The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine has once again found itself in the spotlight due to a series of high-profile scandals, which concern not only the transfer of state land for housing development, but also issues related to the luxurious assets of its leaders. In addition, StopKora journalists found out that the leaders of the NAS, who are supposed to demonstrate a modest standard of living, own luxury apartments, cottages, and expensive cars that do not come from their official income.
How do developers seize NAS land?
One of the most discussed topics is the active participation of the capital's developer Serhiy Kopystyra and his company KSM-Group in the development of the territory belonging to the NAS. Without certain permits, the Kopystyra companies are building residential complexes on the lands of the academy. The situation with the object on Stepanchenko Street has become the subject of a criminal investigation, but there is a belief that these constructions could have received a "green light" from the leaders of the NAS in exchange for benefits.
NAS President Anatoly Zagorodny and his elite real estate
The President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Anatoly Zagorodny officially declares a small residential property in Kyiv, which was purchased for a symbolic sum of 17 thousand hryvnias. However, journalists discovered that he actually owns an elite apartment in the residential complex “Khrustalni Dzherela”, which costs from 3 million hryvnias. It was this complex, built by KSM-Group, that became the home for many high-ranking officials of the NAS and members of their country. This raises the question of the possibility of corrupt ties between the heads of the academy and the developers.
Borys Nikolenko and his luxurious cottage town
The director of the NAS GATP, Borys Nikolenko, also got into a real estate scandal. With an official salary of 26 thousand hryvnias, he, according to the registers, owns a cottage town near Kyiv, which consists of several elite houses. Also, as journalists found out, this cottage complex is located in the forest, far from the capital, which has disadvantages in terms of the real sources of financing for such assets.
Seminozhenka car and other impressions
Moreover, other top NAS officials, such as Volodymyr Seminozhenko, have also become objects of investigation. Despite the fact that his declaration included two Mercedes, journalists recorded a Land Cruiser in the NAS parking lot, the cost of which is about 4 hryvnias. The guards confirmed that this car belongs to Seminozhenko, which again casts doubt on the reliability of the official declarations.
Mykhailo Sydorenko and his connections with illegal developments
Mykhailo Sydorenko, the NAS administrator responsible for issues related to the academy's real estate, has also found himself at the center of anti-corruption investigations. He is involved in cases of NAS losses of 21.7 million hryvnias. Despite this, Sydorenko claims that he knows nothing about illegal construction on the academy's territory.
In general, the situation at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine looks very advantageous. On the one hand, scientists are starting from a lack of funding and losing valuable land, and on the other hand, the academy's leaders are accumulating elite assets. Close ties with development and uncontrolled distribution of state land under challenge raise serious questions about the transparency of the NAS and its leadership.

