De-mining contracts in Mykolaiv region won by firms with political connections

In the Mykolaiv region, companies associated with the family of former MP Maksym Yefimov and those involved in high-profile defense scandals have received orders to demine agricultural land. In total, the works are worth more than UAH 18 million.

This was reported by Nikcenter with reference to the Prozorro system.

In April, the Humanitarian Demining Center signed contracts to clear almost 220 hectares of agricultural land in Mykolaiv region. Two companies associated with former MP Maksym Yefimov - Ukrainian Demining Services and Ukrainian Demining Agency - won three tenders.

Not only specialized companies, but also businesses far removed from this area applied for demining contracts, including the company of the ex-MP's mother, the Nibulon agricultural holding, and even a company co-owned by a plastic surgeon.

The work was commissioned by the Humanitarian Demining Center, a government-subordinated organization that cleans up ammunition-contaminated agricultural land with budgetary and donor funds. Last year, the Center signed contracts for demining 903 hectares in the Mykolaiv region, and this year it signed three more contracts.

According to Prozorro, a 128-hectare contract was awarded to the Ukrainian Demining Agency for UAH 9.5 million, and another 90-hectare tender will be cleared by Ukrainian Demining Services for UAH 6.7 million. Only one contract was awarded to Nibulon for UAH 2.7 million for 51 hectares, despite the largest price reduction during the bidding process.

Prices for demining vary across the region: "Nibulon offers the lowest price of 52,000 hryvnias per hectare, while firms associated with Yefimov offer more than 73,000 hryvnias. For comparison, international practice estimates demining at USD 5,000 per hectare.

Ukrainian Demining Services remains the key contractor in the region. The company was established in 2023, its beneficiary is Maksym Yefimov's mother, and its first director was former Defense Ministry official Oleksandr Liev. He has been repeatedly detained in cases of low-quality procurement for the Armed Forces.

Another company, the Ukrainian Mine Action Agency, was founded by Yefimov himself together with Oksana Kutsenko from Kyiv. It is now registered with Safe Edge LLC, whose ultimate owner is Alina Zanina.

Other bidders include Nibulon JV, a subsidiary of the British company SafeLane Global, and the International Demining Service. The latter won a contract for 11 hectares, and its owner is Klim Ter-Nikoghosyan, a plastic surgeon from Odesa.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Mykolaiv Oblast Local Roads Agency has spent billions of hryvnias on road repairs and maintenance, with tenders mostly going to the same companies - without real competition. Auditors have repeatedly documented procurement irregularities and ordered inspections.