Court seizes property of Odesa Zoo contractor

In Odesa, a court seized the property of a contractor's director suspected of embezzling millions of hryvnias during the renovation of the zoo. According to the investigation, some of the work could have been significantly overstated on paper to illegally obtain budget funds.

This is evidenced by the ruling of the Prymorskyi District Court of Odesa.

In Odesa, the court granted the investigator's motion and seized the property of the director of Energorezhim LLC, who is suspected of misappropriating budget funds in particularly large amounts. This refers to criminal proceedings opened on January 6, 2026, under articles on misappropriation of property, forgery and negligence.

According to the investigation, in November 2025, the Odesa Zoo entered into an agreement with a contractor for the overhaul of the heating system and replacement of boiler equipment. The cost of the work based on the results of the tender was almost UAH 4.75 million.

In December of the same year, the contractor submitted certificates of completion for this amount, after which the funds were transferred to the company's account in two tranches. However, the construction and technical expertise found that some of the works and materials specified in the documents were significantly overstated.

The investigation believes that the company's director deliberately entered false information into the official acts of work performed, overstating the scope and cost of construction and installation works. These documents became the basis for the transfer of funds from the local budget.

As a result of such actions, according to experts, the zoo suffered losses in excess of UAH 2.5 million. Law enforcement officers believe that the funds were misappropriated by the suspect.

As part of the investigation, the court decided to seize the suspect's property to ensure possible confiscation and compensation for damages. The seizure included a 2-hectare land plot and a 2006 Toyota RAV4 car.

The court ruling prohibits any actions with this property: it cannot be sold, transferred, re-registered or changed its status in state registers. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing, and the suspect is charged with a crime committed under martial law, which significantly increases liability if proven guilty.

In January, the court arrested the buildings of the Odesa Zoological Park on suspicion of misappropriation of local budget funds. The case concerns possible embezzlement during the overhaul of the heating system.

According to the YouControl analytical system, the head of the Energorezhim company is Dmytro Burdak. The company earned more than UAH 38 million in public tenders from 2017 to 2026. The investigation believes that the company's CEO acted intentionally, using his official position, and disposed of the funds at his own discretion.

In April, the court imposed a pre-trial restraint on the suspect - detention in Odesa pre-trial detention center until May 23, 2026. At the same time, the court provided for the possibility of bail in the amount of more than UAH 2.5 million.

Анна Бальчінос