The Oleksandria City Court of Kirovohrad oblast has closed the case regarding the attack on Viktor Holoborodko, journalist with the local news outlet Texty. Oleksandria, by Oleksandria City Council member Hennadiy Lotsman.
The ruling was passed on 6 February 2026, granting a motion by Hennadiy Lotsman, who argued that the statute of limitations for prosecution had expired.
Viktor Holoborodko, who is now serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said that he was frankly disappointed with the court’s verdict.
“The court closed the case… due to expiration, non-rehabilitating circumstances. The prosecutor agreed with all of the defendant’s proposals. Not great… I once again realise that some judges and prosecutors are non-compatible with rule of law,” the journalist commented to Pavlo Lisnychenko, the regional representative of the Institute of Mass Information.
The media professional stressed that despite all attempts to “hush up” the case he was determined to prove his case in court.
Viktor Holoborodko’s attorney has already filed an appeal with the court.
Previously
On 23 October 2019, Hennadiy Lotsman, a Kirovohrad Oblast Council member and head of the Department of Housing, Urban Planning and Architecture of the Oleksandria City Council, attacked local journalist, Texty. Oleksandria editor Viktor Holoborodko, pushed him, and tried to knock the camera out of his hands.
The journalist reported the incident to the police on the following day. The police began a pre-trial investigation under Part 1 Article 125 (inflincting minor bodily injuries) and Part 1 Article 171 (obstruction of legal reporting) of the Criminal Code.
The case was closed on 17 February 2020 due to the “lack of a corpus delicti in the act.” The journalist received a copy of the investigator’s decision as late as 28 April after filing a motion. Viktor Holoborodko contested the decision in the Oleksandria City Court of Kirovohrad Oblast, demanding the proceedings are resumed.
The police resumed the investigation on 15 June 2020, but closed again on 1 February 2021. The plaintiff appealed against the closure again, and the Oleksandria City Court cancelled the decision to close the proceedings on 24 August 2021.
The investigation was only completed in 2022, and on August 24, the law enforcers notified Hennadiy Lotsman of suspicion.
The indictment reached the Oleksandria City Court over six months later, and the presiding judge was chosen even later. During this period, evidence was examined, witnesses were interviewed, etc. However, no ruling was passed, which enabled the defendant to file a motion to close the case.