The Supreme Court’s Grand Chamber has confirmed the dismissal of the former head of the Kyiv District Administrative Court, as reported by his press service on June 18.
Today, the chamber reviewed an appeal from the ex-judge against a decision by the High Council of Justice, which upheld the ruling of the Third Disciplinary Chamber regarding his disciplinary accountability and the recommendation for his removal from the judiciary.
“As a result of the review, the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court decided to leave the judge’s appeal against the High Council of Justice’s decision unsatisfied, maintaining the original ruling,” the statement read.
The full text of the Supreme Court’s ruling has not yet been released.
While the former judge’s name was not disclosed in the announcement, circumstances suggest it pertains to Pavlo Vovk.
In March 2025, the High Council of Justice announced the dismissal of Pavlo Vovk from the Kyiv District Administrative Court for committing a significant disciplinary offense.
According to a report by Radio Free Europe’s project, Schemes, in 2022, the Kyiv District Administrative Court, under Vovk’s leadership, played a crucial role in establishing a Russia-aligned authority in Ukraine by ruling in favor of Viktor Yanukovych in two lawsuits regarding his alleged unlawful removal from the presidency.
On April 13, 2021, President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted an urgent bill to parliament aimed at dissolving the District Administrative Court, but it faced delays in approval. The Verkhovna Rada ultimately supported the court’s dissolution on December 13, 2022.
The District Administrative Court has claimed that the parliament’s decision contradicts the Constitution of Ukraine, legislative provisions, and wartime requirements. Representatives argue that their operations are being hindered by politically motivated decisions.
Due to frequently controversial rulings and judges with questionable reputations, the Kyiv District Administrative Court has become one of the most scandal-ridden courts in Ukraine.
Pavlo Vovk and 11 others are suspected of operating within a criminal organization led by Vovk, which allegedly aimed to seize state power by controlling the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine and the High Council of Justice, while creating artificial obstacles to their work.
Vovk has claimed that foreign agents, at the behest of other states, are attempting to seize judicial power in Ukraine to undermine the country’s sovereignty.
The Supreme Court's Grand Chamber has upheld the dismissal of former Kyiv District Administrative Court head Pavlo Vovk, confirming disciplinary actions against him. This decision follows allegations of significant misconduct and his court's controversial rulings.