The Student Parliament of Kyiv National University has announced a protest against Rector Bugrov: full details

This is set out in Order No. 26/2026-03/SPU of the University Student Parliament dated 30 March 2026.

The Student Parliament of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv has announced an indefinite peaceful protest by the university’s student self-government bodies.

The decree states that the decision was adopted in accordance with Part 5 of Paragraph 12 of Article 40 of the Law of Ukraine “On Higher Education”, sub-clause 4 of clause 2.5.6 of the Regulations on University Student Self-Governance, as well as the decision of the Chamber of Delegates of the University Student Conference, recorded in Protocol No. 13/2026-03/PDKSU.

The grounds for declaring the protest are cited as the failure to provide an adequate, public, comprehensive and substantive response to the University Student Parliament’s appeal No. 17/2026-03 of 20 March 2026, as well as to subsequent official appeals from student self-government bodies regarding socially significant circumstances that have become the subject of public controversy surrounding the university and its officials.

Separately, the student self-government body stated that the crisis of trust in relations between the university’s students and the administration, in particular Rector Volodymyr Bugrov, has deepened.

The protest, as stated in the document, is peaceful and open in nature. It will continue until a public response is provided on the substance of the stated demands and until the authorised body of the student self-government adopts a decision to terminate it.

What sparked the protest

In March 2026, intimate photos and videos were published on the anonymous Telegram channel Bugrovleaks, which were publicly linked to the rector of KNU and Lecture Theatre 105 in the main, or red, building.

The posts claimed that the footage, lasting almost half an hour and filmed from three different angles, showed a person resembling Rector Volodymyr Bugrov. The channel’s authors identified the filming location as Lecture Theatre 105, which houses the Centre for the Study of Ivan Franko’s Creative Heritage.

On the same day, representatives of the Student Parliament, as stated in the materials provided, inspected Lecture Theatre 105 and claimed to have found items of an intimate nature there which, in their assessment, matched those visible in the video.

On 20 March, the student council sent an official letter No. 17/2026-03 to the rector, demanding an explanation of the circumstances surrounding the video’s emergence, the status and actual use of Lecture Theatre 105, the origin of the items found, and whether or not an internal investigation had been conducted.

As of 30 March, according to the student council, the university community had not received a proper, public, comprehensive and substantive response to these questions.

At the same time, the materials provided indicate that Volodymyr Bugrov commented on the situation in the media, calling it fabrications and targeted attacks against him.

What demands have the students made?

The Student Parliament demands a public, comprehensive and substantive response to the questions raised in the appeal of 20 March 2026 and in subsequent official communications from the student community.

The students also demand a public statement confirming their willingness to cooperate, in accordance with the law, with an independent investigation, including an independent expert inquiry and other investigative measures necessary to establish the facts.

A separate demand calls for the immediate resolution of the issue regarding the temporary suspension of Rector Volodymyr Bugrov from his duties for the duration of the investigation. The student council explains this as necessary to minimise the risk of administrative influence on students and university staff, to preserve potential evidence, and to maintain confidence in the investigation process itself.

In addition, the students are demanding systematic measures to resolve the governance crisis at the university. This includes, in particular, an investigation into compliance with standards of academic integrity, ethics and rules governing the use of university property by administrative officials.

Another demand is to ensure there is no pressure, persecution or negative consequences for students and university staff in connection with their participation in the investigation or in peaceful protests.

Why students speak of a deeper crisis of trust

The additional information provided notes that part of the student community perceives the current situation not as an isolated incident, but as a manifestation of a deeper crisis of trust in the university’s leadership.

In particular, it is claimed that as far back as 2021, the same Telegram channel published material allegedly linked to the rector’s name, including intimate correspondence and material involving female students and staff members, which caused a public outcry in 2022. The text submitted claims that there was no proper investigation or consequences at the time.

The supplementary materials also mention other public controversies surrounding Bugrov’s rectorship, including a petition for his dismissal, procurement scandals, suspicions regarding funds for shelter repairs, and a court ruling in March 2026 finding him guilty of making false declarations due to an undeclared vehicle.

Following appeals from the student council, as noted in the text provided, the Ministry of Education and Science instructed the Expert and Personnel Commission to review Rector Bugrov’s conduct. However, the question of his temporary suspension pending the investigation remains unresolved.

It is precisely this, in the students’ view, that calls into question the independence of such an investigation whilst the rector remains in office.

The order for the protest was signed by Ivan Lazorenko, acting chair of the University Student Parliament. The document bears a qualified electronic signature.

As a reminder, from 2026, Ukrainian schoolchildren will study for one year longer. The introduction of 12-year education will be part of far-reaching changes to the education system, which will affect the approach to teaching and preparing pupils for life. Find out exactly what changes await children and parents in our article.