30 January 2025
(PHOTO: Focus)
In Mykolaiv, the contract for the protection of fortifications was awarded to the regional guard without competition. In just two months, the contractor will receive more than four million hryvnias from the city budget.
This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations with reference to the Prozorro procurement system.
On January 22, the Department of Urban Development, Architecture, Capital Construction and Support of Development Projects of Mykolaiv Regional State Administration announced a tender for the protection of fortifications. Only one participant submitted an offer.
The contract worth UAH 4.5 million for the protection of fortifications was awarded to the Mykolaiv Regional Guard without competition.
The bidders expressed doubts about the feasibility of engaging private security companies to perform this task. The facilities are often located in the war zone and require protection exclusively by state law enforcement agencies or military units. This issue has caused a public outcry, as the use of private security in the conflict zone may call into question both the effectiveness of the tasks and the safety of such facilities.
The department explained that they do not have sufficient resources to protect the facilities on their own, so it was decided to engage private companies until the fortifications are transferred to the balance sheet of the Ministry of Defense.
According to the YouControl online analytical system, Mykolaiv Regional Guard was registered in 2000 with an authorized capital of UAH 23 million 252 thousand. Its founder is Mykolaiv Regional Council, and the authorized person is Mykola Kukuruza.
Since 2011, the company has participated in government tenders and received orders worth UAH 27 million 870 thousand 506. Mykolaiv Regional Guard was also mentioned in four journalistic investigations. The most profitable year for Mykolaiv Regional Guard was 2024 - during this period, the company earned almost six million hryvnias.
In December last year, services for the protection of fortifications were transferred to the Mykolaiv Regional Guard without a competitive procedure. More than 2 million hryvnias were allocated from the city budget for this purpose. The agreement was signed on December 11, and security services were to be provided until December 31. Thus, in three weeks, the regional guard received more than UAH 2 million from the city budget.
Mykolaiv is also looking for a guard for vehicles and premises until the end of the year. More than half a million hryvnias have been allocated from the budget for this purpose. Mykolaivpastrans, a municipal enterprise of the Mykolaiv City Council, has announced a tender for the provision of security services for road transport facilities.
Анна Бальчінос