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While Dnipro trembles from Russian shelling, and the community collects bulletproof vests and drones, the mayor of the city, Boris Filatov, officially reports on his luxurious lifestyle, which is difficult to explain only by the salary of a local government official. The declaration for 2024 is a document no less eloquent than any speech by Filatov or a scandalous comment on social networks. This is not a declaration by the head of the city, but a real inventory of life beyond the usual notion of public ethics, a chronicle of a luxurious lifestyle that is unattainable for most Ukrainians. And at the same time, it is a mirror of the deep chasm between the reality of life in a warring country and the world of the ruling elite, which does not deny itself almost anything even at the time of the greatest threat to the state.
Real estate of the mayor of Dnipro
Against the background of a full-scale war, when millions of people lost housing, business and stability, Boris Filatov continues to live in his own coordinate system. His declaration is 31 real estate objects, including luxury apartments, 11 parking spaces, commercial premises, numerous plots of land and even a family recreation center. Of these, there are objects that were acquired during the full-scale invasion – in 2024.
The declaration lists three apartments with an area of more than 200 m² each. The largest is 824 m² in Dnipro. Several buildings (1,395 m² and 462 m²) located in Pidgorodny and Orlivshchyna in the Dnipropetrovsk region have also been declared. The list also includes real estate in Italy: on June 12, 2024, Filatov’s wife declared the lease of an apartment with an area of 115 m², the owner of which is the Italian company Società IL REGOLO S.r.l.
Two plots of land in Dnipro, which he declared as objects in joint partial ownership, deserve special attention. The owners of these plots with a total area of more than 1,378 and 442 square meters are not only Filatov’s wife, who formally owns 16.66% of each, but also seven other individuals — all citizens of Ukraine. The co-owners include Tetyana Levina, Lyudmila Dolnik, Lev Dolnik, Oleg Korban, Oksana Chuprina and Valeriya Axelrod. The shares of the remaining co-owners are not indicated in the declaration, although their number, in itself, suggests that they are either former business partners or close associates.
The formal lack of Borys Filatov’s ownership of these plots is, most likely, only a technical detail. The presence of his wife among the co-owners allows the objects to be included in the family assets. The very complexity of the ownership structure looks like an example of a classic “dispersed” ownership scheme – a common mechanism that is often used to hide real influence or avoid declaring shares that are actually controlled through related parties.
Particular attention is drawn to the object designated as a “public building with outbuildings and facilities, a family recreation center” with an area of 2,026.9 m², registered for the mayor’s wife as joint partial ownership. The value of this object on the date of acquisition is 7 million hryvnias. Valery Molochkov is also its partial owner. According to the declaration, he owns 66.67%.
Two large plots of land in the village of Orlivshchyna are another part of the land “basket” of the mayor’s family. Both were designed exclusively for Filatov’s wife, Maryna Viktorivna. The first of them, purchased on December 25, 2010, has an area of 1,632 square meters. The second is much larger: 11,872 square meters – almost one and a half hectares. Moreover, the ownership right to it was registered on October 28, 2024, that is, already in the conditions of a full-scale war. But this was not enough, and on August 20, 2024, the mayor’s wife acquired another plot of land with an area of 87 square meters in the village of Orlivshchyna, in the Dnipropetrovsk region. So, in Orliv region alone, the mayor’s family owns more than 13,000 square meters of land — and this does not include buildings or infrastructure on these sites. The value of the newer plot is not indicated in the declaration, but according to market estimates, the amount can be calculated in millions of hryvnias.
Separately, it should be noted another plot of 6000 m², registered to Boris Filatov himself on June 30, 2011, in the city of Pidhorodne, as well as another – 1200 m² in Pidhorodne and in his name. The situation with the land plot in the resort town of Simeiza, Autonomous Republic of Crimea is interesting. It has an area of 200 m² and is rented from Boris Filatov. The ownership of this land belongs to the Simeiz settlement council. And finally, Filatov and his wife declared the right to use a plot of land with an area of 22,000 m² in Pidgorodny. Formally, it is leased in the name of Valery Molochkova, and the declaration states that both Boris and Maryna Filatovy have a different right of use for this plot. At the same time, the owner of the land is the state represented by the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration. So, Filatov and his wife own 9 plots of land, their total area is 46,633 square meters (that is, almost 4.7 hectares).
Parking spaces in parking lots are specified as a separate item in the declaration. The mayor and his family own 11 parking spaces — in Kyiv, Dnipro and other cities. Some of them are registered as part ownership with people who are not family members.
