“Under the procedural guidance of a Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) prosecutor, National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) detectives notified five members of an organized group, led by an employee of the Donetsk Oblast Administration, who during martial law appropriated budget funds allocated for the restoration of heating in the cities of Selydove and Ukrainsk, as well as water supply and sewage systems in Sviatohirsk. Their actions are qualified under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine”, - the SAPO reported on November 26.
As part of the pre-trial investigation, it was established that in April–May 2023 the accomplices determined the list of facilities where they planned to use the budget funds and formed artificially inflated cost estimates for work and equipment. Under the influence of the organizer of the crime, officials of the Donetsk Oblast Administration approved requests for the need for funding, after which a simulation of a competitive environment and price monitoring was organized.
In accordance with predetermined actions, on June 27, 2023, the Department of Housing and Communal Services of the Donetsk Oblast Administration and a private enterprise controlled by the accomplices concluded a contract worth over 200 million UAH for the supply and connection of modular boiler houses, which initially did not provide for proper project and estimate documentation.
In September–December 2023, contracts worth almost 100 million UAH were concluded regarding water supply and sewage in the city of Sviatohirsk, under which payments were made for work that either was not performed at all or was carried out without project and permitting documentation and with gross violations of construction standards. The actual performance of the work was merely imitative, and the constructed facilities could not be commissioned or used for their intended purpose.
In addition, it turned out that the facilities in the city of Sviatohirsk constitute unauthorized construction and do not comply with urban planning legislation, as a result of which they cannot be put into operation, which is confirmed by the conclusions of judicial construction examinations.
In order to conceal their criminal activities, the members of the group initiated an unjustified extension of contract terms, drew up fictitious acceptance-transfer acts, and subsequently attempted to transfer the constructed facilities to the balance of a municipal enterprise, indicating unreliable information about their readiness.
In parallel, the individuals controlled financial flows and organized the withdrawal of funds through controlled enterprises followed by cashing-out.
At this moment, the amount of damage caused to the regional budget totals more than 140 million UAH.
The investigation continues.
