Rating agency EliteExpert presents an independent study of the effectiveness of heads of territorial communities of the Odessa region for 2024–2025. The rating is published on the website of the National Rating Platform and is designed to show which leaders really influence the development of their territories, and who is limited to declarations.
In the face of full-scale war, constant resource shortages, and unstable logistics, communities have become true fulcrums on the map of the region. Their leaders make daily decisions that affect people's access to basic services, assistance to displaced people, support for the army, and the operation of healthcare, kindergartens, and schools.
This review is an attempt to honestly and impartially record who is really working and responsible for their decisions, and who is simply formally "managing" the community.
The rating has one fundamental feature - it takes into account not only objective indicators of management work, but also the public perception of these results. We tried to convey information about the rating to all communities of the region - and somewhere it caused an active reaction, and somewhere it received almost no response. And although the popular vote was not a determining factor in our study of effectiveness, its results were nevertheless taken into account in assessing the positions of community leaders.
Yes, there is an obvious problem with this approach: how to compare large and small communities? For example, the Odesa territorial community has a million residents, while some rural associations have only one or two thousand. It is clear that in absolute numbers, Odesa can collect tens of thousands of votes, while a village can only collect hundreds. But does this mean that the opinion of residents of small communities is less significant? Of course not. Therefore, when forming the rating, we used people's activity and willingness to "support their own" as an additional indicator of trust.
However, the basis for getting into the rating was management results: budget discipline, development of critical infrastructure, work in war conditions, systematic decisions, and feedback from residents.
Our ranking is not a competition of budgets and population. It is a reflection of how communities work with their capabilities, how residents perceive the results of this work, and how actively they are involved in the life of their community. In this sense, both large cities and small rural ATCs found themselves in the same conditions in the study.
Among the leaders of the rating are both heads of powerful urban communities and heads of small but effective rural associations.
It should be noted that some of the leaders who made it to this list are involved in public scandals, and in some cases, even criminal proceedings. However, the editorial office adheres to the principle of the presumption of innocence: until the court has made a final decision, a person is considered innocent. At the same time, we separate the effectiveness of managerial work from media pressure, suspicions, or conflicts. The same community leaders who have already been convicted or are under arrest were not included in the rating, despite the fact that some of them previously demonstrated high performance.
The final list of the ranking leaders reflects the balance between professional expert assessment and the opinion of the general public, and the head of the Velikoploskovskaya AHC is listed first in it — Ivan Baturyn, for which local residents actively voted.
Under his leadership, in 2024–2025, the community's educational institutions were provided with energy supply - autonomous and backup boiler rooms were installed in four schools and a kindergarten, solid fuel boilers and generators were purchased - for safety in wartime conditions. A free hot meal system was also launched for all children, including those from privileged categories; the costs of modernizing two support catering units amounted to about 700 UAH. Transportation of schoolchildren and teachers on routes with a total length of about 000 km was organized, and a new bus was purchased thanks to state-local co-financing.
Under Baturyn's leadership, a "transparent ASC" was introduced, and the municipal infrastructure received open status through public procurement and regular reporting.
The community has repeatedly become a winner and prize-winner of district and regional competitions for the best sanitary and well-maintained settlement. In particular, according to the results of 2023 and 2024, the Velykoploska community was recognized as a leader among rural ATCs of the Rozdilnyansky district for the quality of street lighting, improvement of public spaces, maintenance of cemeteries, timely garbage removal, and arrangement of recreation areas. These results were achieved thanks to the constant work of municipal services and the active participation of local residents in subbotniks and greening initiatives.
Oleksiy Osiychuk — has headed the Zakharivska settlement community since its creation in 2020 and continues to lead it in difficult conditions. He went from the head of the Zakharivska District State Administration, which was disbanded in 2020, to the head of the community. Such managerial experience has ensured a confident transition between administrative management and direct interaction with community residents.
During his leadership, the community first implemented a program to regulate the number of stray animals, with a budget for sterilization and prevention, with the intention of curbing the spread of diseases such as rabies.
The ATC also began to strengthen its sports program — the community's young basketball players became winners of district competitions, and youth initiatives and support for children's sports became a priority for the leadership.
Structurally, the community includes the settlement of Zakharivka and a number of villages — Pavlivka, Onilove, Novozaritske, and others, with a total population of about 5 people. Residents of the community voted very actively for their leader, which allowed him to take such a high place in the rating.
Natalia Todorova — heads the largest rural territorial community in Ukraine — Safyanivka AH, with a population of about 42 thousand people. She was elected as head in October 2020, and before that she held the position of head of the Izmail District State Administration, which provided her with regional-level management experience.
In 2024–2025, the community under the leadership of Todorova demonstrated sustainable development in several areas. In the villages of Saf'yani and Kam'yanka, solar power plants with a capacity of 1,3 and 3,2 megawatts, respectively, began operating, which became one of the examples of the introduction of alternative energy in the south of the Odessa region. In addition, the clearing and strengthening of the Hromadskyi canal, which supplies water to the Lung and Saf'yani lakes, was completed. This water body, 4 kilometers long and up to 1,7 meters deep, is of great importance for the ecology and agricultural sector of the region.