In the declaration of Boris Filatov and his wife, non-residential real estate is also indicated, which has a clear business implication. Marina Filatova owns two non-residential premises in Dnipro. The first – with an area of 113.7 m², designed back in 2009, the second – 376.7 m², purchased in 2012. Both are located within the boundaries of the Dnipro community and are fully registered with it. It can be an office, a shopping area, and a restaurant. In any case, an income-producing asset. And it is hardly accidental – these acquisitions clearly fit into the logic of the systematic accumulation of commercial real estate.
Another object stands out against this background – a huge complex of non-residential premises with an area of 1,838.7 m², acquired on April 20, 2010. This object is in joint partial ownership: 33.33% are owned by Boris Filatov and Volodymyr Gorb, another 33.34% is issued to Victoria Korban, who is listed in the declaration as a foreign citizen and a family member. That is, in fact, this is a joint asset of the trio, which operates in the Dnipro political and business space. In addition, the object in Crimea is also indicated. In Simeiza, Boris Filatov owns a non-residential building with an area of 426.3 m². This is one of his longest-held properties – purchased back in 2004, when he was not even dreaming of the mayoral seat. It is the only non-residential object outside the borders of the Dnipro, but it is entirely in the spirit of the traditional “spare airfield” for the Ukrainian elite – on the sea. Together, this is more than 2,755 square meters of commercial space, mainly in the center of the Dnipro.
Jewelry collection, watches, space ticket and artifacts
Boris Filatov did not just declare a set of watches, jewelry and collectibles, he declared a whole way of life, far from asceticism. However, all this with the indication: “the date of acquisition is unknown.” And this is not a coincidence, but a strategy to avoid specifics. Avoiding even approximate dates, the declarant distances himself from any possible explanations: where, when, for what money he bought it.
Filatov officially has five collectible watches from brands that the average Ukrainian is familiar with, except from Hollywood movies. Breguet Marine Royale, Cartier Santos 100, Panerai Radiomir, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak are just the top. The mechanical luxury is complemented by the unique Atmos by Jaeger Lecoultre, a timepiece powered by changes in air temperature.
However, the most expensive object is not a watch, but a private collection of Japanese art, which includes 191 pieces: from samurai armor and swords to ukiyo-e engravings, netske figurines, inro and inlaid jewelry. The declared value is 50 million 800 thousand hryvnias. All this was acquired before 2015, when Filatov first became a public servant.
The mayor’s wife looks no less luxurious. Maryna Filatova has Cartier jewelry, including earrings, a diamond ring, and two necklaces. The total cost of these ornaments is more than 850 thousand hryvnias. Plus a ring with an emerald for 212 thousand. In the declaration, the mayor of Dnipro also mentioned two women’s fur coats, the total cost of which is more than 21,000 hryvnias. At the same time, the first one is issued to his wife Maryna Filatova, and the second one is for some reason written to Boris Albertovych himself, although the description clearly states: the fur coat is female. Also, the mayor did not forget to mention his Billionaire brand jacket at the price of UAH 120,000, but these are all “trifles”.
The most interesting are the collection vehicles declared by the mayor as “historical artifacts” – a 1963 Toyota Land Cruiser; the legendary DeLorean DMC-12, the same model that Marty McFly used to travel through time in Back to the Future, and a rare 1961 BMW R27 sidecar motorcycle.
And finally, a completely unique position in the declaration is a ticket for a suborbital flight into space from the Virgin company. Filatov bought it back in 2009, paying 1 million 400 thousand hryvnias for the opportunity to fly into the sky. At a time when most Ukrainians could not even imagine such expenses for leisure, the future mayor of Dnipro was already preparing to conquer space.
Luxury fleet and fleet
The declaration of the mayor of Dnipro Boris Filatov looks like a catalog of 14 items of luxury equipment, stretched over time and covered with gloss. The mayor has everything in his arsenal: from convertibles to motorcycles, from SUVs to watercraft. During the war, when the city collects money for drones, the head of the community calmly declares 14 units of transport. Let’s start from the top – Mercedes S600L 2012, purchased for more than 5.5 million hryvnias. This is a car of the level of a state motorcade, and its appearance in the mayor’s declaration is not just a status, but a challenge. Meanwhile, his wife owns a 2012 Porsche Panamera — at least 1.7 million hryvnias at the start. And this is just a couple from the fleet.
There are three Porsches in the family: in addition to the mentioned Panamera, there is also a Carrera 911 (612,000 UAH) and a Cayenne (1.47 million UAH). Each of these cars is a symbol of money, taste and speed. As for a family that, according to the declaration, is not engaged in business, it looks impressive.
No less colorful list among retro equipment. Filatov still has a 1989 Jaguar XJS Convertible, a classic of British design, and a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 200. For the collector – jewels. For the mayor – “old cars”.
