The rating has been published on the website of the National Rating Platform TOP-20 most famous judges of the Odessa region – 2024, who not only occupy important positions in the judicial system, but also have a significant impact on law enforcement in Ukraine.
Experts of the International Expert Club and Rating Agency "ElitExpert" They selected not so much influential judges as those whose activities were most visible and discussed in the professional and public space. They analyzed who the media wrote about the most, who actively demonstrated themselves, participated in significant trials, whose decisions had a resonance and really influenced law enforcement practice.
Criteria such as professionalism, authority among colleagues and experts, efficiency, innovation, and openness were also taken into account. However, this year, an important factor was the media presence of judges and the discussion of their decisions.
In the first place - Oleksandr Garskyi, a judge of the Malinovsky District Court of Odessa, who made an impressive jump from 20th place in last year's ranking to the lead in this one. In 2024, his popularity in the media space continued to grow, and Garsky became the most mentioned Odessa judge in the national media due to his unique approach to justice. He not only passes sentences, but also uses non-standard methods of punishment, assigning convicts to read classical literature as an additional element of correction. This method caused a wide public resonance, making Garsky a real media personality.
Despite the fact that he remains an ordinary judge of the district court, his influence on public opinion and the judicial system of Odessa cannot be underestimated. Experts note that thanks to him, the public discussion on the humanization of justice and alternative forms of punishment has reached a new level. Over the past year Garsky repeatedly became the hero of television stories and publications in leading Ukrainian media.
Second position in the ranking is Natalia Bogatska, judge of the Southwestern Commercial Court of Appeal, chairman of the Association of Judges of Commercial Courts of Ukraine, candidate of legal sciences.
Despite the fact that Natalia Bogatska is not currently the head of this court, according to experts, she has enormous authority, which maintains informal leadership behind her. Bogatskaya continues to actively participate in key legal initiatives, represent Ukraine at international meetings, work within the framework of judicial reform, and remain one of the most significant figures in commercial litigation not only in the region, but also in Ukraine as a whole.
The court where she works is still considered one of the most advanced in terms of digitalization of judicial processes and transparency of justice. It has successfully implemented the "Electronic Court" system, which significantly simplifies access to court sessions, and regularly holds training events for judges.
The third position occupies Sergey Chvankin, Head of the Kyiv District Court of Odessa, Doctor of Law, Associate Professor of the Department of Civil Law of the National University "Odesa Law Academy".
This court remains one of the busiest in the region, although its role in the distribution of court cases has changed somewhat over the year. While previously it was here that the bulk of petitions for preventive measures were considered, now some of these functions have been transferred to the Primorsky Court, including cases overseen by the State Bureau of Investigation.
But Chvankin remains one of the most public and media-oriented judges in Odessa. During 2024, he repeatedly found himself in the focus of the media, including often on his own initiative. In addition, during the year he underwent integrity checks three times, withstood all the tests and retained his position, which only strengthened his position.
In addition, Chvankin actively promotes the ideas of digitalization of judicial proceedings and strengthening communication between courts and society. He heads the Association of Investigative Judges of Ukraine and is the initiator of the creation of the Public Justice Center, where residents of Odessa can receive free legal assistance.
Fourth place occupies Oleksandr Dzhaburia, Chairman of the Fifth Administrative Court of Appeal, Candidate of Law.
His career has undergone some changes this year. Having entered 2024 as the head of the court, in September of the same year he left this position, becoming an ordinary judge. However, recently, in January 2025, he again headed his native court, which allowed him to restore his leading position in our ranking.
The court where he works Jabouria, remains one of the most innovative in Ukraine, and under his leadership has become one of the leaders in the digitalization of judicial processes. The "Electronic Court" project has been fully implemented here, and the court itself provides transparency and convenience for participants in judicial processes.
In addition, his name often appears in the media in the context of discussions of judicial reforms, innovations, and current administrative proceedings. Jabouria He regularly provides comments to legal publications, participates in conferences and legal forums, which makes him one of the most public judges in Odessa.
Fifth position in the ranking is Ihor Artemenko, Chairman of the Odessa Court of Appeal since February 2023, Doctor of Law, Professor.
Artemenko maintains a strong position in the judicial hierarchy of the region. Its court performs a key function in law enforcement practice, considering a significant number of appeals, including high-profile cases, and acting as a link between the courts of first instance and higher judicial bodies.
