(Modular boiler rooms. PHOTO: mkrada.gov.ua)
An investigation is underway in Mykolaiv into the possible embezzlement of public funds during the procurement of modular boiler rooms and the construction of networks to connect them. More than 20 contracts worth nearly 2 billion hryvnias are under scrutiny.
This was reported by Nikcenter .
The investigation is focusing on the procurement of modular boiler rooms and the construction of utility networks to connect them. The total value of the contracts being reviewed by law enforcement is approximately 1.7 billion hryvnias.
Investigators believe that officials from the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration may have colluded with representatives of private companies. Law enforcement is examining the possibility that equipment was purchased at inflated prices, as well as the potential use of schemes involving intermediary firms to divert budget funds.
The investigation has focused particular attention on five contracts for the supply of 18 modular boiler plants with a total capacity of over 224 MW. These contracts were awarded without open bidding through the Prozorro system.
Formally, the contracts were awarded to five different companies. However, investigators suspect that four of them may be linked and are in fact controlled by a single business group.
The Mykolaiv Regional State Administration signed a contract worth 254 million hryvnias with Kolvi-Hub LLC. Another contract worth 89.6 million hryvnias was awarded to Euroterm Technology LLC. Both companies are listed on the Kolvi Corporation website as members of the same group.
In addition, 275.4 million hryvnias went to Ukrspetsservice LLC, which designs and installs Kolvi and Eurotherm brand boiler equipment. Another contract worth 210 million hryvnias was awarded to Korosten Plant KZOT LLC.
Thus, four affiliated companies received orders totaling over 830 million hryvnias.
An analysis of publicly available data suggests that a significant portion of the contracts may be linked to the Kolvi group of companies, which operates in the heat-generating equipment market. Among the recipients of these multimillion-hryvnia contracts are companies that share common production and business ties.
Law enforcement officials are also investigating reports of inflated prices for imported equipment, specifically gas burners and circulation pumps.
Additionally, the case files mention possible shell transactions totaling approximately 10 million hryvnias. Law enforcement is also investigating information regarding the likely use of affiliated companies to launder funds received through government contracts. Court documents mention contracts that may be linked to the company "Mykolaivmiskbud."
The change in ownership of certain contractor companies after they received multimillion-dollar contracts also raised additional questions. In particular, one of the boiler room suppliers, after completing a contract worth over 250 million hryvnias, became the property of a Kyrgyz citizen who is simultaneously linked to dozens of Ukrainian companies. The investigation is currently ongoing.
In Pervomaisk, the repair of school heating systems using public funds has also become the focus of a criminal investigation. Investigators are examining whether material prices were artificially inflated, which could have caused the community to overpay hundreds of thousands of hryvnias.
Анна Літман