But in this luxury there are also elements of brutal American style: Dodge RAM 2008 (322,000 UAH), an SUV for wild tracks, not for paved routes
Filatov is also not indifferent to motorcycles: Triumph Scrambler, Honda XR250 and, most recently, Harley-Davidson CVOSE STREET GLIDE 2010, declared in 2023, already during a full-scale war, worth 450 thousand hryvnias.
A separate layer of this transport collection consists of water vehicles. In addition to the BRP RXP X RS watercraft, the mayor owns a 2006 Rusych sailing-motor boat, purchased in 2015. This is no longer a toy, but a full-fledged yacht for sailing and open water, worth 124,000,771 hryvnias – before the price jump. Add to that RAF 22031 of 1988, a retro Soviet-era bus acquired during the war, in February 2022. Why is he Filatov is an open question. Also in the declaration is a 2019 Toyota Land Cruiser 200, which the mayor uses, but formally belongs to another person – probably a relative. This is a classic off-road vehicle for an official, although it is designed carefully – in use, not in ownership.
Filatov’s securities: small pennies with a big implication
In transport – millions, in real estate – hectares, but in the “securities” section, the mayor of Dnipro Boris Filatov declares, at first glance, almost caricature amounts. One hundred shares with a nominal value of 25 kopecks, preserved since the early 2000s, against the background of yachts, Porsche and Harley-Davidson look either like an ironic joke, or as a tool for modestly covering up a not-so-modest business architecture. But if we take a closer look, we are not looking at “pennies”, but a network of influences and corporate connections.
In addition, Filatov owns small blocks of shares in five regional energy companies: Ternopil, Lviv, Poltava, Chernihiv, and Oblenergovidobuvanny, as well as in PJSC IVP “Energia” – the company with which the key pages of his career are connected. A total of more than 6 million shares, nominally 25 kopecks each, but legally – with leverage in the energy sector. It is interesting that the shares are kept or issued through LLC “Investment Technologies” – a structure that appears in all but one line. This is not a coincidence, but a scheme that allows you to disperse ownership and – at the same time – maintain control. Another point is the shares of Moda-Service, purchased in 2011. Here, the denomination is already 5.25 UAH per unit. This is either a reminder from the past, or a piece of the wider business puzzle.
But the face of the Filatovs’ business empire is revealed in the section on corporate rights and beneficial ownership. The wife of the mayor, Maryna Filatova, owns 100% of Sport Dnipro LLC and 60% of Start Event LLC, companies registered in the center of Dnipro, with clearly defined contacts, telephone numbers, and offices. These structures are closely related to sports events and event management, where large budget funds are concentrated. No hidden management — everything is directly owned. Direct ownership = direct influence.
Also, according to the declaration, Borys Filatov identifies himself as the ultimate beneficiary of IVP Energiya PJSC, a company registered in Kryvyi Rih. This is confirmed by the data YouControl – Boris Filatov is the ultimate beneficial owner of the company with direct decisive influence and a share of 27.87% in the votes, which is not a symbolic presence, but formal control over a significant part of the company’s decisions.
So, the conclusion is simple: in Filatov’s declaration, “securities” look trivial – for pennies, but if you break this block down into details, it turns out to be the least loud, but the most important. This is a structure of connections that ensure control over resources — energy, financial, and human.
Income and monetary assets
Boris Filatov’s intangible assets look modest, but they speak loudly. In 2019, the Filatov family filed copyrights for graphic images with the names “DNIPRO MARATHON” and “START DNIPRO”. The rights holders are the mayor’s wife and her partner Svitlana Lishchynska. Both brands are associated with sports events that are organized every year in Dnipro, with the support or direct participation of the city authorities. And this is already a conflict of interests. When the public initiatives of the city directly intersect with the copyright of the mayor’s family, it is not just logos, but the privatization of the city space through intellectual property.
In addition, Boris Filatov declared the trademark “Chemerges”, and his wife – a set of personal brands (year of acquisition of ownership – 2019), including variations of her name: “Marina Filatova”, “M.F.”, “Maryna Filatova”. It can be just a gesture of self-indulgence, or it can be a legal tool to protect the image, commercial activity or future political events under the brand.
But the true content of the declaration is official income. The modest salary of the mayor from the Dnipro City Council for the year amounted to UAH 329,511. Part-time at the University of Customs and Finance, he earned another UAH 61,438. However, another type of income is impressive – 35 million hryvnias from the sale of an aerial vehicle transferred by the American company LX pro LLC from Beverly Hills. The aircraft, which was previously not declared as the property of the mayor, suddenly became a source of multimillion-dollar income. What exactly Filatov sold – an airplane, a helicopter, a drone or a metaphor – remained behind the scenes. The media reports that it is a helicopter.
