Mykolaiv Institute Renovation Contract Awarded Amid Political Connections

The contract for the renovation of the Mykolaiv Institute of the National Academy of Sciences was awarded to a company whose director has political connections. The tender was announced three times.

According to the Center for Public Investigations, citing the Prozorro procurement system, more than two million hryvnias were allocated from the budget to repair the Mykolaiv Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, which was damaged by Russian shelling.

However, this is not the first procurement: last year, two were made, and an agreement was even signed for repairs that were to be completed by the end of the year. In October 2024, the institute announced a tender, but the auction did not take place.

Instead, another auction was held, and the contract with the contractor, Thermo-Bud-Engineering LLC, was signed in November 2024. The contractor had to complete the work by December 20, 2024, and payment had already been made.

And this time, there was only one bidder at the auction, also Thermo-Bud-Engineering, with whom the institute plans to sign a contract.

Screenshot: Prozorro

According to the online analytical system YouControl, the company was registered in 2016 with a registered capital of 10 thousand hryvnias. The founder of the company is Oleksandr Hindiuk.

He is also a beneficiary of two companies, RD-Land-07 and Pivden Trade Group, and a director and member of four other companies. In addition, Oleksandr Hindiuk is the head of the NGO New Wave 2024.

Speaking of the counterparty's connections, RD-Land-07 has been linked to the deputy head of Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Heorhii Reshetylov.

Screenshot: YouControl

The company participated in only two tenders and was mentioned in two publications of the Center for Public Investigations.

In 2024, Thermo Bud Engineering LLC earned almost UAH 3.6 million in public procurement. It is noted that in 2021-2022, the company had no total income, but in 2023, the company's income exceeded UAH 13 million.

Earlier, more than four million hryvnias were allocated from the city budget to restore the building and boathouse of the yacht club, which was damaged by Russian shelling. Thermo Bud Engineering was awarded the contract again. The repairs were scheduled to be completed by December 7, 2024.

Screenshot: YouControl

This is not the only company that receives government contracts and has ties to Mykolaiv local authorities. More than UAH 78 million was allocated for the overhaul and thermal modernization of the lyceum. The company that previously won the tender was involved in corruption scandals and has ties to the leadership of the Mykolaiv Regional Education Authority. Until 2016, the head of the military administration , Vitaliy Kim, was the head of this company.

Анна Бальчінос