Coal and Business in the Occupied Territories: How a Hospital in Odesa Oblast Made Agreements with a Contractor

Kilia hospital canceled a tender for coal because of a new boiler, but later still signed a contract and terminated it after the supplier delivered only part of the fuel. Law enforcement officers opened the case because of the dubious origin of the coal and the company's possible ties to businesses in the occupied territories.

This was reported by Anti-Corruption Dimension.

The Kilia Multidisciplinary Hospital of the Kilia City Council first canceled the tender for the purchase of coal, explaining that it was due to the purchase of a new boiler that can run on both solid fuel and gas. However, the story did not end there. The institution still ordered the fuel.

After the goods were delivered, the hospital unilaterally terminated the contract with the contractor. Law enforcement agencies opened a criminal investigation because, according to them, the supplier had no confirmed legal sources of coal. In addition, the company's details could have been used to convert budget funds into cash with subsequent misappropriation.

The hospital announced a tender for the purchase of solid fuel in early August 2025. Despite the availability of a cheaper offer, the procuring entity chose the more expensive one and announced its intention to conclude the contract after eliminating the discrepancies. However, in early October, the procurement procedure was canceled. The explanation stated that the hospital had purchased a new gas boiler during the consideration of complaints at the Antimonopoly Committee.

Nevertheless, the contract with the supplier was signed on November 4. In mid-December 2025, the agreement was terminated due to non-compliance with the terms: the supplier did not deliver the coal in full and on time. Out of about 300 tons, the hospital received only a little over 100 tons. Law enforcement officers opened criminal proceedings in late December, and in February 2026, they applied to the court for permission to access the documents.

This is not the only case involving this supplier. An investigation into the purchase of coal involving the same company is also underway in the Kirovohrad region. According to the investigation, a local government official acted in the interests of the company, hoping for a bribe. He approved additional agreements that extended the terms of the contract and provided for a price increase. The court seized his property.

The supplier in the case of the Kiliya hospital was LLC "Trading House "Coal Don Prime", registered in Zaporizhzhia. Currently, the company is headed by Natalia Ryabova and owned by Yevhen Vitvitsky from Toretsk.

However, on the day the agreement was signed, the owner and manager changed: Mr. Vitvitsky became the owner, but the contract was signed by another manager who had held the position for a short time. The previous owner of the company, Yevhen Lebedynskyi, changed his place of registration from Donetsk to Kirovohrad region. At the same time, a person with the same name is a co-owner of the company Donbass Crimea, registered in the occupied territory of Luhansk region.

In total, 17 contracts worth over UAH 27 million were signed with this company.

Also, the repair of the food service unit of school No. 7 in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi came under the attention of law enforcement. Investigators suspect that the volume and cost of materials may have been overstated in the documents and that part of the budget funds may have been diverted into the shadows.

Анна Бальчінос