Considerable attention was paid to the agro-industrial sector: farms, ranches, bakeries, and greenhouses are actively operating within the AH. For example, the village of Utkonosivka produces up to 10 tons of vegetables annually.
Currently, the Safyaniv community remains one of the flagships of decentralization in the Izmail district, effectively developing the areas of alternative energy, agricultural production, ecology, and social infrastructure.
Next on the list is Volodymyr Novatskyi, who has headed the Yuzhne (now Pivdenny) territorial community since its formation, and before that, he was the mayor of the city of Yuzhne for many years. Under his leadership, the community has consistently been among the most economically strong in southern Ukraine. The geographical and infrastructural location of the AH provides enormous potential, but it was Novatsky’s management decisions that allowed this resource to be used effectively.
Key industrial and logistics facilities are located on the territory of the community: the seaport "Pivdennyi", terminals of the private group "TIS", the Odessa port plant and oil refining infrastructure. Despite the fact that the community does not directly manage these enterprises, it is the actions of local authorities that allow them to be integrated into the economy of the community. With the participation of Novatsky, a system of interaction with business was built, which provided Yuzhnenskaya AH with record revenues to the budget: in 2024, its own revenues exceeded 800 million hryvnias, and according to the results of the first half of 2025, the dynamics remained at the level of one of the leaders in the region.
The community is actively investing in the development of urban and social infrastructure. With the assistance of international partners and national programs, over the past two years, energy efficiency projects have been implemented, the street lighting system has been modernized, and educational institutions and municipal facilities have been renovated. At the same time, Yuzhnenska AH remains a leader in the field of digitalization - almost all administrative services have been transferred to electronic format, and the feedback system with residents works on an ongoing basis.
Volodymyr Novatsky also focuses on transport and logistics stability. Under his leadership, the community has developed its own route network, which connects the center with the suburbs and new residential areas, removing the acuteness of the transportation issue. He personally oversees the development of road infrastructure and the improvement of territories near strategic facilities - in particular, logistics hubs and port entrances.
Particular attention is paid to environmental and sustainable development issues. In 2024, the community applied for inclusion in the international climate platform and began developing a carbon neutrality strategy. This emphasizes the desire for long-term planning and attracting "green" investments.
Mayor of Chornomorsk — Vasyl Gulyaev — has been in office since 2020, replacing a local political juggernaut — a mayor with thirty years of experience. Valery Khmelnyuk.
During this time, he has proven himself as a leader of the ATC, able to combine administrative stability with initiative, especially in the field of local development and social policy. Despite the relative informational restraint, his community remains one of the most active in the region in terms of citizen engagement.
An important result of Gulyaev's economic policy was the completion in December 2024 of a large-scale project to install a 450 kW solar power plant with a 150 kWh energy storage system. This project, implemented on the basis of the city's wastewater treatment facilities, made it possible to provide more than half of the facility's electricity needs and significantly reduce the utility's costs. This was one of the first such projects in Ukraine implemented at the local community level, and it was highly appreciated by international partners.
In addition, in 2024 and 2025, Chornomorsk became one of the few coastal cities that fully opened the tourist season, despite the war and periodic shelling. Thanks to the coordinated work of municipal services and private initiatives, the beaches were put in order, security was organized, and approaches to the coast were repaired. This allowed the city to return part of the tourist flow and support small businesses in a difficult period.
Gennady Trukhanov — Mayor of Odessa since 2014, — one of the most famous and at the same time most discussed mayors in Ukraine. His figure evokes polar assessments — from exceptional recognition of his merits in maintaining stability in Odessa to sharp criticism from opponents and law enforcement agencies.
The Odesa territorial community is the largest in the region, with a population of over 1 million people and a multi-billion budget. At the same time, 2024 and the beginning of 2025 were perhaps the most difficult for the city: constant shelling, humanitarian challenges, energy problems. However, Odesa continued to function and adapt to new realities. The air defense systems within the city limits were modernized and partially strengthened, which was an important step against the background of the constant threat of strikes. At the same time, the city authorities allocated more than 200 million hryvnias to restore the destroyed infrastructure and housing stock, as well as to emergency work in critical areas.
The city did not remain aloof from humanitarian tasks: in Odessa, a systematic support system was built for internally displaced persons, whose number at certain periods exceeded 50 thousand. Work continued on updating the shelter scheme, in particular, the installation of backup generators and water supply sources. Along with this, despite the war, the city did not stop work on improvement - roads were repaired, public transport was modernized, and basic communal and social services were maintained.
In addition, the system of electronic services in the city was not stopped, and small and medium-sized businesses received targeted support. The mayor himself calls one of the key results of his work in extreme conditions in recent years the inclusion of the historical center of Odessa on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
On the other hand, Hennadiy Trukhanov is a defendant in a number of high-profile anti-corruption investigations. Among them is the case of the city hall's acquisition of the former Krayan factory, where NABU and SAPO suspected damage to the local budget of tens of millions of hryvnias. Despite the lengthy investigation, Trukhanov repeatedly stated that the case was politically motivated and was acquitted by the court of first instance in 2023.
