Oleh Voronko

Biography

Oleh Voronko became a Member of the Verkhovna Rada of the 9th convocation representing the “Servant of the People” party (District No. 103, city of Oleksandriia, as well as Dolynska, Oleksandriia, Petrove, and Ustynivka districts of the Kirovohrad region) as a non-partisan candidate. After taking office, the politician became a member of the faction of the same name.

He was elected a member of the Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy. At the time of his election, he was temporarily unemployed, even though he was officially the head and owner of several firms.

According to Ukrayinska Pravda, Voronko, like other majoritarians from the Kirovohrad region, is a member of the “Illya Pavliuk group.” This businessman from Chernivtsi was one of the curators of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s central headquarters. According to media reports, those who are part of this unofficial group voted in the interests of oligarch Rinat Akhmetov and other influential figures. For example, Voronko did not vote for the “anti-Kolomoiskyi law.”

After his resignation as Speaker, Dmytro Razumkov created the “Razumkov Politics” association and split the “Servant of the People” faction. Voronko joined the newly created inter-factional association and made a statement about pressure from the Office of the President—searches were conducted at his premises. Voronko was accused of forging documents.

As a result, the politician left the “Servant of the People” faction. Voronko did not lose his mandate as he is a majoritarian MP. The politician stated that his departure was caused by pressure from the authorities due to his membership in the “Razumkov Politics” inter-factional association.

Subsequently, Voronko joined the “Restoration of Ukraine” parliamentary group, the majority of which consisted of representatives of the former banned party “Opposition Platform—For Life.”

Voronko topped the list of MPs who declared the largest amount of cash in 2020; in particular, he also declared cryptocurrency. Before becoming an MP, Voronko worked as an entrepreneur in the IT sector. At the same time, the politician received compensation from the budget for housing rent.

Timeline of Key Events

2026

Voted in the first reading for the controversial draft Civil Code (15150), submitted by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk. The draft, which spans 803 pages and which even the Ministry of Justice did not have time to review within three weeks of its registration, was submitted for parliamentary consideration in “turbo mode.” The legislative initiative contained provisions that allow for the plundering of state and communal property—forests, coastlines, and mineral resources. Furthermore, the draft poses risks to freedom of speech. Following the Verkhovna Rada’s vote, street protests took place in a number of regions. In particular, protesters were outraged by lawmakers’ proposals that infringed upon the rights of women and the LGBT community. A petition addressed to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanding a veto of the bill gathered over 25,000 signatures on the very first day of its registration. Judges of the Supreme Court also had substantial objections to the project. The draft Civil Code, which did not undergo proper discussion, effectively destroyed the judicial practice that the third branch of government had been developing since the adoption of the current Civil Code—more than 20 years.

2025

The politician did not vote for the liquidation of the independence of anti-corruption bodies—the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Draft #12414). After the law was passed, a protest began near Bankova Street, but Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the law that same day. Subsequently, the President submitted a project that restored the independence of anti-corruption bodies. By the end of July, as a result of public pressure and pressure from international partners, the parliamentary majority voted for Draft #13533, which returned powers to the anti-corruption bodies.

The MP supported a project concerning a special procedure for the compulsory alienation of land in the Uzhhorod district of the Zakarpattia region (#9549). The initiative contained a number of controversial provisions that create risks for both deforestation and the development of a corrupt scheme involving the purchase of real estate from necessary people at the expense of the budget at prices 3–3.6 times higher than the market value. These provisions violated a number of provisions of the Constitution, so the President imposed a veto. Despite this, MPs ignored most of the objections during revision. Among other things, during the revision for the second reading, provisions were added to the law that legalise a corrupt scheme of local self-government bodies to develop detailed plans contrary to the provisions of settlement master plans until the beginning of 2028.

Voronko voted for the controversial project by Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, which abolished the Commercial Code of Ukraine (#6013). The initiators of this law declared an expansion of economic freedoms, but the law abolished the fundamental norms of state-business interaction and the principles of managing economic activity in the state and communal sectors of the economy. A number of civic organisations stressed that this law carries risks for national security and that its adoption would result in a large-scale redistribution of the country, given that the Verkhovna Rada had not approved a list of property exempt from privatisation.

2024

Voronko was the only member of his parliamentary group who abstained from voting for bill #10242 on pressure on journalists and their sources. This bill created serious risks for freedom of speech, the activities of journalists, and the protection of their sources and anti-corruption whistleblowers. Under the guise of fighting “data abuse,” it was proposed to amend the Criminal Code by increasing the penalty for disclosing information from state registers during martial law—up to 8 years in prison, without any exceptions for journalists or whistleblowers.

