A scheme to embezzle 81 million hryvnias from the construction of shelters has been uncovered
During the war, the shelters were intended to ensure the safety of children and military personnel; however, according to the investigation, some officials and businesspeople organized a scheme to embezzle public funds allocated for their construction. The total amount of losses, as estimated as of June 25, is approximately 81 million hryvnias.
In just one criminal case, an organized group was exposed that embezzled 47 million hryvnias during the procurement of shelters for educational institutions and military facilities in the Dnipropetrovsk and Chernihiv regions.
The scheme was simple: tenders were rigged in favor of companies under their control; structures that did not meet state standards were supplied; forged certificates were used; and mandatory control procedures were circumvented.
The scheme was uncovered during monitoring of government procurement. Charges have been filed against four members of the organized group and six local government officials, whose official negligence enabled the criminal plan to be carried out. But this is not an isolated case.
Similar cases of embezzlement of budget funds during the construction and procurement of shelters for educational institutions have also been uncovered in the Chernivtsi and Poltava regions. The losses to the state in these two regions amount to another 34 million hryvnias.
Thus, based solely on the recently uncovered cases, the total amount of losses reaches 81 million hryvnias. These are funds that were intended to ensure safety but were spent on structures that did not meet established requirements and had no practical value.
My position is clear: stealing from people’s safety during wartime is one of the most cynical crimes. Everyone who organized these schemes, approved the documentation, signed the documents, or knowingly turned a blind eye to the violations will be held accountable.
The investigation is ongoing. We are establishing all the circumstances of the crimes and identifying everyone involved, the Prosecutor General said.
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