The city leadership was also accused of unnecessary expenses during the war instead of supporting the army (for example, the multi-million scandalous renovation of the Kyiv District Court at the expense of the budget), but, according to the City Council, Odesa allocates record amounts to help the Armed Forces.
Despite the political turbulence and reputational blows, Gennady Trukhanov received significant support from Odessa residents. His 11-year experience as mayor, experience in anti-crisis administration, ability to keep the city system in working order, implementation of defense and humanitarian solutions, as well as a confirmed electoral base - all this ensured him a leading place in the rating.
Valery Stoilaki — has been leading the Vyzyr community since its creation in 2019, and has transformed it into one of the most organized and socially active communities in the region. The community has gained powerful economic potential thanks to the location of the country's largest private port — TIS — on its territory. It was TIS co-founder Oleg Kutateladze who became the ideological inspirer of the creation of the community and oversaw the strategic directions of its development for a long time. With his support, the community received a resource base and partnerships, and Stoilaki became the executor of systemic decisions at the local government level.
According to the results of the first quarter of 2024, the Vyzyr community collected more than 69 million hryvnias in revenue, in particular, 58 million to the general fund and 1 million to the special fund. A significant share of the revenue came from the real estate tax - more than 10 million hryvnias, which allowed financing priority programs. The budget for 2025 was approved with projected own revenues of more than 220 million hryvnias. These funds are directed primarily to social protection, education, and infrastructure development.
At the initiative of Stoilaki, the community has focused on supporting youth and education. Vyzyrka, one of the first in the district, opened modern STEM laboratories for schoolchildren, the community has a Youth Council, which participates in initiatives and formulates proposals for budget priorities. Patriotic events, competitions, and educational meetings are regularly held. The community also actively helps the army - for its contribution to supporting the Defense Forces of Ukraine, Vyzyrka received a thank-you from the 28th separate mechanized brigade.
At the management level, the community demonstrates a high level of transparency. Open sessions are held, annual budget forecasts are approved, and electronic tools for communicating with the population are in operation. Vyzyrka is also a participant in international initiatives: in 2024, the community became part of the project United for Ukraineaimed at exchanging management experience and improving local strategies.
The young, very small (only ten thousand residents), but very energetic community under the leadership of Stoilaki is now demonstrating sustainable growth, effectively using business revenues and directing resources to improve the lives of local residents.
The mayor of Izmail and the head of the eponymous AH — Andriy Abramchenko — one of the most visible and at the same time most controversial participants in the current rating. In the 2020 local elections, he received impressive support — more than 81% of voters voted for him. This result indicates not only a high level of trust at the time of the election, but also his ability to unite the community around specific tasks.
Under his leadership, the Izmail territorial community approved a budget for 2025 in the amount of over 1,1 billion hryvnias. For a city with a population of about 70 people, a budget of over a billion hryvnias is not just large, it is one of the largest budgets among cities of similar size in Ukraine. A significant part of the funds was directed to critically important areas: 000 million for defense, 51 million for the development of medical infrastructure, about 35 million for the urgent restoration of housing damaged by the war, and more than 10 million for social programs, including assistance to internally displaced persons.
It is worth noting investments in sports and cultural infrastructure. During Abramchenko's term, the construction of the modern Palace of Sports was completed as part of the "Great Construction" program, youth clubs were opened, amateur sports teams were developed. The city actively attracted funds and demonstrated a systematic approach to development.
However, along with his achievements, Abramchenko also has a certain negative trail. Recently, a scandal broke out in Izmail related to the allegedly non-transparent distribution of humanitarian aid by volunteers. No criminal case was initiated into the incident, but a certain blow to his reputation was inflicted.
There have also been media reports of a possible conflict of interest involving his wife, who held a senior position in the city council. Some publications have reported on Abramchenko's possible trips to Russia before the full-scale invasion and suspicions of corruption schemes. However, no formal charges have been brought against him, and there are currently no court decisions regarding these episodes.
Despite the information scandals, Andriy Abramchenko demonstrates consistent effectiveness as a manager. Under his leadership, Izmail not only survived the crisis years, but also implemented dozens of important projects in the fields of defense, medicine, social protection, and urban infrastructure.
Next in the ranking is the head of the Shabska community — Pavlo Pavlenko. This small rural community near Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi has become one of the most recognizable examples of successful tourism and small business development in the Odessa region. Despite its compact size, the community consistently ranks among financially viable municipalities: back in 2018, Shabska AH ranked 14th in the national ranking by budget indicators in its category, and in subsequent years it continued to strengthen economic stability.
The main factor of growth was the close cooperation with the Shabo winery, which not only provides significant tax revenues, but also became a point of attraction for tourists from all over Ukraine and abroad. With the assistance of the winery, the community implemented several significant infrastructure projects: roads leading to tourist sites were repaired, modern signs and benches were installed, and the Wine Culture Center was opened, which became the hallmark of the entire area.
The community is betting on the development of "green" tourism and support for small businesses. Under Pavlenko's leadership, an incentive program was introduced for owners of estates and cafes who create jobs. This allowed not only to increase the number of tourist locations, but also to provide additional income to the budget: in 2024 alone, revenues from small businesses in the tourism industry exceeded 4 million hryvnias. These funds are aimed at modernizing street lighting, improving schools, and updating the material and technical base.
