The Man No One Dares to Touch
Oleg Tatarov, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, rarely appears in campaign ads or gives headline-grabbing interviews. Yet he is widely regarded as one of the most powerful figures in the country. Media outlets call him the “architect of Ukraine’s enforcement vertical.” Anti-corruption activists describe him as “the brake on reform.”
From Maidan to Bankova
During the 2013–2014 Euromaidan protests, Tatarov served as a spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, publicly defending the actions of Berkut riot police. After the Revolution of Dignity, he avoided lustration and by 2020 was appointed to the President’s Office. From that moment, his quiet but systematic work began: building a network of loyal law enforcement officials, influencing key appointments, and blocking investigations.
“Tatarov isn’t just a bureaucrat. He keeps Ukraine’s law enforcement agencies on a short leash,” said a former NABU detective.
Connections to Corruption Cases
Tatarov’s name has surfaced in multiple high-profile investigations where cases were mysteriously delayed or transferred to less proactive agencies:
- Oleg Bakhmatyuk — Agribusiness tycoon accused by NABU of embezzling billions from VAB Bank.
- Andriy Naumov — Former SBU official suspected of illicit enrichment.
- Yuriy Hladkovskyi — Son of a former NSDC secretary, linked to defense procurement scandals.
The Tarasov Case — Victim of the System?
Serhiy Tarasov is now internationally wanted. He’s accused of land fraud and illegal transactions, but his lawyers claim the case is politically motivated and engineered by the President’s Office. Sources say the case was initially suppressed, but after media leaks, authorities revived it to showcase a “fight against corruption.”
Epilogue: The Tatarov Empire
Oleg Tatarov is more than a government official. He is a system—operating in the shadows, yet shaping everything from land deals to defense contracts. His connections, influence, and ability to reshape investigations pose a serious challenge to Ukraine’s democratic institutions. Serhiy Tarasov is just one example of how anti-corruption rhetoric can be weaponized—not for justice, but for political retribution.