Mykolaiv Awards $78M Pumping Station Contract Amid Corruption Allegations

In Mykolaiv, a 78-million-dollar contract for the modernization of a pumping station was awarded to a person involved in journalistic and criminal investigations. The company was also accused of ties to local authorities, corruption, and price gouging.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations with reference to the Prozorro procurement system.

The tender was held for the reconstruction of a sewage pumping station . The expected cost of the project is UAH 75 million 503 thousand. The reconstruction involves rebuilding the station, and the contractor must complete the work by May 31, 2026.

The bidding for the work was supposed to take place on March 25, but only one company, Mykolaivmiskbud LLC, applied for participation and is currently awaiting a decision. Thus, the procedure was held without competition.

Screenshot: Prozorro

Mykolaivmiskbud LLC is known for its involvement in a number of scandals and criminal cases. Previously, the company was accused of overcharging for materials for the construction of a water pipeline, as well as of colluding with local government officials to misappropriate budget funds. The prosecutor's office even succeeded in terminating contracts with the company and the city planning department of Mykolaiv regional administration due to breach of contract.

According to the online service YouControl, the company was registered in 2028, but started participating in tenders only in 2023. Between 2023 and 2024, the company concluded deals worth more than UAH 335 million.

Screenshot: YouControl

Since then, it has been the subject of numerous journalistic investigations. Particular attention has been drawn to the connections of the company's head, Viktor Vidin, with officials of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration. Vidin is the brother of Olha Vidina, the former head of the municipal property department of Mykolaiv Regional State Administration.

This is not the first contract awarded to Mykolaivmiskbud LLC without a tender. In 2023, the company already received contracts for the reconstruction of water pipes on Molodizhna Street and Bohoyavlenskyi District for a total of over UAH 68 million.

Also, inefficient use of budget funds was found during the renovation of the Mykolaiv Regional Museum of Local Lore. The tender was won by a company owned by Viktor Vidin, the head of the above-mentioned company. The Department of Urban Development of Mykolaiv Regional State Administration rejected the more favorable bid, citing the lack of object estimates from the competitor.

Анна Бальчінос