Uproar at the Supreme Court over a father: who is Diana Vovk and what links her to Russian agents?

Provocations by Diana Vovk toward journalists and activists at the Supreme Court prompted renewed attention to a criminal investigation in which Pavlo Vovk’s daughter is implicated.

Ahead of a Supreme Court hearing considering the reinstatement of Pavlo Vovk, the former head of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv (DACK), his daughter reacted emotionally to the presence of media and activists, publicly accused journalists of bias, and sought to provoke some kind of reaction. As it turned out, this was not Diana Vovk’s first appearance in the public spotlight.

Possible links between Diana Vovk and a pro-Russian network

According to investigators, representatives of Russia’s General Staff Main Directorate created a criminal organisation harmful to Ukraine’s national security. Among those allegedly involved were MP Oleksandr Dubinskyi, former MP Andrii Derkach (charged with high treason), and former Prosecutor General’s Office official Kostiantyn Kulyk.

As early as August 2024, the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) was checking information about possible links between Diana Vovk and Dubinskyi, Derkach, and Kulyk — sending requests regarding banking transactions and looking for shared financial flows. As reported by Sudovyi Reporter, Diana Vovk may have been involved in the activities of this criminal organisation. In particular, she is alleged to have received instructions on organising meetings on behalf of Dubinskyi while observing strict conspiracy measures.

As part of the investigation, law enforcement in 2025 inspected the area near the “French Quarter 2” residential complex in Kyiv. Near a parked Land Rover, they found an iPhone 15 Pro Max, which, according to Diana Vovk, belonged to her. The phone was subsequently seized and recognised as material evidence in the criminal proceedings.

Previously, journalists from Slidstvo.Info reported that Oleksandr Dubinskyi’s name appeared repeatedly in NABU recordings from Pavlo Vovk’s office in the case concerning a possible usurpation of power by OASK judges. In particular, Dubinskyi was the plaintiff in a case that was effectively initiated and considered by OASK, concerning restrictions on foreign travel for certain politicians after the 2019 elections.

An attempt to Return Vovk and an unfinished investigation

Following the incident at the Supreme Court, journalists also turned to Diana Vovk’s biography. According to media reports, she studied at a private boarding school for girls in London and later at Queen Mary’s University of London. In 2017–2018, she undertook an internship at DACK, then headed by her father, as well as short-term placements at the Verkhovna Rada, the Kyiv City State Administration (KSCA), and the Northern Commercial Court of Appeal.

Information about possible links between Pavlo Vovk’s daughter and a pro-Russian network became public as early as 2025. Now, as Vovk himself seeks to return to the judicial system, these facts are again coming to the fore, especially given that there is still no public information about the progress or results of the investigation, and the role of DACK in efforts to restore Yanukovych’s power on the eve of Russia’s full-scale invasion is well known.