Former police officer convicted of murder: blogger Volodymyr Zolkin has been drafted into the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Volodymyr Zolkin, who has now announced his mobilization into the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has not only a high-profile media career but also a criminal past, a scandal involving ticket reservations, and questions about his income.
Zolkin previously worked for the police. In July 2010, he and an acquaintance were involved in a conflict during which a man was killed. In November 2014, a court found Zolkin guilty of intentional homicide and sentenced him to 14 years in prison. A forensic medical examination revealed that the victim had been struck numerous times with hands, feet, and a board.
Zolkin spent about seven years behind bars and was released on parole in 2017. After his release, he began blogging and later gained notoriety for his interviews with Russian prisoners of war.
Certain questions also arose regarding Zolkin’s activities prior to the full-scale invasion. Activists drew attention to his contacts with the circle of pro-Russian blogger Anatoly Shariy and his participation in covering the “Immortal Regiment” march in 2019.
In 2025, Zolkin also found himself at the center of political scandals. Member of Parliament Yaroslav Zheleznyak claimed that the blogger actively defended Timur Mindich and criticized the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). It was Zheleznyak who also publicly raised the question of why Zolkin had been removed from general military registration and was on the special registry of one of the security services.
A separate scandal arose regarding an exemption from mobilization granted by the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR). In March 2026, Zheleznyak stated that following the public outcry, Zolkin had been stripped of this exemption. Zolkin himself partially confirmed that he had ceased cooperating with the Main Intelligence Directorate and declared his intention to enlist.
No less serious questions arose regarding his finances. According to Zheleznyak, the Economic Security Bureau opened two criminal cases against Zolkin: under Article 212 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—regarding possible tax evasion on an especially large scale—and under Article 209—regarding the possible laundering of proceeds obtained through criminal means. At the same time, these circumstances are the subject of investigations and do not imply a finding of guilt.
Questions have also arisen regarding the discrepancy between his income and assets. According to data cited by Zheleznyak, from 2021 through November 2025, Zolkin officially declared minimal income, even though his YouTube activities generated significant revenue. During this period, the family also purchased several cars, including a BMW X5 in 2025.
Now, however, Zolkin has stated that he was mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine back in April 2026. He completed basic military training and became an operator in a radio-electronic reconnaissance platoon in the 91st Separate Anti-Tank Battalion. Currently, according to him, he is stationed in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
The blogger explained his mobilization briefly: “Because everyone has to be mobilized.” At the same time, he stated that he deliberately did not publicize his service until he was deployed to combat positions.
Thus, Zolkin’s current service marks yet another sharp turn in his controversial biography: a former police officer convicted of murder, a blogger embroiled in political scandals, a figure in the “reservation” scandal, and now—a soldier in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
People’s Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak has published a new investigation in which he cast doubt on the official incomes of three well-known media figures—Vladimir Petrov, Sergey Ivanov, and Vladimir Zolkin.
Well-known Ukrainian interviewer and blogger Volodymyr Zolkin has lost his right to a deferment from conscription into the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
