In Mykolaiv Oblast, 68 million allocated for energy security have gone missing

In the Mykolaiv region, a scheme was uncovered involving the embezzlement of nearly 68 million hryvnias allocated for the construction of protective measures for one of the region’s energy facilities. The contractor received a multi-million hryvnia advance payment but never began the work, and the anti-drone structures have still not been installed.

This was reported by the Security Service of Ukraine.

According to the case file, the mastermind behind the scheme is a 37-year-old director of a private company in Kryvyi Rih. It was his company that signed a contract with a state-owned enterprise to build protective structures against enemy drones for an energy facility in the Mykolaiv region.

<picture></picture>Photo: Security Service of Ukraine

The total value of the contract was 90 million hryvnias. Under the terms of the contract, the contractor was to receive an advance payment of nearly 80% of the cost of the work after providing a bank guarantee. Taking advantage of this condition, the company received nearly 68 million hryvnias.

As the investigation established, the company’s director had no intention of fulfilling the contract from the very beginning. Although construction was required to be completed within 240 days of the agreement’s signing, work never actually began.

According to the SBU, in order to conceal the origin of the funds received and launder them, the suspect transferred the money to the accounts of other companies under his control.

During the searches, law enforcement officers seized the company’s founding documents, accounting records, computer equipment, and other evidence which, according to investigators, confirms the illegal activity.

The company’s director was notified of charges under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—misappropriation of property through abuse of official position on an especially large scale. The penalty under this article provides for up to 12 years of imprisonment, along with confiscation of property and a ban on holding certain positions.

Ірина Глухова