KNU Rector Buhrov: University Faces Unprecedented Attempt of Organized Raiding

Vladimir Buhrov, the rector of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, has expressed grave concerns regarding the serious threats currently confronting the university. In a recent post on social media platform Facebook, he emphasized that the institution is experiencing an unprecedented attempt at raiding, characterized by unscrupulous tactics. Buhrov believes that the upcoming elections will serve as a crucial test of the university community's trust in him.

Buhrov noted that every student at KNU who wished to express their opinion or protest has had the opportunity to do so within the framework of an active educational process. According to him, the university administration has not imposed any restrictions on participants in the protests. The rector personally engaged with students in the Red Building, where anyone interested could ask questions or share their views. However, he expressed disappointment that the genuine enthusiasm of the youth has turned into unethical behavior, with the protests being fueled by organized information attacks, manipulations, and fake news disseminated through anonymous Telegram channels.

The rector underscored that the university is currently facing an unprecedented challenge—an attempt at raiding that is of a dirty nature. He also pointed out that the elections scheduled for May will reveal whether the university community trusts him. Buhrov believes that there are efforts to remove him from his position either through legal means or organized spam directed at state institutions, or by attempting to psychologically break him down.

In response to student demands, the university's Student Parliament reported that the rector has refused to meet their requests. Specifically, Buhrov declined to undergo an examination to confirm or refute the information published in video materials. During a meeting with students, he stated that he would only agree to an examination if complete source materials were provided, rather than just publications from anonymous sources.

The Student Parliament also noted that the rector agreed to resign early only if an appellate court deems him a corrupt individual. Following the protest, a meeting was held with Deputy Minister of Education and Science Mykola Trofymenko, who allegedly expressed a willingness to respond to the situation and engage in the process of resolving it.

Currently, the Student Parliament is not planning any new public actions; however, the protest continues. They remain in constant communication with the Ministry of Education and Science, awaiting concrete actions from the ministry and preparing for further developments.

It is worth recalling that on March 2, the Ministry of Education and Science announced a competition for the position of rector of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. The deadline for submitting applications is two months from the date of publication of the announcement, with the elections scheduled for May 27, 2026. Vladimir Buhrov intends to participate in the competition for the new rector but expresses concerns that he may be prevented from doing so.

He noted that if the appellate court confirms the previous court's decision, he would be added to the register of individuals with offenses related to corruption, thus barring him from the elections. On March 25, it became known that the Ministry of Education and Science has established a commission to investigate the activities of the KNU rector. This decision was made in response to a request from the university, which sought action regarding information that had emerged in the public domain. The ministry emphasized that there is currently no discussion of suspending the rector from his position during the commission's work.

Vladimir Buhrov himself assured that he does not consider his actions a breach of contract and is ready to demonstrate this to the commission. Earlier in March, intimate photos and videos allegedly related to Rector Buhrov and the 105th classroom of the main building of KNU appeared in an anonymous Telegram channel. On April 1, a student protest was held near the 'Red Building' of the university, where demands were made for the rector's suspension during the investigation, a public response to questions concerning the events in the 105th classroom, readiness for an independent examination, and assurance of no pressure or negative consequences for students and staff participating in the investigation or protest.