Construction business, state tenders worth 35 million hryvnias, and the "black list" of the AMCU: The financial past of the new ambassador to Oman, Olha Selykh

Construction business, state tenders worth 35 million hryvnias, and the "black list" of the AMCU: The financial past of the new ambassador to Oman, Olha Selykh

In July 2025, Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Olha Selykh, the owner of construction companies, to head the Ukrainian embassy in Oman. She had no prior connection to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs system: only a short diplomatic course a few months before her appointment. Her companies won dozens of state tenders worth over 35 million hryvnias, some of which showed signs of anti-competitive collusive behavior, and among the co-owners were relatives linked to the banned party "Opposition Platform – For Life" from Medvedchuk’s orbit. A few weeks before receiving diplomatic status, Selykh transferred her business to her sister Lyudmyla Dyakova – a former functionary of a local OPFZ organization.

This was reported by Stopkor.

Olha Selykh headed the Ukrainian embassy in the Sultanate of Oman following the respective appointment by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in July 2025.

At first glance, the news might seem encouraging: for the first time, a woman has headed the Ukrainian embassy in Oman. However, behind the glossy cover and the astonishing career leap lies a series of alarming facts that cast doubt on the transparency of the appointment and Selykh’s ability to effectively represent Ukraine abroad.

Before this appointment, she had never worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs system, officially taking the position despite seemingly having no prior experience in diplomatic or public service, as reported by media. For "preparation," a course for ambassadors in 2025 was likely deemed sufficient. Her career is tied to the construction business, tenders with "Ukrinform," and public organizations, not diplomacy. And yet, among 1,170 candidates, it was this entrepreneur who won the competition.

Who is Olha Selykh

Olha Selykh hails from Volyn. She holds several degrees, as we learn from her profile on the embassy website:

2000 – 2005: "Rivne Institute of Slavistics" of Kyiv Slavistic University – Specialization – "Management of Foreign Economic Activity."

2003 – 2009: National Academy of Law of Ukraine named after Yaroslav Mudryi – Specialization "Jurisprudence."

2003-2003: Studied in Bratislava, Slovakia, through a student exchange program – Univerzita Komenskeho.

2006 – 2007: Courses for financial directors, chief accountant courses, programming courses.

2009: Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv – Candidate exams in specialization 12.00.03 Civil Law and Civil Procedure; Family Law; International Private Law to obtain a "Doctor of Philosophy" degree.

21.12.2010: Kyiv City Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Advocates – Received a Certificate for the right to practice law.

2014: Fundacja Central European Academy Studies and Certifications at the University of Economics in Krakow – Obtained a diploma for completing the course "Establishment and Management of Enterprises in the EU."

28.03.2014: Consulting company "CORTEX" – Successfully completed a program on "Opening Accounts for Offshore and Onshore Companies."

18-19.03.2017: Center for Political Education, completed a program on political orientation and political management.

2022 – present: Institute of Lawmaking and Scientific-Legal Expertise of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine – Pursuing a higher education degree of Doctor of Philosophy in specialization 081 Law.

Now, regarding diplomatic training. In 2025, she studied at the State Educational and Scientific Institution of Postgraduate Education "Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine named after Hennadiy Udovenko at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs" and completed a specialized course for Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors. In fact, Selykh underwent only a few months of training before heading the Ukrainian embassy. By March 2025, she had already completed the course, as reported on the Facebook page of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine named after Hennadiy Udovenko at the MFA.

For comparison: a typical career diplomat undergoes 5–7 years of practice.

These formal skills likely do not compensate for the lack of practical experience in diplomacy, making her appointment highly controversial and probably sparking a wave of discontent on social media under posts about her appointment.

As we can see, the feedback is far from positive. After all, Olha Selykh’s public activity on social media raises no fewer questions than her career biography. In her Facebook profile, among her subscriptions are pages of Russian origin: "Women’s Paradise," "I’m Happy," "All About Men and Women," "World for You," "Timeless Words."

