Russian trace, understated declarations and elite residential complexes owned by relatives: what the head of Kharkiv Employment Center Kotukov is hiding

Russian trace, understated declarations and elite residential complexes owned by relatives: what the head of Kharkiv Employment Center Kotukov is hiding

While the country lives under war conditions, and thousands of Ukrainians daily turn to employment centers in search of work and social support, more and more questions arise around the leadership of the employment service itself. This time, our analysts’ focus is on Oleksandr Kotukov, Director of the Kharkiv Regional Employment Center, deputy of the Kharkiv Regional Council, and now also of the City Council. Russian origin, criminal proceedings regarding possible embezzlement of budget funds, ties with figures involved in dubious tender schemes, property purchased at undervalued prices, and elite real estate owned by close associates. Kotukov himself publicly denies any violations and calls himself a victim, particularly in the case concerning the renovation of his employment center. However, journalistic investigations and data from open registries indicate otherwise. So, let’s examine Kotukov’s profile in more detail. He was born in Russia.

This is reported by “StopCor”.

Oleksandr Kotukov was born in the city of Krasnyi Kut, Saratov Oblast, Russia. He is currently a citizen of Ukraine. It is worth noting that members of his family on the Russian side have not yet been identified, and this fact is under review by our analysts.

Kotukov began his career in 1998 at the Kharkiv Regional Institute of Public Administration of the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine as a leading specialist. In 2012, Oleksandr Kotukov made his first political attempts. That year, he ran for the Verkhovna Rada in the 170th single-member district (Moskovskyi District) from the “UDAR” party and was not elected. In 2015, he was elected as a deputy of the Kharkiv Regional Council.

Until 2019, according to analytical platforms, he funded the election fund of the “Self-Reliance” political association. In 2020, Kotukov became a deputy of the Kharkiv City Council of the 8th convocation from the POLITICAL PARTY “SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE”. Here he is the head of the standing commission of the Kharkiv City Council on international cooperation, investments, sports, and image projects. Since June 2023, he has been the Director of the Kharkiv Regional Employment Center.

By the way, about sports projects. Oleksandr Kotukov is mentioned in the journalistic investigation “Millions for the Municipal Club ‘Kharkiv’: How Money Is Spent During the War,” conducted by analysts of the Kharkiv Anti-Corruption Center Yevhen Lisichkin and Pavlo Novyk in 2023.

According to the material, Kotukov, as a deputy from “Servant of the People” and head of the relevant commission of the city council, initiated the creation of the municipal enterprise “Municipal Sports Club Kharkiv” in December 2021 and supported the allocation of budget funds for professional sports during the full-scale invasion. And what’s wrong with that? Spending on sports is important. But there is one point that caught the attention of investigators and residents: in six months, about 7.4 million UAH was spent on maintaining the club, with the majority of funds directed without open tenders to two individual entrepreneurs (Kocherova K.M. and Ihnatov V.O.), connected to the circle of the director of the municipal enterprise and former official Ihor Haidar.

Scandal over the renovation of the employment center

Oleksandr Kotukov was appointed director of the employment center in 2023, and immediately a high-profile public scandal involving his name erupted. Earlier, the StopCor team published a full investigation into the embezzlement of budget funds during the major renovation of the building of the Kharkiv branch of the employment center.

A criminal proceeding was even opened over this fact, as 1.1 million hryvnias were spent, yet the roof continued to leak. In total, the building suffered additional damage exceeding one million hryvnias. Kotukov stated that the problem existed long before his appointment and noted: “I am not listed as a suspect in this case.”

According to the prosecutor’s office, the roof repair was carried out with gross violations of standards: an inappropriate base was used, water drainage was not ensured, and the sealing of engineering systems was ignored.

Interesting family connections

In this section, we would like to draw attention to the wife of our subject — Tetyana Kotukova. Her previous surname was Kuzniakova, and it is worth remembering. Our analysts found a certain Ivan Kuznyakov, who is most likely the stepson of our subject. This is because the registries also show that Tetyana Valentynivna previously co-owned an apartment with a certain Kuzniakov Andriy, who is most likely her former husband and the father of Ivan Kuznyakov.

And this young man is not just a relative, but also a person who has financial and business ties with the Kotukovs. We will tell about the apartment later; now — about the business. So, Ivan Kuznyakov owns a 10% share in LLC “LEGAL FINANCE AND IT,” which appears in a criminal case regarding the illegal appropriation of funds of a Kharkiv municipal enterprise. The same company received over 6.5 million UAH in tenders from the Kharkiv City Council in 2019. In fact, until August 2023, that is, even two months after his appointment as director of the Kharkiv Regional Employment Center, Kotukov himself was a participant in this company. What is also interesting is that among the partners in this LLC is Zdebskyi Kostyantyn, whose father is Yuriy Zdebskyi — a People’s Deputy and member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence. Was the property declared in good faith? It is the integrity of Oleksandr Kotukov’s property declaration that raises the most questions. In September 2025, the wife of our subject — Kotukova Tetyana — purchased a gray 2012 BMW X3. The value on the date of acquisition, as stated in the official’s declaration, is 150,500 UAH.