In 2025, the community completed the construction of a tourist pavilion near the trail and installed two information terminals near popular tasting routes. The creation of a tourist information center, which will become a coordination point for new cultural and gastronomic initiatives, is also progressing.
Sergey Khrustovsky — manages the suburb of Odessa — Avangardivska AHC. Heading Avangard since 2010, during this time he has transformed it into one of the most stable and economically powerful communities in the Odessa region. The community has been steadily demonstrating revenue growth, in particular due to the largest market in the country — “7 Kilometer”, located on its territory. According to the results of the first half of 2025, revenues to the local budget increased by 17 million hryvnias compared to the same period last year. This allowed not only to close all social and infrastructure items, but also to create a reserve for the implementation of new projects.
In April 2025, by the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Avangard Council, the community commissioned two new facilities at once: the building of the Citizens' Security Center and a modern outpatient clinic, built with the support of the European Investment Bank. This became an important milestone in the development of the AHC infrastructure and strengthened the emergency response system.
Since the spring of 2025, the community has been participating in the national project "Side by Side", having signed partnership agreements with communities in Zhytomyr and Kirovohrad regions. This has opened access to joint educational, infrastructure and humanitarian initiatives. Khrustovsky personally initiated these agreements, positioning Avangard as a community ready to take responsibility and help others.
One of the key areas of its work remains the development of economic potential. In March, the concept of an agro-industrial park based on TOT GROUP LLC was presented, which includes production, warehouse and logistics facilities. This project is seen as a step towards income diversification and job creation.
Natalia Baranenko — heads the Stepanivka rural community, the administrative center of which is the village of Stepanivka. Under her leadership in 2024–2025, the community focused on improving the daily lives of residents, especially in the area of services and communication with the center.
Baranenko initiated the modernization of the administrative center: the community website was updated, a system of electronic services was established, which allowed to speed up the processing of requests and increase the transparency of work. With her active participation, work was carried out to repair local roads and public spaces, in particular, the streets in Stepanivka and neighboring settlements were improved, which significantly improved the accessibility of infrastructure.
She also repeatedly participated in meetings of the Chamber of Local Authorities of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine in Khmelnytskyi - representing the Odessa region and discussing key areas of reforming local self-government and budget legislation.
The community also received support from the regional budget for the development of medicine and education: major repairs were carried out at the outpatient clinic and the local school, equipped with modern equipment and a new set of furniture. An important achievement was the provision of regular bus service between the rural area and the district center, which especially improved transport accessibility for residents.
Viacheslav Chernyavsky — has held the position of mayor of Kiliya since November 2020. During this time, the community under his leadership went through a period of regular shelling, and it was the mayor's systematic work that allowed for an effective response and minimized the consequences for residents and infrastructure.
During the repeated nighttime attacks by suicide drones, Chernyavskyi did not simply respond to incidents, but built a consistent work of the services: he created operational commissions, supervised the restoration of damaged facilities, coordinated emergency assistance to the victims and the work of municipal services. All this happened without delays and casualties, thanks to the well-coordinated organization of the municipal apparatus.
In 2023–2024, a serious logistical challenge was resolved: the growing flow of freight transport associated with the port of Ust-Dunaysk began to create traffic jams and negatively affect the road network. Vyacheslav Chernyavsky established interaction with the regional authorities, organized truck parking outside the settlement, improved traffic patterns, and thereby reduced the load on city roads and municipal infrastructure.
The social initiative was the presentation of a new design project "Alley of Glory" in memory of the fallen compatriots. In May 2025, Chernyavsky personally presented the concept at a city council session - a project that contributed to strengthening local patriotism and community memory.
Despite financial constraints, with his participation, the major repairs of the Kiliya - Lisky - Vylkove road continue.
Sergey Mazur — has headed the Baltic Community since 2015 and was re-elected in 2020. At the time of his first election, he was the youngest head of the region, which emphasizes his modern approach to governance. At the end of 2024, the president awarded him the Order of Merit, III degree, in recognition of achievements in the development of local self-government.
The Balta community is a powerful center in the north of the region, one of the first to unite city and village councils. During the war, Balta became a volunteer rear: an aid headquarters worked around the clock near Masuria, and several thousand displaced people found a new home here. Moreover, local businesses continued to pay taxes steadily even during the crisis, which allowed the community to finance medicine, education, and social programs without disruption.
He introduced anti-corruption standards: sections on energy efficiency, a public register of contracts and purchases appeared on the community website. This not only increased the trust of citizens, but also became the basis for obtaining international funding. Serhiy Mazur personally initiated the adoption of the Regulation on the lease of unclaimed shares, directing the income directly to support farmers and replenish the budget.
In 2024–2025, the community implemented a wide range of infrastructure projects: major repairs of city roads and sidewalks, modernization of sewage systems, installation of new streetlights, construction of an ASC and a through-treatment plant. In addition, Mazur initiated the development and adoption of the Regulation on the Lease of Unclaimed Shares, which allowed to direct funds from land leases directly to the budget and strengthen support for local farmers.
