A road tycoon with a dark past can get half a billion for repairing a highway in Kherson region

The winner of a tender for road repairs worth more than UAH 400 million has been selected in Kherson region. The company was previously accused of embezzling budget funds. This is the second major contract in the region this year, where the company was the only bidder and won without competition.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations with reference to the Prozorro procurement system.

In May, the Service for Infrastructure Restoration and Development in Kherson region announced a tender for the current repair of the public road of national importance T-22-07 /T-04-03/ - Vysokopillia - Velyka Oleksandrivka - Beryslav.

The expected value of the procurement was over UAH 432 million. Bids were due by May 26. However, only one company expressed a desire to participate in the bidding.

Screenshot: Prozorro

It is the company European Road Construction Company LLC, which offered to perform the work for more than 410 million, but submitted an offer of 21.6 million less than the expected purchase amount. The procedure is now at the stage of qualifying the winner.

According to the terms of the tender, the repair work should be completed by December 31, 2026. The source of financing is budgetary funds. According to the documentation, payment for the services will be made after they are provided, but an advance payment of up to 30% is possible.

As part of the procurement, bidders were required to provide a bank guarantee for more than UAH 12.9 million, as well as confirmation of experience in performing similar work, in particular using cold recycling technology.

According to the YouControl analytical system, European Road Construction Company LLC was founded in 2008 in Donetsk with a registered capital of UAH 51,500. In addition to the main line of work, the company has registered two dozen other types of activities. In 2018, the company underwent changes in its structure, after which its legal address changed to Kyiv region, and Muslim Keloyev became the owner. The company is currently owned by his family.

The company's beneficiaries live in Odesa region. One of the company's regular customers is the Infrastructure Restoration and Development Service of both Mykolaiv and Kherson regions.

The company and its owner have repeatedly been the subject of journalistic investigations. They are among the three leaders among contractors who receive the most contracts for road works without open bidding. Since 2018, the company has spent UAH 6.9 billion on public procurement.

Screenshot: YouControl

In 2025, the head of the NGO Non-Stop filed a lawsuit against the alleged criminal conspiracy within the framework of the Big Construction program. In his opinion, several companies, including the European Road Construction Company, could have been involved in an organized scheme to embezzle budget funds. However, the court rejected the motion.

In April, a tender for road maintenance worth UAH 180 million was held in Kherson region, in which only one company, the European Road Construction Company, also participated. The company was also awarded two contracts for the maintenance of the Ingul and Pivdenobug bridges without competition.

This company regularly receives government contracts, particularly in the Mykolaiv region, and a significant part of the contracts are awarded without open bidding.

Анна Бальчінос