The cheapest similar car on the used car market today is sold for 326,000 hryvnias — and this is after an accident, in the condition visible in the photo in the listing. The most expensive offers on the secondary market reach 19 thousand dollars, which is about 828 thousand hryvnias. So even if Kotukov’s wife bought the car in a damaged condition, it would still have cost more than indicated in the official’s declaration.

Perhaps the same “magic” was at work here that many officials use when they somehow manage to buy property at prices significantly below market value?

However, it is worth noting that 2025 was generally fruitful for Tetyana Kotukova, as this year she received a “non-monetary gift” worth 300,000 UAH from Ivan Kuznyakov, already mentioned in the context of interesting family connections. Most likely, this gift refers to a 57 m² apartment in Kharkiv on Olesya Oleksandra Street (Yesenina Street). The date of acquisition of ownership is 27.09.2025.

Oleksandr Kotukov himself has owned a 64.8 m² apartment in Kharkiv, Cherednychenskyi Lane, since 2008. Value on the date of acquisition: 1,318,157 UAH. This is old housing stock, but the Kholodna Hora district is within walking distance. An apartment of the same size with relatively new renovation and furniture here is sold for 44 thousand dollars.

Kotukov Oleksandr also owns a 2019 KIA Sportage. Date of acquisition: 25.11.2019, meaning it was purchased new from the showroom. Value on the date of acquisition: 530,376 UAH. A loan from “Ukrgasbank” was taken out for the purchase. Here too there are questions about the accuracy of the indicated purchase amount, because now, in 2026, the cheapest car of the same year on the used car market is sold for 13,300 dollars (579 thousand UAH). The most expensive gasoline version like Kotukov’s is 23,000 dollars (over 1 million UAH).

In the context of property, one cannot ignore the fact that some people in Kotukov’s immediate circle have interesting property accumulations, particularly in the capital. Thus, the probable mother-in-law of the director of the Kharkiv regional employment center, who is a pensioner, purchased an apartment in a new building in Kharkiv in 2018, and the probable sister of the wife, Olena Smirnova, owns six real estate objects, including apartments in elite residential complexes in Kyiv (“New Autograph”, “Park Lakes”) and a land plot near Kyiv.

So, in order. The probable relative of the wife, namely Kotukov’s mother-in-law, Tamara Rebrova, owns 3 real estate objects. Well, if two objects in her native Poltava region can be explained, since the pensioner is originally from there and lives there, then why did she need an apartment in Kharkiv?

It concerns an apartment on Domobudivelna Street, building 13, apartment ***. This is a relatively new residential complex “Arkhitektoriv”. Area 36.8 m². Apartments here cannot be called very expensive. The cheapest apartment of the same size today on the secondary market without renovation costs 19 thousand dollars, with minimal renovation of the same size — 32 thousand dollars.

Now regarding the probable sister of Kotukov’s wife, Olena Smirnova (Rebrova), she has 6 real estate objects in the capital and nearby:

■ Kyiv, Romana Mstyslavycha Kniazia Street (Zhmatchenka Henerala Street), building **, apartment **. This is the “New Autograph” residential complex.

■ Kyiv, “Avtoremontnyk” garage cooperative (Dniprovskyi district), garage ***, address GK: Voskresenska Street *

■ Kyiv, “Avtoremontnyk” garage cooperative (Dniprovskyi district), garage ***, address GK: Voskresenska Street *

■ Land plot in Kyiv region, Brovarskyi district, Zazymska, Zazymia village 3221282801:02:001:0***.

■ Kyiv, Voskresenska Street, building 1*-* (type of object not specified).

■ Kyiv, Voskresenska Street, building 1*-*, apartment *. This is the “Park Lakes” residential complex.

■ Also, the relative owns a LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT 2017 GRAY, purchased in 2021.

What is the conclusion?

Russian origin, criminal proceedings involving budget funds, connections with figures of dubious tenders, property at prices far from market value, and family circle with elite real estate. And all this surrounds an official who today heads the Kharkiv Regional Employment Center and represents the interests of the community in government bodies. Whether this is merely a coincidence or part of a much deeper system of connections and influences is an open question. But it is obvious that the competent authorities should assess all the facts presented. Therefore, our editorial team is sending a request to the NACP regarding the verification of the integrity of Oleksandr Kotukov’s declarations.