Sixteen-million renovation of a kindergarten in Mykolaiv region was awarded to a company with a criminal history

In the Mykolaiv region, a contract for the renovation of a kindergarten was awarded to a company with a dubious past. Only one bidder came to the auction and was awarded the contract.

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

The Department of Urban Planning and Architecture of Mykolaiv Regional State Administration signed a contract for the overhaul of the Bilozirsk pre-school Cheburashka. Only one bidder, Antares-BUD LLC, which has repeatedly been the subject of both journalistic and criminal investigations, submitted its offer.

The company reduced its offer from the expected value by about UAH 330 thousand.

Interestingly, the Prozorro platform indicated the deadline for submitting the offer, but did not specify the date of the auction. The agreement was signed on December 7. The overhaul of the kindergarten should be completed by December 31, 2025.

Screenshot: Prozorro

According to the YouControl platform, the company was registered in 2000 with a registered capital of 12 thousand hryvnias. The company is owned by Volodymyr Tsutskarev and his daughter Yulia Filipova.

Antares-BUD earned UAH 977 million 120 thousand 340 in public procurement. The customers were utility companies, the Department of Urban Planning and Architecture, the Capital Construction Department, as well as educational and medical institutions.

In 2024 alone, Antares-BUD LLC raised UAH 235 million 964 thousand in tenders.

Screenshot: Prozorro

The company was involved in 11 criminal court cases. The latest criminal proceeding, dated 2024, concerns the embezzlement of budget funds during the overhaul of the roof of the Luparivska school in 2019.

Also in Mykolaiv region, a thirty-million-dollar tender was awarded for the construction of a shelter for Vradiyivka Lyceum No. 2. This procurement also had only one bidder - Antares-BUD LLC. The procurement was published on May 29, the auction was held on June 13, and on June 25, due to the signs of violations of the public procurement legislation identified by the state financial control body, the Southern Office of the State Audit Service decided to conduct a monitoring.

In addition, a contractor was selected in Mykolaiv to build a new shelter at the regional children's hospital. As before, the procurement took place in the format of open bidding with special features, but the company had no competitors. A contract worth UAH 62 million 828 thousand for the construction of a bomb shelter was again awarded to Antares-Bud.

Анна Бальчінос