Serhiy Mazur is actively developing strategic cooperation: he participates in the first Forum of United Communities in Kyiv, and has initiated partnerships with regions in Europe, from Madrid to Kyiv. Thanks to this, the Baltic community has expanded its expert network and gained access to new resources.
Community residents consistently reaffirm their support for his work—high turnout rates in the popular vote reflect their trust.
Oleg Mishagli — has led the Nerubaysk community since its formation in 2020, following the decentralization reform. During this period, the AH has become a strong seaside municipality with an area of about 97,5 km² and a population of over 12 people. The community includes the village of Nerubayske and four nearby settlements, including Usatove and Velyka Balka.
In 2024–2025, under Mishagli's leadership, the community overhauled its main streets and sidewalks, opened a modern Administrative Services Center (ACSC), and modernized schools with modern classrooms and equipped shelters. As part of the regional program "Safe Odesa", outdoor video surveillance cameras were installed and fire stations were created in the community's villages.
The community actively develops culture and local tourism: in 2023, a folk art festival was held for the first time, bringing together youth and cultural initiatives. This project strengthened social cohesion and expanded residents' participation in community life.
Mishagli places great importance on public engagement and openness: under his leadership, open sessions are held, and in July 2025, representatives of the community's Youth Council participated in the regional dialogue "K.O.D. UA" in Odessa. Regular feedback through official community channels strengthens trust and increases the effectiveness of governance.
Nerubaysk AH has not been caught up in corruption or reputational scandals and demonstrates confident, albeit slow, development — from critical infrastructure to supporting youth and implementing modern management practices.
Lyudmila Prokopechko — has been the head of the Dobroslavsky territorial community since 2020, before that she was the village head of Kominternivsky. During this time, she has become a well-known and prominent face of local politics, which is reflected in a significant level of voter trust — in the 2020 elections, she received over 92% of the vote, which is a record in the region.
One of Prokopechko's largest projects was the transformation of the wastewater treatment facilities: in 2023–2024, a solar power plant and backup generators were installed, ensuring energy autonomy for critical infrastructure, including the water supply system. This allowed for a significant reduction in utility costs and preparation for the winter period amid threats of power outages due to shelling of the power system.
In parallel, Prokopechko launched an award from the mayor, which annually recognizes active youth in the community — with monetary incentives. In 2024, the first laureates received awards that emphasized the value of civic activism and support for the development of Dobroslav.
Prokopechko earned the support of the residents of Dobroslav thanks to her practical approach. Energy projects increased the autonomy of the community, youth initiatives stimulated civic activism, and the activity of residents in the popular vote became direct confirmation that they see and appreciate the real work of their mayor.
Igor Plekhov — has held the position of mayor of the Reniysk community since the beginning of the convocation in 2020. Despite the tense situation and frequent shelling in the border area, his community is actively continuing to modernize and strengthen key infrastructure.
A large-scale thermal modernization project has been launched at the city hospital - insulation of buildings and installation of heat pumps, which has significantly reduced dependence on gas. By the end of 2024, about 90% of facade work has been completed, new equipment has been purchased, and the project is almost ready for full launch, subject to final financing of about UAH 20 million. A tender for major road repairs worth almost UAH 18 million has also been announced.
In 2024, the Reniya community allocated about UAH 31,9 million to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which amounted to 26,4% of all budget expenditures. In April 2025, another UAH 13 million was allocated for further defense needs. Plekhov received an honorary diploma from the district and regional administrations for his significant contribution to supporting the army.
At the same time, in April 2024, Ihor Plekhov was found guilty by the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine (SAC) of receiving illegal benefits. He was sentenced to 9 years in prison with confiscation of property and deprivation of the right to hold managerial positions for 3 years. However, the court decision did not enter into force - Plekhov's defense filed an appeal, and the case is currently under consideration by the SAC's appeals chamber.
Igor Plekhov continues to perform the duties of the mayor: he holds sessions, participates in public meetings and meetings of the executive committee. Legally, he remains the head of the community until the final decision of the court of appeal, and the Reniyska community remains one of the most active and productive in the region.
Serhiy Dmytriev — has been leading the Bolgrad community since its establishment in July 2020 amid the decentralization reform. Under his leadership, the community has strengthened its status as the center of the Bulgarian community of Bessarabia and is demonstrating stable budgetary and financial growth.
Dmytriev introduced the practice of the "Public Budget" - a competition of public initiatives, thanks to which for two years in a row residents themselves determine where to direct funds. In 2023, about 600 thousand UAH were spent on the creation of a mini-zoo at the Center for Creativity, and in 2024, 661 UAH went to equip a square in Vynohradivka. These projects clearly demonstrate the transparency of the distribution of budget funds and the involvement of residents.
In December 2024, together with the deputies, Dmytriev approved the community budget for 2025. The total amount is almost UAH 249 million, of which UAH 161 million is own revenues, which confirms the financial stability and high budgetary autonomy of the community.
He is also actively developing infrastructure and social support: the community participates in Bessarabian economic and agricultural forums every year, including the Agri-Food Summit 2025, which provides access to strategic support for the agricultural sector. In addition, under his leadership, the community is implementing an electronic system for citizens' appeals and expanding the capabilities of the Central Administrative Center.
