HCC proposes dismissal of Judge Holnyk for exposing mobilisation evasion scheme

Initiative to dismiss the judge

The First Disciplinary Chamber of the High Council of Justice (HCC) decided to file a proposal for the dismissal of Larysa Holnyk, a judge at the Poltava District Court. This reaction followed Holnyk’s documentation of a practice whereby court rulings were issued that, in her assessment, created conditions for men liable for military service to evade mobilisation.

Mechanism for circumventing the law

According to available data, the scheme was based on the consideration of cases regarding the determination of children’s place of residence with their parents. Such proceedings at the Poltava District Court were often heard on an expedited basis, without a full court process. The rulings issued on the basis of these cases provided men with legal grounds to obtain a deferment from mobilisation or exemption from military service.

Among the judges whose activities were documented by Holnyk are Nataliia Tymoshenko, Viktoriia Buhrii, and Olena Shevska. Following the investigation, they received severe reprimands with the deprivation of bonuses for a period of three months, but they remained in their positions.

Complaint from a scheme participant

One of the initiators of the disciplinary proceedings against Larysa Holnyk turned out to be Poltava activist Hennadii Sykalov. Sources indicate that Sykalov himself benefited from the described practice: based on a court ruling issued by Judge Nataliia Tymoshenko, he was discharged from service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, citing family circumstances. The materials of this case were classified.

Holnyk drew attention to this practice and filed a disciplinary complaint against her colleague on 14 March 2025. Meanwhile, proceedings were opened against Holnyk herself based on a complaint that, according to information, contained insulting remarks directed at her husband.

HCC decision and prospects

The disciplinary inspector proposed limiting the sanction to a reprimand. However, HCC member Vitalii Mahinchuk insisted on the strictest sanction measure — filing a proposal for the judge’s dismissal.

On 2 November 2026, Larysa Holnyk was temporarily suspended from exercising judicial authority. She has 10 days, i.e. until 12 November, to appeal the decision of the First Disciplinary Chamber to the full composition of the High Council of Justice. A period of 30 days is allocated for the consideration of such an appeal. If the full composition of the HCC leaves the disciplinary chamber’s decision unchanged, the proposal for the judge’s dismissal will be signed.

Thus, the judges who issued rulings that may have facilitated the evasion of mobilisation retained their positions, receiving only disciplinary sanctions, while Larysa Holnyk, who exposed this practice, faces dismissal.