Investigators in the Kherson region were authorized to seize documents related to a defense procurement contract for construction materials worth over 1.1 million hryvnias. The authorization was granted after officials refused to hand over the contracts voluntarily.
This is stated in a ruling by the Zavodskyi District Court of Mykolaiv.
Investigators were granted permission to seize certified copies of the entire set of documents: original contracts, supplementary agreements, audit reports, acceptance and transfer certificates, and payment orders. If officials refuse to provide copies of the documents as ordered by this ruling, law enforcement will immediately be granted permission to conduct full-scale searches.
As stated in the ruling, in 2025, one of the departments purchased metal products (construction rebar, rods, wires, and profiles) for the needs of the Defense Forces. The total value of the transaction amounted to nearly 1.19 million hryvnias.
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The contract for the manufacture and supply of materials was awarded without using the Prozorro electronic system. Officials entered into a direct contract and concealed information about the supplier and the details of the procedure, citing legislative provisions regarding the protection of defense enterprises under martial law.
The lack of competition and transparency during the conclusion of the agreement drew the attention of law enforcement agencies. Investigators raised suspicions regarding possible price inflation and the illegal misappropriation of budget funds through abuse of official position.
As part of the criminal proceedings, the investigator submitted an official request to officials at the Department asking for contracts, cost estimates, and payment documents. However, the agencies refused to provide the materials voluntarily and completely ignored the law enforcement requests. In light of this, investigators sought authorization for compulsory temporary access to property and documents.
Юлія Калабайда