Community residents regularly confirm their trust — active participation in contests and voting, high engagement rates testify not only to their love for Bolgrad, but also to the work that makes the community stronger.
Mykhailo Bukhtiyarov — effectively manages the Bilyaivska city AH. Under his management, the community has become an example of systematic and balanced development. In 2024, the community budget amounted to about 190 million hryvnias, of which 124 million were own revenues. These resources were effectively distributed to priority areas: infrastructure, education, medicine and communal services.
During 2024–2025, the community implemented a number of major projects. The construction of a modern kindergarten was completed, the House of Culture in the village of Majory was completely renovated, new sidewalks and sections of roads were built in the city and rural settlements. At the initiative of Bukhtiyarov, within the framework of regional co-financing, a large-scale reconstruction of school No. 2 was launched with the completion of a new building, and a project for the modernization of school No. 3 was also prepared. In parallel, the community invested in municipal enterprises - new equipment was purchased, water pipes were repaired, and control over landscaping and lighting was strengthened.
Mykhailo Bukhtiyarov's key approach remains rational budget management. He emphasizes that the success of a community depends not only on filling the treasury, but also on the competent distribution of resources. That is why all projects are accompanied by public discussions, and budget reporting is regularly published on the council's website.
In 2025, the community continued its modernization course: Biliaivka is participating in the regional program for the digitalization of administrative services, expanding the capabilities of the local ASC, and implementing an electronic map of village needs. In addition, the community allocated 9,8 million hryvnias to support the defense and security sector, including the purchase of equipment for volunteer units.
Oleksandr Skalozub — Secretary of the Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi City Council, acting head of the community, which he headed after the removal of the previous head, Vitaliy Grazhdan, in 2024. Under his leadership, anti-corruption standards were implemented: sections on energy efficiency and a public register of contracts appeared on the website, which helped immediately strengthen the trust of citizens and open the way to international cooperation.
Over the past year, the community has actively attracted international grants and investments, modernized its infrastructure: roads, street lighting, schools, and clinics have been repaired, and energy-efficient projects have been implemented. Thanks to this, municipal services have become better quality, and regular renovation of facilities has become more systematic.
In 2025, the community budget was approved for a total amount of UAH 862, of which UAH 361 is the general fund, and UAH 422 is the special fund, including a reserve for supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine and communal needs. This means a significant increase in financial capabilities compared to the previous year and demonstrates the ability of the authorities to ensure a balance between current obligations and strategic goals - the development and protection of the community.
With the support of grants and state programs, over the past six months, the community has allocated more than UAH 45 million to restore infrastructure, including road and sidewalk repairs, modernization of schools and clinics, and street lighting. In addition, within the framework of the national project, a nine-story residential building in Sergiyevka was restored under a contract worth UAH 45,9 million, and work is underway to overhaul municipal facilities, including a school and a stadium - these are clearly tangible changes for the better.
Despite the political instability caused by the arrest of the previous leader, Skalozub maintained the continuous functioning of all community services: no important service — social protection, medicine, utilities — was suspended.
Timur Khasaev — has been heading the Tairovska AH since November 2020, succeeding his father, Khasan Khasayev, in this position. During this time, the community under his leadership was able not only to withstand the challenges of the war, but also to lay the foundation for systemic development — the main thing is not “facade PR”, but real numbers and strategic work.
During 2023–2024, thanks to the initiatives of Khasayev and the deputy corps, the Tairiv community significantly expanded its social obligations: the 2023 budget was overfulfilled by more than 52,8 million hryvnias, and for 2024, the community's revenues were set at more than 302,9 million hryvnias - without a deficit and even with reserves for launching important projects.
One of the key achievements was the construction of a new ASC, the launch of an X-ray department at the Tairovskaya CDC, as well as the completion of an important engineering reconstruction: the completion of the central sewage system, the arrangement of key transport nodes (the entrance to the community and the intersection on Polkovnyka Gulyayev Street), as well as the purchase of a school bus and a service car for the police.
In addition, Tairov has prepared an innovative project for a waste processing plant - together with the neighboring Avangardivska AH, they plan to build an ecological enterprise for collecting, sorting, and processing waste.
Serhiy Parpulansky — Head of the Artsyz city AH since October 2020. Prior to that, in 2015–2020, he held the position of Head of the Artsyz District State Administration and worked as an advisor to the Head of the Odessa Regional Council.
Under his leadership, the community is developing quite successfully - for example, in 2024 it exceeded the revenue plan by 134,5%, collecting UAH 200,6 million instead of the planned UAH 149,2 million. At the same time, expenditures amounted to UAH 345 million, of which UAH 183 million were directed to education, UAH 23 million to healthcare, and tens of thousands of UAH for subsidies and benefits for veterans and combatants.
In April 2024, with his participation, a large environmental forum "Active Community Creates Its Future" was held in Artsyz, funded by USAID. At the forum, a memorandum was signed on the problems of waste and homeless animals and grants of UAH 100 were received for the implementation of initiatives.
In addition, Artsyz has intensified international partnerships. In 2024, the community received equipment from its sister cities in Germany for local water treatment plants installed in Artsyz and nearby villages, which significantly improved the quality of drinking water for hundreds of residents.