Behind the shoulders Artemenko over 30 years of legal practice – starting in 1993, when he began his career at the Military Court of the Odessa Garrison. He was also a member of the Second Disciplinary Chamber of the High Council of Justice, which makes him one of the most authoritative judges in the region. Throughout 2024, he actively participated in specialized events, legal forums, and discussions on judicial system reform.
The sixth step is a newcomer in the ranking, but not in the judging community – Volodymyr Petrov, who in 2024 was re-elected as the Chairman of the Commercial Court of the Odessa Region.
He is actively represented in the media, regularly commenting on high-profile cases and judicial reforms, making him one of the most visible figures. In 2024 Petrov led a number of high-profile trials, the decisions of which were widely discussed in professional circles and the media.
By the way, he took his first steps in his career in the prosecutor's office, but later decided to change direction and joined the judiciary.
His court remains a key institution in the field of commercial litigation in the region, and he himself Petrov has proven himself as an experienced lawyer and effective leader.
Seventh place occupies Anatoly Radchuk, Chairman of the Odessa District Administrative Court, Candidate of Law.
Over the year 2024, the authority of this judge among the expert community has significantly strengthened, because it is his court that today considers many key administrative cases that are of great importance for the region and the country. An important role is also played by the fact that with the introduction of martial law and changes in judicial practice, the administrative courts of Ukraine have become much more in demand.
Since taking office as the head of the court Radchuk is actively working to develop the institution of mediation and increase the transparency of judicial processes. His court was the first in the region to open a mediation office, which works in partnership with the Ukrainian Mediation Academy. In addition, he actively cooperates with specialized legal educational institutions, helping to train a new generation of specialists in the field of administrative law.
At the same time, under the leadership of Radchuk, the court has become much less media-friendly than it was under its predecessor, which has lowered the judge's position in this ranking.
The eighth step is occupied by an experienced judge Vadym Kovalenko, Chairman of the Primorsky District Court of Odessa.
This court has always played an important role in the region's judicial system, and in 2024 its importance increased due to the redistribution of high-profile criminal cases. Now it is here that many high-profile cases that were previously under the jurisdiction of other courts are considered, including cases overseen by the SBU and the State Bureau of Investigation.
Judge Kovalenko actively uses media resources, demonstrating the openness of his activities - he appears in the media, comments on high-profile trials and publicly emphasizes the importance of transparency in criminal justice. In the legal community, he is called an energetic and ambitious leader who knows how to work with high-profile cases and effectively manage trials.
Ninth place occupies Yulia Feduleeva, judge of the Kyiv District Court of Odessa.
Feduleeva – one of the most discussed figures in the Odessa judicial system. Her name has repeatedly appeared in the media headlines due to the fact that she examines the most scandalous and high-profile criminal cases.
As a judge in one of the busiest courts in Ukraine, she regularly faces high-profile trials that cause widespread public resonance. At the same time, her professionalism, rigor, and strict adherence to the letter of the law have allowed her to maintain her authority and take a place among the ten most famous judges in the region.
Tenth place occupies Serhii Kichmarenko, judge of the Primorsky District Court of Odessa.
The “permanent” head of the main court of Odessa transferred to the status of an ordinary judge in 2024. However, he has not lost his significance in the city's judicial system - thanks to his deep legal experience and handling a number of key cases, his influence remains quite tangible.
Kichmarenko actively involved in developing legal initiatives and discussing reforms. Although he no longer heads the court, his participation in significant processes and high level of trust from the legal community have allowed him to maintain high positions in the ranking.
In addition, his name is often mentioned in the legal community and the media in connection with high-profile decisions that affect the judicial practice of Odessa and the region.
Eleventh place occupies Andriy Dryshlyuk, judge of the Odessa Court of Appeal, Candidate of Law.
In legal circles Dryshlyuk has long established a reputation as a professional, and his name continues to be associated with the honesty and objectivity of judicial decisions. He has never been involved in corruption scandals, which is a rarity in modern realities, but over the past year, for objective reasons, he has been less active.
Under martial law, all appellate courts have taken on special importance, as it is here that key criminal and administrative cases that affect the judicial system as a whole are heard. In 2024 Dryshlyuk actively worked to minimize risks for participants in legal proceedings, in particular in connection with the military situation in the country.
Twelfth place occupies Ihor Zavalnyuk, Judge-Speaker of the Odessa District Administrative Court, Doctor of Law.
Zavalnyuk remains one of the most public figures among administrative justice judges. As a judge-speaker, he regularly interacts with the media, commenting on the most important legal processes related to the work of state bodies, elected positions and administrative disputes.
