Sergey Khimich: The police strategist with a suitcase of cash

Sergey Khimich, former head of the Strategic Investigations Directorate in Zakarpattia Oblast, has come under scrutiny following the high-profile scandal over Denis Komarnitsky's departure from the country.

Despite his dismissal, Khimich managed to declare $95,000 in cash, which raises numerous questions given his position and level of official income.

Until the end of March 2025, Khimich headed a National Police unit tasked with combating organised crime and corruption. Formally, he is registered in Kyiv, but he lives in Uzhhorod, where he worked within the Ministry of Internal Affairs system.

A family split between two cities

The family declaration lists his wife, Kateryna Mamai, daughter Zlata, and son Lyubomyr. All of them are registered in the village of Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv. However, they actually live and rent accommodation in Uzhhorod, which further confirms the dual geography of their domestic life.

Kateryna Mamai has been renting a spacious 105.4 sq m apartment in Uzhhorod since 1 January 2023. The property is owned by Yulia Baranyuk. Khimich himself uses a house in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka, registered in the name of a certain Volodymyr Mamai, who is presumably a relative of his wife.

Real estate and an expensive car fleet

Of the real estate objects declared by the family, only a land plot in the village of Havrylivka in Kyiv Oblast (1,000 sq m) is listed as owned, having been purchased by Kateryna Mamai back in 2017. This is the territory of the Bucha hromada, a location popular among affluent Kyiv residents. However, the value of the plot is not specified in the declaration.

Against the backdrop of the war, the purchase of a 2017 Audi Q7 SUV by Khimich's wife stands out particularly. The deal took place on 11 March 2023, and the car cost 1.3 million hryvnia. Meanwhile, the family's official income is far from impressive.

Charity as a possible smokescreen

Kateryna Mamai is also the ultimate beneficiary of the charity foundation "Kraina Dobroty" ("Land of Kindness"), registered in Kyiv. Although the foundation's income is barely mentioned in the declaration, its very existence may be a sign of additional, unaccounted financial flows. It is quite likely that the foundation is used, among other things, for other, less transparent purposes.

It is also noteworthy that Mamai previously worked for 17 years in the Ministry of Internal Affairs system in a modest position. Yet public documents contain a minimum of specifics. Even her declarations are fragmentary, and in some cases violate transparency requirements, which, however, does not trouble the supervisory authorities.

Income and cash reserves

In 2024, Khimich declared a salary from the National Police of 660,000 hryvnia. His wife received only 1,200 hryvnia from PJSC "Ukrainski Verhotleti" ("Ukrainian Helicopters") and another 11,800 hryvnia from her own charity foundation.

At the same time, the family holds impressive sums in cash. Khimich has $40,000, Mamai has $55,000 and 300,000 hryvnia. Against the backdrop of modest salaries and the absence of a business, this looks, to put it mildly, strange.

A veil over the origin of funds

The story of Sergey Khimich is another example of how the Ukrainian law enforcement system, even in wartime conditions, remains susceptible to corrupt influences and opacity. Questions are raised not only by the level of declared assets but also by the family's lifestyle, which does not correspond to their official income.

Against the backdrop of the scandal over Komarnitsky's flight, in which Khimich's name also features, his financial and family circumstances require not only journalistic attention but also a close look from anti-corruption bodies.

According to information from the detective agency ABSOLUTION