The community leader's reports are open: Serhiy Parpulansky personally participates in city council sessions and states the importance of supporting the population and infrastructure in times of war, and also actively communicates with residents through social media and direct appeals.
The Fontanska community remains one of the most dynamically developing in the south of the Odessa region, despite the high-profile scandals associated with the former leadership. Until the spring of 2025, the community was led by Natalia Krupytsia — an influential but controversial figure, against whom many anti-corruption investigations were conducted. In 2024, a court found her guilty on a number of counts, and in May 2025 she was taken into custody.
At the same time, it was during her leadership that the community demonstrated high rates of development. Thanks to its favorable location — in the area between Odessa and the Black Sea coast — the community was able to attract large investments, including the construction of one of the largest shopping centers in the region. These revenues allowed financing water and sewage networks, repairing roads in the private sector, and installing modern street lighting in all settlements of the community. New kindergartens, a modern outpatient clinic, and a large stadium in the village of Fontanka were opened. These steps ensured a rapid increase in the level of comfortable living.
After Krupica's arrest, the duties of the community head are performed by the council secretary — Andriy Serebryi, who previously held the position of Deputy for Social Affairs. He focused on maintaining management stability and continuing key projects. In June 2025, the community co-financed a project to develop street infrastructure in Kryzhanivka and commissioned a new modular boiler room for a school in Nova Dofinivka.
In addition, work is underway to digitize services: residents can now receive key certificates and documents online, without visiting the ASC.
It is significant that despite the management upheavals, in 2025 the community became one of the most financially stable rural ATCs in the region, generating over 210 million hryvnias in its own income. This is the result of the team's thoughtful work and a strong financial base.
Thus, Fontanska AH demonstrates a rare case for Ukrainian local government: the community not only coped with the personnel crisis, but also maintained the pace of development.
Marina Arkhiry — has been heading the Krasnosilska community since 2020 and demonstrates an example of effective and transparent management in conditions of a limited budget and proximity to a large metropolis — Odessa. Under her leadership, the community, located on the shores of the Kuyalnytskyi estuary, has become one of the most managed rural ATCs in the Odessa region and has repeatedly been among the top 5 best communities in the region in terms of openness and strategic planning.
One of the key achievements was the community gaining the authority to independently issue urban planning conditions and restrictions — Krasnosilka was one of the first in the region to implement a full-scale spatial planning policy. This allowed to speed up the construction approval process, attract new projects, and systematize land relations.
In 2024, the community won the state competition “Small Towns — Big Impressions” with the project of the ethno-festival “Milky Way”. The project was proposed by the residents themselves and is being implemented with the participation of young people, cultural activists and local enterprises. Funding is from the received grant and the local budget. This event allowed the community to declare itself at the national level and increase its domestic tourist attractiveness.
Krasnosilska AH under the leadership of Arkhiry actively cooperates with international partners. In particular, since 2024, the community has been participating in the DECIDE Swiss-Ukrainian partnership project, the goal of which was to improve the quality of education and implement practices of citizen participation in decision-making. Support for public initiatives and youth programs has become a hallmark of its management style.
Valeriy Hrygorash — the head of the Berezivka AH, an experienced politician who has gone from specialized management positions in the district administration to the head of the united community. Under his leadership, Berezivka has become one of the active centers of the district: in five years its territory has almost doubled due to the accession of seven village councils.
In 2024–2025, the community focused on strengthening infrastructure, social initiatives, and improving the quality of services for residents.
As part of the local budget's capital repair programs, road surface repairs were carried out on Naberezhna Street in the village of Zlatoustivka and Posmytnoye Street in the city center, as well as a major repair of the sports field in Viktorivka - these works ensured the renewal of asphalt, water supply lines, and lighting.
The community has updated its landscaping rules, officially enshrined in the care of public spaces and green areas — from parks to bus stops and dumpsters. This includes monitoring garbage removal, street cleaning, tree watering, and landscaping.
In the social sphere, with the support of the Ministry of Economy and the "Own Business" program, a project to support veterans was implemented - a "Veteran Grant" grant was provided to start their own business. In addition, in partnership with the State Employment Service, the community is connected to the "Single Window of Services" (459 programs) for volunteers, displaced persons, people with disabilities, and veterans - this initiative expands access to subsidies, business assistance, and social support.
Sergey Udalov — has been the head of the Chornomorsk settlement community for almost twenty years — since 2006, and has been re-elected to this position four times in a row. During this period, the community has undergone a transformation from a typical settlement to a dynamically developed suburban area with stable budget indicators and social infrastructure support.
In 2024, the community carried out a major renovation of part of the central streets in the village of Chornomorske, in particular areas with regular public transport traffic. The work was financed from the local budget and a subvention from the regional fund. Special attention was paid to the modernization of street lighting - new LED lamps were installed and lines in the darkest areas were reconstructed.
The community also continued its participation in the Safe Community program: in 2024, additional video surveillance cameras were installed at entrances and near schools, and a system for transmitting signals to the local police station was organized. An electronic system for receiving applications and registering with the Central Administrative Center was introduced in the village, which simplified access to administrative services and accelerated their processing.
