On Friday, January 31, during the session of the Ostroh City Council, the deputies removed the controversial mayor Yuriy Yahodka from his position. This was reported by the publication "Rayon. Ostroh" from the session hall.
Twenty-five city deputies voted for the dismissal of Yuriy Yahodka, one deputy abstained, while another eight deputies did not participate in the vote.
The explanatory note to the decision "On the Early Termination of the Powers of the Ostroh City Mayor" states that "during his tenure as Ostroh City Mayor, Yuriy Petrovych Yahodka was involved in facts and circumstances that indicate violations of the laws of Ukraine, the rights and freedoms of citizens, as well as the failure to fulfill the powers granted to him".
Previously, in November 2024, the mayor of Ostroh, Yuriy Yahodka, reported a conflict with the city council secretary Taras Khmaruk.
“The reason for the conflict is quite simple: the secretary has been trying to seize power from the very first days of his work. At the same time, he completely ignores his duties as the council secretary. In simple terms, Taras Vitaliyovych wants to 'decide things' but is very reluctant to do the work. Additionally, situations arose where he artificially created conflicts, and during conversations, he started saying: 'it's all Yahodka's fault.' I endured for a long time. I really didn't want to start an open conflict,” wrote Yuriy Yahodka.
It is worth recalling that in August 2024, Yuriy Yahodka became embroiled in a scandal over Russian music. A local resident reported to law enforcement that Yuriy Yahodka had assaulted her. According to the woman, she was passing by the local library, which houses the Culture and Leisure Center, and heard Russian music coming from there. She entered the premises to make a remark and found Yuriy Yahodka, whom she described as intoxicated. After her comment and a brief conversation, the official allegedly reacted aggressively and attacked the woman with his fists. This incident occurred on Defender's Day.
Later, Yuriy Yahodka apologized for his behavior. “Yes, my fault is that, to put it simply, I got drunk,” he wrote. However, later in an interview, he claimed it was a provocation and assured the journalist that he did not hit anyone, but only grabbed the woman by the hand, and he was not listening to Russian music. He also accused his opponents of using this situation against him and attempting to strip him of his power.
Yuriy Yahodka was elected head of the Ostroh community from the political party "Proposition" in 2020. He began his career in commercial banks in Ukraine. From 2005 to 2010, he was elected a deputy of the Ostroh District Council, served as the head of the Ostroh District State Administration from 2007 to 2010, and in 2015 became the village head of the Rozvazka village council. Since July 26, 2019, Yuriy Yahodka served as deputy mayor of Ostroh for executive activities.