Nations reports, Lazarenko embezzled around $200 million from Ukraine. The Ukrainian government claims that the ex-prime minister illegally transferred more than $320 million to the United States, though U.S. authorities have only been able to trace $114 million.
In the 2004 Global Corruption Report, Lazarenko was ranked as the eighth-most corrupt official in the world by watchdog group Transparency International.
Who Is Interested in the Visits of the Scandalous Mayor of Rivne to the USA?
Recently, “Slavic Sacramento” obtained information that a Ukrainian court found the mayor of Rivne, Oleksandr Tretyak, guilty of an administrative offense related to corruption and banned him from holding office for one year. Tretyak called this case “a mockery of the law” and attempted to appeal the court’s decision, but his appeal was unsuccessful.
As reported by Slavic Sacramento, in September 2021, Tretyak visited the United States and met with officials from Washington and California. He met with the mayor of Federal Way, Washington—the sister city of Rivne—and with California’s Lieutenant Governor, Eleni Kounalakis, in Sacramento.
During his meetings with senior American officials, the Ukrainian mayor likely requested assistance for Ukraine, which has been under constant shelling and attacks by the Russian army since 2014.
Before his visit to California, Oleksandr Tretyak had already gained a dubious reputation in Ukraine due to racist, homophobic, and sexist statements. On one occasion, he called for the deportation of Romany (Gypsies) from his region. Despite his controversial reputation, American officials welcomed him and promised support.
For example, a year after Tretyak’s visit, the Sacramento sheriff handed over dozens of bulletproof vests, and California, along with other American states and the federal government, continues to assist the Ukrainian government in its fight against Russian aggression.
While in Sacramento, the scandalous Ukrainian mayor actively participated in the activities of the Ukrainian-American House, whose founders, the Skots brothers, are themselves controversial businessmen and missionaries from the Bethany Slavic Missionary Church.
It is also well known that one of the brothers, Pastor Roman Skots, left the United States in 2009 shortly after a federal case was opened against his family for attempted money laundering. His transport company, USKO Shipping, was required to pay $35,000 to American authorities as part of this case.
“Slavic Sacramento” obtained documents from Ukrainian law enforcement agencies indicating that Tretyak lost his position as mayor of Rivne. According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), Tretyak was accused of “violating the requirements for preventing and resolving conflicts of interest.”
The Ukrainian press reported that the verdict concerns one of Tretyak’s cases related to the illegal accrual of bonuses and additional payments to one of his administration employees. After receiving the payment, the employee contributed 45,000 Hryvnia (about $1,100) to Tretyak’s election fund during the campaign.
In addition to being removed from office, Tretyak was fined 6,800 Hryvnia ($165). Ukrainian lawyers emphasize that the ex-mayor failed to appeal the court’s decision and is now prohibited from receiving government contracts and from holding governmental positions for three years.
Moreover, local media continue to investigate the sources of the former mayor’s luxury real estate acquisitions and raise questions about his exploitation of the military agenda. In particular, Rivne Online reported that while collecting aid for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (VSU), Tretyak claimed to be “a participant in the war in eastern Ukraine.” However, when journalists contacted local authorities for verification, no documentary evidence was provided.
Before beginning his career as the mayor of Rivne, Oleksandr Tretyak was head of the Theological Seminary and Academy of Rivne and also served as a deacon of the local Pentecostal church.
Slavic Sacramento reached out to the U.S. State Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and the office of the governor of California for official comments on the visit of the scandalous ex-mayor of Rivne to the United States and his resignation in Ukraine due to corruption. No response had been received by the time of publication of this article.