Educational institutions of the Black Sea community received targeted purchases: during the academic year, internal lighting was modernized and new shelters were equipped in two schools and one kindergarten. At the same time, furniture and equipment in primary school classrooms were replaced.
Despite funding constraints, the community was able to maintain stable operation of utility services and completed planned tasks for housing maintenance, solid waste removal, and water supply network maintenance. Also, during 2024, work continued on preparing design and estimate documentation for a new administrative center with the inclusion of a social services department and a modernized council meeting hall.
Savva Chernev — Head of the Tarutynsk settlement AH of the Bolgrad district. In 2024–2025, the community took several notable steps in social infrastructure and international projects.
A general practice family medicine clinic with 2024 workplaces was officially opened in the village in April 10. The facility was built and equipped with the support of international partners and now serves about 22 thousand residents of the community.
In the summer of 2024, under Cherniev's leadership, the Ukrainian-German project "Forest Holidays" was launched - a tent camp for children's recreation and health improvement. Hundreds of children rested as part of this initiative.
It is worth noting that in 2024, rumors appeared about his alleged judicial removal from office, but the community officially reported that the court ruling never came into effect, and the village council is operating as usual.
Dmytro Cerna — has headed the Dolynska Rural Territorial Community since its formation in 2020. Over the past two years, the community has focused on everyday issues of improvement and infrastructure, emphasizing village maintenance and maintaining roads in working condition. During 2024, municipal services carried out grading and pothole repair of roads, as well as clearing roadsides — such work was organized in most settlements of the community as part of current maintenance.
The community budget was adjusted several times in 2024 depending on revenues and targeted subventions. A socio-economic development program for 2024–2026 was adopted, which identified the main priorities - road repair, support for the social sphere, and providing educational and medical institutions with basic resources.
One of the areas of social work has become support for families with young children: in early 2024, the community joined the early intervention program - the local outpatient clinic began to assess the development of babies and provide basic consultations for parents. The work of receiving citizens and providing services through the administrative center has also been expanded.
The Dolyna community remains small in size (just over three and a half thousand people), but at the same time it consistently ensures the implementation of basic tasks of local government - primarily roads, lighting, sanitation and point-to-point social support. At the same time, the community focuses on rational use of the budget and maintaining stability in conditions of rather limited resources.
Lyudmila Cheban heads the Velykomykhailivka village community. During 2024, the community focused on developing administrative services and infrastructure on the ground. The central ASC in the village became one of the key growth points: over eight thousand services were provided there over the year, including real estate registration, passport processing, and residence permit processing. In the spring, three more remote workplaces were opened — in the villages of Velykomomarivka, Hrebenyky, and Soshe-Ostrivske. This made it possible to shorten the path to basic services for residents of remote settlements.
In the same year, the ASC was equipped with an autonomous power supply system. Thanks to the support of international organizations, the community received a battery station that ensures the center's operation during power outages. The space was made accessible to people with disabilities - a ramp, a lift, call buttons, an adapted bathroom, and a special parking space were installed.
According to the results of 2024, the ASC of Velykymykhaylivka took eighth place among ninety-one communities of the Odessa region in the rating of the regional military administration. The community itself was noted in the reports as an example of providing quality administrative services in the village. At the same time, the main attention here continues to be focused on the basics - access to documents, adequate work of management bodies and solving everyday issues.
Valeriy Shovkalyuk — has been leading the Rozdilna community since 2020, after the unification of the city of Rozdilna with nearby villages, as a result of the decentralization reform. In recent years, the community has significantly strengthened its administrative and budgetary sustainability, resolving a number of critical infrastructure issues.
In 2024, a new educational and sports center was opened in the community on the basis of the reconstructed House of Culture. A modern gym and a co-working space for youth appeared there, which became possible thanks to a state subvention and co-financing from the local budget. The community is actively developing its potential in the field of security: a comprehensive territorial defense program is being implemented, which includes financing of the Territorial Defense Units, the construction of shelters, and systematic training of the population.
At the strategic planning level, the community initiated the creation of an industrial park and the development of a tourism concept taking into account the historical location of Razdelna on the railway map of the region. The administration pays great attention to transparency: city council sessions are broadcast online, reports on completed work are regularly published, and feedback from residents has become part of constant practice.
Community residents confirm their high level of involvement in the life of the municipality. As of 2025, the level of support for the incumbent mayor remains consistently high — this is the result of comprehensive work on infrastructure development, enhanced security, open governance, and support for public initiatives.
And closes the top thirty most effective managers of the Odessa region Serhiy Palamarchuk, head of the Kuyalnytsia rural ATC in the Podilskyi district. The community is agricultural, so the main achievements are related to numerous initiatives to create local processing enterprises that can improve farmers' profitability and attract investments in agro-processing.
In 2023–2024, the Kuyalnytsia community began working on the "Partnerships for Safety" project - installing fire barriers within forest belts, especially relevant during the period of risk of forest fires. Thus, under the leadership of Palamarchuk, the community focuses on two key areas: sustainable development of agro-processing and increasing environmental safety, especially forest protection zones.
