Kherson Awards ₴96M Contract for Underground School to Corruption-Linked Company

The contract for the construction of an underground school for more than 90 million in Kherson was awarded to a company with political connections, whose director is a defendant in a criminal case for taking a bribe.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations with reference to the DREAM digital recovery ecosystem.

The construction of the first underground school is underway in Kherson, which will serve not only as an educational space but also as a safe haven. It is being built on the territory of secondary school No. 41 to enable children to study even under constant shelling.

The underground school will cover an area of 1298 m² and will be fully autonomous: it will have its own heating, power supply and ventilation system. The premises will be divided into classrooms, recreation areas, sports and utility areas.

PHOTO: Dream

The equipment will meet the standards of the New Ukrainian School, including modern furniture, multimedia equipment, and special lighting that will work even in the event of a power outage. The school will have elevators, handrails, adapted bathrooms, and tactile paths for the visually impaired.

The school will be able to accommodate 450 students, including students from three nearby schools. Children from other districts of the city will be able to join the educational process if they wish.

The total construction budget is UAH 96 million, and the source of funding is the local and state budgets.

Screenshot: Dream

The contract was awarded to Budpostach - STSV LLC, which was the only bidder. The new construction completion date is August 31, 2025, and changes have been made to the financing plan and construction schedule.

According to the Youcontrol service, Budpostach-STSV LLC was founded in Ivano-Frankivsk in 2015. In 2023, the company became a key contractor of the Kherson authorities.

The company is headed by Oleksandr Novokhatskyi, a resident of Ivano-Frankivsk. The company has been participating in public procurement since 2016. During this time, it has applied for 65 tenders. In total, the company has earned more than UAH 365 million in public procurement, most of which is with the Civil Protection Department of the Kherson City Council for the repair of shelters.

Screenshot: Dream

In January 2025, according to a ruling of the Central Court of Mykolaiv, the director of Budpostach-STSV LLC committed a corruption crime - he received a bribe of UAH 572,000 from the director of Voltenergotrans LLC in exchange for influencing the decisions of Khersonteploenergo officials. It was about facilitating the conclusion of a contract and further unimpeded acceptance of the work performed at the Regional Hospital. At the same time, receiving money was accompanied by extortion in the amount of 10% of the contract amount.

PHOTO: Dream

Last year, the Kherson Perinatal Center signed a contract for the reconstruction of an underground storage facility where the medical facility is planned to be located. The cost of the project exceeds UAH 100 million, and the contractor was Budpostach-STSV LLC. Also in 2024, the company signed two agreements for the construction of shelters for Kherson Gymnasium #56 and School #41. The contracts were signed by the Capital Construction Department of Kherson City Council. The cost of the works amounted to almost UAH 200 million.

Анна Бальчінос