And this is not the only surprise. In 2023, Filatov and his wife received more than 2.5 million hryvnias only from renting property. The money came from several companies, including Tiramisu (UAH 541,200), Elite Leasing (UAH 907,846), and even Tkachenko’s FOP (UAH 540,000), as well as from Yulia, a citizen of Koshubska (UAH 540,000). It is this practice – the transfer of property for rent to close entities – that is often used for streamlined legalization of capital. Filatov’s wife also received UAH 33,490 — “from business activities abroad.”
Interest from bank deposits is a separate line in Boris Filatov’s income. In 2023, he received 71,769 hryvnias and another 714 hryvnias in the form of interest from PRAVEX BANK JSC. Against the background of 35 million from the sale of an aircraft or millions of rental flows, this amount may seem insignificant. But she confirms something else: the mayor has not only cash, but also stable working bank assets that bring passive income every month.
The financial part of Boris Filatov’s declaration for 2024 does not need additional comment, it speaks for itself. It states: 469 thousand US dollars and another 180 thousand hryvnias – also in cash. The wife, Maryna Filatova, declared 28 thousand dollars and 55 thousand hryvnias – also in cash. These amounts do not lie in the bank, but are at hand.
In addition, 360,836 hryvnias were declared on Filatov’s account at PrivatBank, and 765,503 hryvnias on his wife’s account. Another 847,815 dollars is kept by Filatov in PRAVEX BANK. Another category that fundamentally changes the tone of the declaration is accounts abroad. Maryna Filatova has two bank accounts in the Italian bank Banca Popolare di Sondrio. One for 7,584 euros, the second for 1,762 euros. These accounts are not about large fortunes, but about the willingness to move abroad, transfer money, operate with money from anywhere in Europe.
Depository and fund connections are added to this. The declaration clearly states the access of Boris Filatov and his wife to the company “Slavutich-Capital”, which is engaged in the storage and maintenance of securities. Accounts at Pivdenny Bank, Raiffeisen Bank, and again at PrivatBank and PRAVEX BANK were also declared. It is not formally stated how much is stored there, but the very list of institutions and accesses shows: we are not dealing with random accounts, but a built-in financial structure — in case of any situation.
In the Ukrainian political tradition, a fail-safe protective shield was formed a long time ago: when the wealth of an official needs to be hidden, it is issued to his wife or other relatives. He said, I have nothing, they have everything. And within a decade, this focus has turned into a reference scheme in Ukraine. Boris Filatov was not an exception, on the contrary, he followed the scheme with precision to the formula. In his declaration for 2024, the lion’s share of the property empire is recorded specifically for his wife, she is the owner of luxury cars, a beneficiary of companies, a lessor, the author of trademarks, and also, as the media write, a lover of extreme sports, athletics and luxurious life. But the main question remains unanswered: where did she get all this from?
Data from the YouControl analytical system gives a clear idea: Marina Viktorivna Filatova is the founder and beneficiary of at least two commercial companies — Start Event LLC and Sport Dnipro LLC. She also manages the “Start Dnipro” public organization, heads the “Athletics Federation of Dnipro” and has a historical connection with the “Athletics Federation of the Dnipropetrovsk Region”. And if someone tries to imagine a typical business woman’s path to such success, then this fantasy will have to be put aside. Because it does not appear from any official sources that Marina Filatova had independent income of such a scale that would explain all the declared property, especially the part that was acquired during the war.
It should be emphasized once again that part of all declared property was acquired even before Filatov became mayor. But this also raises questions, because most of the declared objects were purchased when he was still a well-known lawyer, media person, and then a politician at the start of his career. At a time when in Ukraine even very successful lawyers could not afford Breguet watches or unique collections of Japanese samurai relics worth 50 million hryvnias. It is interesting, over the years someone from the state anti-corruption bodies asked the mayor of Dnipro where he got such wealth, how many taxes were paid from these collections?
So, while the inhabitants of Dnipro survive in the conditions of war, he continues to enrich himself, arranging property for his wife, sharing objects with partners and notarizing his financial positions. And he does it without any hint of shame. On the contrary, the declaration for the year 2024 is made clearly, legally competently and publicly: what was bought, what was transferred, what was formalized – everything according to the law, in public access. When for some war is a loss, for others it is a time to accumulate, transfer, register, buy and consolidate. The mayor’s declaration is not a report, but an instruction on how to continue building a personal empire in the home and abroad while the country holds the front.
