Head of Odesa penal colony sent to pre-trial detention center: details of the case

The head of the housing and maintenance department of the city of Odesa is in custody. He is suspected of negligence of military service and causing damage to the state budget when purchasing military beds for the army.

This is evidenced by the decision of the Peresypskyi District Court of Odesa.

According to the State Bureau of Investigation, the head of the KEV, a colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was responsible for maintaining and operating the funds of military camps, providing military units with utilities and energy, organizing financing for housing and maintenance activities, and controlling the purchase of military property.

Procurement for the army

The investigation found that on January 19, 2023, the colonel signed an agreement with Elkon-Design for the supply of 1,071 army bunk beds worth UAH 5.9 million. The state, according to law enforcement estimates, probably overpaid more than UAH 2 million.

In March 2023, the colonel signed another contract with the same company for the supply of 2,130 army bunk beds and field folding beds worth almost UAH 30 million. The market value of the purchased beds was much lower, so the overpayment amounted to almost 9.3 million. In total, due to the colonel's negligence, the state suffered losses of more than UAH 17 million.

On January 22, 2026, officers of the State Bureau of Investigation detained the head of the KEV and notified him of suspicion of negligence in military service, which caused serious consequences.

The court's decision

In court, the prosecutor requested that the head of the housing and maintenance department be held in custody with bail of almost UAH 36 million, emphasizing that the suspect could hide, commit another crime, or obstruct the investigation.

The defendant and his defense counsel objected to this, claiming that the risks had not been proven, and asked for a more lenient measure of restraint - house arrest or a lower bail amount. They also emphasized the positive characteristics of the suspect: participation in hostilities, registration in Odesa, and caring for his wife, who is disabled.

The court partially granted the motion: the colonel was left in custody at the brig of the Southern Territorial Department of the Military Intelligence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine until March 22, 2026. The bail was set at UAH 17 million 638 thousand, and the suspect will be released from custody after paying it. He will also be subject to statutory obligations to ensure his attendance at court hearings and cooperation with the investigation.

Past cases

According to the YouControl analytical system, Leonid Penezhko is the head of the housing and maintenance department of Odesa.

UPDATED 02.02.2026. At the time of the events described in the court case, the KEV was headed by Oleksandr Shilo and Yurii Tsvilodub.

As for Elkon-Design, according to YouControl, it has been operating since 2002. The founders are the public organization for the disabled "Elkon" and Pavlo Olin. The company has earned more than 436 million hryvnias from tenders.

In 2016, Intent wrote that one of Odesa's furniture manufacturing companies was enjoying unprecedented success, regularly winning large tenders for the supply of furniture to state and local governments.

The company is involved in criminal proceedings related to procurement for educational institutions in Odesa. According to the ruling of the Kyiv District Court of Odesa, in<span> July 2018, the tender committee launched an open bidding procedure for the purchase of school furniture for educational institutions in the Kyiv district of Odesa. As a result of the bidding, an agreement was concluded with Elkon-Design at prices that, in the opinion of law enforcement officers, exceeded the average market price.</span>

In addition, last December, in Odesa, a court found Andriy Muntyan, head of the contractual and claims department of the Odesa KEV, guilty. The official was convicted of extortion and acceptance of bribes to facilitate the lease of military property.

Анна Бальчінос