His long experience in the judicial system, two higher educations (pedagogical and legal), as well as teaching at the National School of Judges of Ukraine make him a reputable expert in the legal field.
In 2024, he defended his doctoral dissertation on the study of the constitutional principles of ensuring the right to a fair trial in Ukraine, and also became the hero of many publications in the media, explaining the legal nuances of high-profile cases. All this allowed him to maintain his position among the most famous judges in Odessa.
The thirteenth step ranking is Victor Ivanov, Deputy Head of the Primorsky District Court of Odessa.
The Primorsky Court this year became one of the key criminal justice bodies in the region, and Ivanov plays an important role in the consideration of high-profile cases. He has dozens of high-profile criminal trials to his credit, including cases related to organized crime, corruption, and serious crimes.
Although he is not the most media-friendly person, his decisions and judicial practice are often discussed in the professional community and the media. Thanks to this, he is firmly among the most influential and authoritative judges in the region.
Fourteenth place occupies Ella Kataeva, judge of the Odessa District Administrative Court, Candidate of Law.
Like last year, Kataeva remains one of the most mentioned judges in the media, as he hears a large number of high-profile administrative cases involving state structures and political processes.
In 2024, she continued her active work in the field of judicial dialogue, speaking at conferences and round tables dedicated to administrative justice issues.
Fifteenth place occupies Sergey Kolokolov, Chairman of the Southwestern Commercial Court of Appeal.
Bells – a new figure in the ranking, as he changed Natalia Bogatska as the court chairman. However, he is not a newcomer to the judicial system - he has worked in this court for many years, which allowed him to deeply understand the specifics of commercial litigation.
The Southwestern Commercial Court of Appeal is traditionally considered one of the most important judicial bodies in the region, as it hears disputes related to business, large economic projects, and government tenders. Bells has already established himself as an energetic and competent leader, and his name is increasingly appearing in the context of discussions of economic litigation.
Sixteenth place occupies Oleksiy Starikov, Deputy Head of the Malinovsky District Court of Odessa.
As last year, his media position remains higher than that of the court chairman, which is explained not only by his many years of experience in the judicial system, but also by his active work in key criminal trials. Before joining the judicial profession, he worked for a long time in the SBU, which makes him a specialist in national security issues and complex criminal cases.
Over the past year Starikov has once again confirmed his importance in the Odessa judicial system, continuing to participate in high-profile trials and making decisions that have a serious public resonance. As an expert, he is often invited to interdepartmental seminars, where he speaks to judges, lawyers, and law enforcement officers.
Seventeenth place occupies Viktor Pozniak, Head of the Suvorovsky District Court of Odessa.
Poznyak continues to maintain stable positions in the ranking due to experience, professionalism and reputation as a competent administrator. Suvorovsky District Court is one of the largest in terms of the number of cases considered, and its work requires a clear organizational structure, which Poznyak successfully supports.
Although he is not a public figure, his activities are highly regarded by the professional community. He is rarely mentioned in the media, but his court continues to function effectively, making it one of the most stable judicial bodies in Odessa.
Eighteenth place occupies Volodymyr Gurevskyi, Chairman of the Malinovsky District Court of Odessa, Candidate of Law, Associate Professor.
As mentioned above, the situation with the hierarchy within the Malinovsky court remains the same as last year, which is due to the fact that Gurevsky does not seek publicity and is focused on administrative functions.
Despite this, his work plays an important role in organizing the activities of the court, which hears thousands of cases annually, including numerous criminal and civil trials. Gurevsky Known in legal circles as a strong organizer, but rarely appears in the media, which explains his lower position in the ranking.
Nineteenth place occupies Ruslan Kotelevskyi, Deputy Chairman of the Odessa Court of Appeal.
Like last year, Kotelevsky remains an authoritative judge whose professionalism is recognized both in the judicial system and among the legal community.
Although his media profile is not as high as that of some other judges, he plays an important role in appellate litigation, participating in the consideration of complex court cases and ensuring the effective functioning of one of the key courts in the region.
Twentieth place occupies Volodymyr Petrenko, Deputy Head of the Kyiv District Court of Odessa.
Petrenko – an experienced judge who combines judicial practice with scientific activity. He actively works in the field of civil procedural law, intellectual property law, and is also the author of a number of scientific publications.
He is also not the most public figure, but his influence in the Odessa judicial system remains significant, ensuring him a stable presence in the city's top twenty most famous judges. Petrenko constantly interacts with legal institutions, participates in professional discussions and contributes to the development of judicial practice in Ukraine.
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