Searches at Acting Head of State Tax Service Lesia Karnaukh and Analysis of Her Declaration

Investigative Actions Within the "Carthage" Case

Within the framework of the continuation of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) special operation "Carthage," searches were conducted at the residence of Lesia Karnaukh, the acting head of the State Tax Service (STS). This was reported by the media outlet "Ukrainska Pravda." The investigation concerns the possible "protection" of fraudulent call centres by officials of the President's Office.

These events took place against the backdrop of personnel changes in the tax service. Previously, the First Deputy Head of the STS explained her resignation with a desire to ensure the stability of the department's operations in wartime conditions. Meanwhile, the Cabinet of Ministers prematurely terminated Lesia Karnaukh's powers as acting head, as announced by the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Serhiy Koretskyi. The searches, which became known on 15 September, coincided in time with these personnel decisions, which the media linked to Karnaukh's dismissal.

Career Path and Professional Connections

Lesia Karnaukh's professional activity in the public sector began in 2004 after graduating from the Odesa National Law Academy. During this time, she held positions in environmental protection agencies, the Ministry of Ecology, the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Audit Office, and the Kyiv Regional State Administration. In 2025, she moved to the STS, where within a month she rose from Deputy Head to Acting Head.

Particular attention is drawn to her professional intersections with Viktor Kantsurak, who also worked in a number of the same structures. The media outlet "Kyivshchyna 24/7" noted that Lesia Karnaukh and her husband Dmytro Sosula maintain friendly relations with Viktor Kantsurak, with whom they have been cooperating since 2006. It was even mentioned that Lesia Arkadiivna is part of his "team."

In 2018–2019, Karnaukh's political activity was linked to her work as an advisor to the Head of the Audit Office, Valerii Patskan. Patskan was a People's Deputy of the VII convocation from the "UDAR" party, headed the committee on human rights, and entered the Verkhovna Rada of the VIII convocation on the list of "Petro Poroshenko Bloc."

Family Business Connections

An analysis of the business history of the Karnaukh-Sosula family reveals several interesting intersections. In 2009, Lesia Karnaukh and her husband Dmytro Sosula were co-founders of LLC "PK 'Oniks-Print'" (EDRPOU code 36406245). Among the partners was Oleksandr Kantsurak, the brother of Viktor Kantsurak. Karnaukh left the composition of co-owners in 2016, while Sosula remained associated with the company until 2023.

The connection with Viktor Kantsurak is also traceable through the public sector. Dmytro Sosula headed the NGO "Nova Sfera" (EDRPOU code 39358802), founded together with Kantsurak. Previously, the organization had the names "Ekokhvilia" and "Climate Education Centre."

A separate episode concerns the security sector. In 2017, Sosula established LLC "Geosecurity" (EDRPOU code 41212587), and in 2019 — LLC "Interlock Security" (EDRPOU code 43360367). In November 2023, the latter company was renamed LLC "Khompodan" and relocated from Kyiv to Dnipro. That same year, Sosula left managerial positions and exited a number of companies, which coincided in time with Karnaukh's work as Deputy Head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration.

After working in the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, Sosula headed LLC "Suchasnyi Prostor" (EDRPOU code 42044176) and LLC "Suchasnyi Prostor 2" (EDRPOU code 45761862), which are linked to Viacheslav Dinkov. His entrepreneurial activity covers the companies "Promenergoobladnannia," "Dalgakiran Pivden," and "Dalgakiran Compressor Ukraine," which operate in the field of energy equipment. Sosula's official salary in this business branch for the past year amounted to almost one million hryvnias. The question arises as to why a large foreign business with a widespread network of partners in Ukraine needed Dmytro Sosula, whose previous business did not demonstrate notable results and who had no experience working with compressors.

Assets and Financial Indicators

Lesia Karnaukh's declaration contains details that require attention. For example, she owns a quarter of an unfinished house in the Darnytskyi district of Kyiv (object area — 909 sq. m). The real estate is located in the "Dnipro-2" garden association on Sadova Street. The remaining shares are distributed between two co-owners: half belongs to Tetyana Averko, and a quarter to Yulia Didyk. Previously, Lviv blogger Ivan Sprynskyi linked this real estate to the so-called "ecological mafia of the Party of Regions."

Karnaukh and her husband jointly own two land plots in the village of Muzychi in Kyiv Oblast (Bashtannyi Lane, previously Pershotravnevyi). The plots were acquired in 2005–2006, but the registration of rights was only carried out on 23 February 2023. This interval of almost 18 years requires verification of the circumstances of the emergence of ownership rights.

Regarding vehicles: since 2022, Karnaukh has been using a 2019 Jeep Compass, which belongs to her mother, Liudmyla Volodymyrivna Karnaukh (purchased on 17 February 2022). Previous declarations listed a 2008 Daihatsu Terios, which was used by Karnaukh's daughter. A car with this license plate appeared in an advertising announcement for Sosula's pre-war business.

Since 2023, Dmytro Sosula has been using a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica, which belongs to Lesia Karnaukh's father. The estimated market value of such a car is 15–20 thousand dollars. Meanwhile, in the registers since April 2025, Sosula is listed as having a boat trailer, PRIME V03013, manufactured in 2025, which is not mentioned in Lesia Karnaukh's declaration. Sosula himself was not a declarant as of 2025, and in 2026 he did not submit a declaration as a candidate for a state position.

Income and Savings

In 2025, Lesia Karnaukh received a salary of 1.5 million hryvnias at the STS and 150 thousand hryvnias from the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, totaling 1.65 million hryvnias. Dmytro Sosula declared a salary of 900 thousand hryvnias in two companies with Turkish owners for the same year. Additionally, he received 150 thousand hryvnias from the rental of property to Margarita Valeriivna Nikolaenko and 20 thousand hryvnias from LLC "Promin Halychyna" (EDRPOU code 35578572), which is linked to the financial group "Agroprosperis."

Together, the couple's income amounts to 2.72 million hryvnias. Karnaukh's cash savings are 12 thousand dollars and 55 thousand hryvnias, with 150 thousand hryvnias in bank accounts. Sosula has 10 thousand dollars in cash and approximately 60 thousand hryvnias in accounts. In total, the couple declared 22 thousand dollars in cash, 55 thousand hryvnias in cash, and approximately 210 thousand hryvnias in bank accounts.

Dmytro Sosula has owned an apartment of 115.7 sq. m in the "Petriivskyi Kvartal" residential complex in Sviatopetriivske since 2014. Another apartment of 30.9 sq. m in Kyiv has been listed in the records since 2000, but the exact address has not been established. A separate mass of the husband's real estate is located in the village of Nyhin in Kamianets-Podilskyi District (Khmelnytskyi Oblast): land plots of 0.15 ha and 0.25 ha, as well as a house of 61.4 sq. m. The plots are located in an area with environmental restrictions related to the "Podilski Tovtry" National Nature Park. However, the first plot is not reflected on the cadastral map, while the second one is.

The statement about "stability" in public service sounds ambiguous against the backdrop of the "Carthage" investigation. The further course of the case will show what circumstances the investigation will establish. Journalists have already sent requests to NABU and NACP and will publish the responses upon receiving them.