Mysterious death of former deputy mayor rocks Ukrainian Kamianske
On the morning of 28th March, the body of a man was found by the roadside in the Kamianske area of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. He was a member of the "Batkivshchyna" party, a former head of its structures in Kamianske, and a former deputy mayor, Oleksandr Plakhotnyk. According to reports, he had suffered a gunshot wound to the head.
The regional branch of the "Batkivshchyna" party is refraining from commenting on its member's death. The head of the deputies' faction in the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council, Antonina Ulyakhina, informed "Suspilne" that law enforcement agencies are investigating all circumstances to determine what transpired.
"We believe it was a contract killing"
This is a painful loss for the party. Oleksandr led the branch in Kamianske for a very long time. I feel as if he always led it. He was tactful, possessed diplomatic skills, and was able to resolve conflicts when they arose – she said.
Another motorist discovered the body of the former deputy. According to the TSN station, the man suffered a gunshot wound to the head.
There's no official statement from the party regarding this matter yet. We are in shock, and we believe it was a contract killing. Oleksandr was a key, long-term, and influential member of the party and an activist, said Volodymyr Fedorov, head of the information and analytical department of the regional organisation of the "Batkivshchyna" party, to TSN.
According to Ihor Zadorozhny, the head of the communication department of the Kamianske City Council, Plakhotnyk has recently been primarily involved in business rather than politics.
His wife was a deputy of the regional council. He himself was not a political figure. His business, to my knowledge, was not based in Kamianske. He was a respectable man who managed his affairs well. He supported sports and led a quiet life – he added.
Had connections with the Dubynsky brothers wanted by the FBI
Reports suggest that Plakhotnyk was connected to brothers Volodymyr and Leonid Dubynsky, who the FBI wants on real estate fraud charges in the USA.
Leonid Dubynsky is also suspected of embezzling approximately £3.8 million, which was earmarked for reconstructing the water supply system in the Kamianske area.
In January 2025, he was detained, and the court set a bail of approximately £1.8 million, which was paid. Oleksandr Plakhotnyk served as the municipal enterprise "Kamianske Water Supply" director from 2017 to 2019.
