Kherson's energy protection for a quarter of a billion was given to the firm of the ex-head of Zelenbud

More than UAH 250 million from the reserve fund was allocated to protect the critical infrastructure of the Kherson community without open bidding and with one contractor for all facilities. The largest contracts were awarded to a company for which these projects provided more than half of all revenues.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations.

The Kherson Regional Infrastructure Restoration and Development Service has allocated more than UAH 256 million for the engineering and technical protection of critical infrastructure facilities. These are three large procurements covering the reconstruction of facilities #6, #7, #9 and #10 within the community. Funding was provided from the state budget reserve fund.

SCREENSHOT: Prozorro

The most expensive contract was for the reconstruction of facilities No. 9 and No. 10, which was valued at UAH 128.1 million. Two more contracts provide for UAH 64.05 million each - for facilities No. 6 and No. 7.

Given the strategic importance of the fuel and energy sector facilities, the client exercised the right to conclude agreements without open bidding, citing special procurement conditions during martial law. All three contracts were awarded to Kyiv-based Construction Company Atlantics LLC. According to the contracts, the company is to complete the work by March 31, 2027.

SCREENSHOT: Prozorro

According to the YouControl analytical system, the company was founded in 2018 with a registered capital of UAH 50 thousand. Despite the fact that its main activity is non-specialized wholesale trade, the company regularly wins large-scale construction tenders. The company has 14 employees, and its legal address is the place of mass registration for more than 260 companies.

The company's founder and CEO is Yevhen Pasichnyk from Lyman, Donetsk region, who has experience in the utility sector and politics. Previously, he headed the local utility company Zelenbud and represented the Nash Krai party, and in the last election he ran as a candidate of the Servant of the People party.

The company has repeatedly come to the attention of journalists because of its alleged political connections. This company was also reported by one of the publications of Kyiv region. According to the journalists, UAH 95 million was allocated for the construction of the military camp without a full competitive selection process. The Ministry of Defense announced two large-scale tenders under a simplified procedure, which is usually used for much smaller procurements, and in both cases the same company, Atlantics Construction Company LLC, won.

SCREENSHOT: Prozorro

At the same time, the contractor's documents raised questions: in particular, they lacked signatures, seals and proper justification of estimates. Despite the complaints of competitors, the results were not reviewed, as the simplified procedure does not provide for an appeal to the Antimonopoly Committee. In particular, we are talking about the construction of the infrastructure of the military camp #269 in the village of Kapitanivka, which is financed from the state budget and is to be completed by the end of January 2026.

This company also won one of the tenders for the construction of heating networks, although its proposal contained significant shortcomings. For example, there was no signed contract for the use of the AVK software required for the formation of estimates. Nevertheless, the client recognized the submitted documents as sufficient.

At the same time, 2026 was the most financially successful year for it: the total revenue from public procurement exceeded UAH 488 million, of which more than UAH 256 million was received through non-competitive procedures.

SCREENSHOT: YouControl

Until November 2023, the company's co-owners included businessman Oleh Stankevych, who is associated with a company registered in the now-occupied Bakhmut. This raised additional questions about the connections of the contractor, who is currently receiving contracts from the Ministry of Defense.

Also in Kherson region, almost UAH 64 million from the state budget was allocated for the reconstruction of an energy facility in the Chornobaiv community without an open tender. The contract was awarded to a company that has been linked to possible abuses, collusion and overpricing.

Анна Бальчінос