Since 2022, when Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has been in full swing, such information sources carry a clear propaganda tone and have long been removed from the Ukrainian segment of the internet. Yet the diplomat continues to follow them, demonstrating at least tolerance for content from the aggressor country?

In public life, Selykh prefers secular events: business forums, glamorous receptions, concerts, and international trips.

On social media, she mostly posts photos in luxurious dresses, from restaurants and exhibitions, with no hint of state activity. Her hobbies – travel and "premium" style photoshoots, as well as the expensive sport of golf, which contrasts with the image of a modest diplomat called to represent the country during wartime.

What Olha Selykh declared

So, where does the money for such an expensive lifestyle come from, and what else does the ambassador own? According to her declaration, submitted in 2025 only for 2023, Olha purchased an apartment in the capital in 2014 for 1,908,892 UAH.

In 2020, a non-residential premise cost her 2,826,839 UAH. Already during the war in 2022, Selykh bought two land plots for 680,768 UAH.

Olha Selykh owns a – TOYOTA CAMRY 2017 model, purchased in 2018 for 873,976 UAH.

And when it comes to the funds the ambassador keeps, we see the following: 7,400 USD in cash and 102,635 UAH in bank accounts.

Already in October 2025, Olha Selykh submitted a declaration of significant changes. Here, she reports income from property rental – 60,000 UAH – and compensation payments in foreign currency for a long-term business trip amounting to 179,539 UAH.

"Selykh’s construction Empire: tenders, family business, and a trace in the AMCU ’blacklist’"

Before her appointment as ambassador, Selykh already had a significant business background, particularly in the construction sector and state tenders, as well as the status of a lawyer. She is a co-owner of several companies, some of which were mentioned in public anti-corruption investigations of anti-competitive actions during state procurements. From 2008 to 2025, she managed LLC "Kyiv Invest-Bud", LLC "Global Stroy-Proekt," and LLC "International Trading Company," all three registered at the same Kyiv address: 40 Hlybochytska Street. In 2025, Selykh successfully transferred all companies to her sister Lyudmyla Dyakova.

Her sister – Lyudmyla Dyakova (nee Selykh) – was previously only a co-owner of the company "Electro-Trading Ukraine." These two firms repeatedly won tenders from the state agency "Ukrinform."

Analysis of open sources and platforms like Prozorro and Clarity Project shows that Selykh’s companies actively participated in state tenders. LLC "Kyiv Invest-Bud" took part in over 280 state tenders, winning approximately 141 of them for a total of over 35 million UAH. Some procurements showed signs of anti-competitive collusive actions: two or more related companies submitted documents with identical printing defects, yet only Selykh’s company won.

Additionally, several companies owned by Selykh have open enforcement proceedings for unfulfilled financial or tax obligations. For anti-competitive collusive actions, they were included in the AMCU blacklist.

The Anti-Corruption Headquarters submitted a request to the AMCU, with results still pending.

Thus, as we can see, Selykh’s relatives and close associates are co-owners of companies involved in scandalous tenders. Moreover, this can be considered a family business, as the husband of her sister, Volodymyr Dyakov, is a specialist in performing works mentioned in the tender documentation of LLC "Kyiv Invest-Bud."

Ambassador with family ties to OPFL

Furthermore, Olha Selykh has direct family ties to individuals involved in the activities of the banned pro-Russian party "Opposition Platform – For Life" (OPFL). Her sister, Lyudmyla Ivanivna Dyakova (née Selykh), held the position of deputy head of the local organization of the OPFL party in Nova Ushytsia, Novoushytskyi District (after 2020 – Kamyanets-Podilskyi District) of Khmelnytskyi region in 2019 (registry No. 1501120, dated 23.05.2019).

Thus, the presence of close relatives formally linked to a party banned in Ukraine in 2022 creates an additional risk of conflict of interest and potential influence on Olha Selykh’s diplomatic activities.

So, it all seems quite strange when a person with no diplomatic experience, a trail of dubious tenders, tax debts, and relatives who collaborated with OPFL, receives the status of an extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador. This is no longer just a career decision but a symptom of a system where business interests and political agreements outweigh professional competence and state security.