The politician abstained from voting for bill #8371, which provided for the prohibition of the activities in Ukraine of religious organisations that have their governing centre in a state carrying out armed aggression against Ukraine.

2023

Supported Draft #7457 “On the Legalisation of Medical Cannabis,” which allowed for the production of medical cannabis in Ukraine for the rehabilitation of wounded military personnel, including for the treatment of PTSD. The adoption of the law was advocated by the “Patients of Ukraine” organisation.

In the same year, he voted for bill #9296-d on strengthening the financial monitoring of PEPs, i.e., politically exposed persons. A key change provided for by the bill was the introduction of a lifelong PEP status for top officials instead of the current three-year limit after leaving office. Furthermore, the document strengthened the liability of primary financial monitoring entities (such as banks) for unjustified refusal to provide financial services.

Voronko did not vote for the immediate opening of electronic declarations during martial law.

The politician introduced bill #9037 on a tax exemption for deposits under 600,000 UAH. The document was negatively received by experts as it introduced a discriminatory rule regarding relatives: if one of the siblings, parents, or children already has this benefit, another person cannot receive it. In addition, collecting information about the funds of relatives placed in banks would lead to the disclosure of bank secrecy.

2022

Voronko supported Law #2693-d “On Media,” which provided for the loosening of restrictions on Russian content and performers, the introduction of regulation for online media, and the activities of bloggers and various web platforms. The document also provided for the expansion of the powers of the regulator—the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting. Its adoption was one of the conditions for starting negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU. At the same time, journalistic, media, and civic organisations, as well as media outlets and social media users, appealed to the authorities regarding this bill. The appeal stated that the law violated the right to freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine and the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Voted for the urban planning “reform” (#5655), authored by the head of the “Servant of the People” party, Olena Shuliak. The civic sector and media criticised this legislative initiative; Chatham House (UK) noted that with such rules of the game, there were every chance for the emergence of construction cartels. The European Parliament warned President Zelenskyy against signing this law, and the European Commission also provided its critical remarks.

Joined the newly created parliamentary group “Restoration of Ukraine,” the majority of which consisted of representatives of the former banned party “Opposition Platform—For Life.”

Left the “Servant of the People” faction and stated that his departure was caused by pressure from the authorities due to his belonging to the inter-factional association called “Razumkov Politics.”

The State Bureau of Investigation announced that it was conducting searches of Voronko as part of a criminal proceeding regarding the forgery of documents. The National Agency on Corruption Prevention drew up a report on the MP regarding an administrative corruption offence under Part 2 of Art. 172-4 of the Code of Administrative Offences regarding his inclusion in the executive body of one of the companies. The MP himself stated that this was political persecution by Zelenskyy’s team.

2021

The National Agency on Corruption Prevention did not receive confirmation of the origin of 132 million 25 thousand UAH in the MP’s declaration.

Former Verkhovna Rada Speaker Dmytro Razumkov published a list of MPs who would join the “Razumkov Politics” inter-factional association he created—Voronko was on this list.

In the same year, Ukrayinska Pravda published an investigation naming the politicians who were part of the “Illya Pavliuk group”—a businessman from Chernivtsi who participated in curating Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s headquarters during the presidential election. Voronko, like other majoritarians from the Kirovohrad region, was among those who were part of this group.

2020

Supported Resolution #4104, by which parliament approved its representatives to the competition commission for the selection of the leadership of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. The composition of this commission drew large-scale criticism from civil society, EU delegations, and G7 countries, as it included individuals about whose independence and integrity there were doubts.

Was one of five MPs from his party who voted against the “anti-Kolomoiskyi law” (Draft #2571-d), which provided for the prohibition of returning insolvent banks removed from the market to their former owners.

2019

Suspected of receiving 30,000 dollars for not supporting a bill in committee regarding the “destruction of a cash cow” by Anton Yatsenko. Bill #2047-d provided for the liquidation of corrupt schemes during the appraisal of real estate objects. Economichna Pravda reported that the MP abstained from voting for the resolution. Both the “Servant of the People” party (offering the suspects to undergo a polygraph test) and the SAPO (registering the corresponding proceeding) reacted to the scandal.

Voted for bill #1031 on restoring punishment for illicit enrichment and establishing civil confiscation of unjustifiably acquired property.

Elected as a Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of the 9th convocation from the “Servant of the People” party (District No. 103, city of Oleksandriia, as well as Dolynska, Oleksandriia, Petrove, and Ustynivka districts of the Kirovohrad region) as a non-partisan candidate. Became a member of the faction of the same name. Elected as a member of the Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy. At the time of his election, he was temporarily unemployed, even though he was officially the head and owner of several firms.

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