Beleniuk explains why Zelenskyy deprived Bubka and Klochkova of state scholarships and what scholarships they lost

Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling and MP from the Servant of the People faction Zhan Beleniuk explained why President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stopped paying state scholarships to Olympic champions athlete Serhii Bubka and swimmer Yana Klochkova, and the amount of scholarships they lost. Beleniuk announced this on his Telegram channel, the Ukrainian News agency reports.

"According to the regulation, state scholarships cannot be received by those who do not actually live in Ukraine - everything seems obvious here. Perhaps this is a subtle state message: Serhii Nazarovych (Bubka), come back, it's better at home. Because the scholarship is not a souvenir for past merits, but a bonus for a real connection with the country. And long-distance communication, as you know, doesn't work well," he said.

As for the scholarships, Beleniuk noted that their amount is determined by the regulation and is tied to the subsistence level for able-bodied persons:

Champions of the Olympic, Paralympic and Deaflympic Games - 4 subsistence minimums (in 2025 - UAH 12,112, in 2026 - UAH 13,312);

silver medalists - 3.5 subsistence minimums (in 2025 - UAH 10,598, in 2026 - UAH 11,648);

Bronze medalists - 3 subsistence minimums (in 2025 - UAH 9,084, in 2026 - UAH 9,984).

Beleniuk added that the scholarship is for life, but is subject to fulfillment of the requirements of the regulation.

As the Ukrainian News agency reported earlier, Zelenskyy deprived Bubka, Klochkova and a number of other former Ukrainian athletes of their state scholarships by a decree dated December 17.

According to media reports, Bubka left Ukraine during russia's invasion and lives near Monaco, avoiding public condemnation of russia's aggression, while Klochkova lives in the occupied Crimea and is silent about the war in Ukraine.