Lutsk Mayor Ihor Polishchuk Resigns Amid NABU Investigation

On March 25, 2026, the Lutsk City Council voted to terminate Mayor Ihor Polishchuk's tenure, following his personal resignation statement. The decision received support from 38 council members during the 90th session of the council. Polishchuk, who had been in office since November 2020, asserted that his resignation was “absolutely not related” to an ongoing investigation by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU). He declined to provide further details regarding his reasons for stepping down.

Following searches by the NABU: Ihor Polishchuk, chairman of the Lutsk City Council, has resignedKyiv IndependentLutsk Mayor Polishchuk dismissed

The backdrop to Polishchuk's resignation includes a December 2025 investigation by NABU, which involved searches at the Lutsk City Council and the Volyn Regional Council. Reports indicated that council members were implicated in a bribery scheme involving $30,000 related to land development projects. Although Polishchuk was not specifically named in the investigation, analysts suggested that his role as mayor may have drawn scrutiny due to his influence over development approvals.

Kyiv IndependentLutsk Mayor Polishchuk dismissedFollowing searches by the NABU: Ihor Polishchuk, chairman of the Lutsk City Council, has resigned

In his address to the council, Polishchuk emphasized that he was unaware of any criminal proceedings against him and reiterated that his resignation was unrelated to the NABU investigation. He stated, “This resignation is in no way connected to either NABU or the audit.” Following his resignation, Kateryna Shklyoda was appointed as the new secretary of the Lutsk City Council, replacing Yurii Bezpiatko, who also resigned.

Kyiv Independent

Political analysts and local observers have raised concerns regarding the timing of Polishchuk's resignation, suggesting it may be linked to the results of the NABU investigation and an impending audit by the State Audit Service. Andriy Luchyk, a deputy from the Civil Movement "Svidomi," indicated that the audit could reveal significant financial violations within the city council's activities over the past five years.

Lutsk Mayor Ihor Polischuk wrote a statement on resigning from his powers • ANTIKOR portal

While Polishchuk maintains that his resignation is not connected to the NABU investigation, the timing raises questions. Some sources speculate that the results of the NABU searches and the forthcoming audit findings may have influenced his decision to resign. However, no definitive evidence has been presented to confirm this connection.

Lutsk Mayor Igor Polischuk has resigned.

• “As of today, I am not aware of any criminal proceedings against me. The reasons are different, and today I believe there is no need to go into detail,” — Ihor Polishchuk, Former Mayor of Lutsk

Kyiv Independent

• “This resignation is in no way connected to either NABU or the audit.” — Ihor Polishchuk, Former Mayor of Lutsk

Following searches by the NABU: Ihor Polishchuk, chairman of the Lutsk City Council, has resigned

Following Polishchuk's resignation, the Lutsk City Council is expected to initiate the process for electing a new mayor. The results of the NABU investigation and the State Audit Service's audit will likely continue to be scrutinized as they may have broader implications for local governance in Lutsk.

Lutsk Mayor Polishchuk dismissed