Officials embezzled nearly $124 million allocated for military needs, also operating in Mykolaiv.

Officials embezzled nearly 124 million allocated for military needs: operations were also conducted in Mykolaiv

Across Ukraine, schemes have been uncovered involving officials from housing and utilities departments (KED) embezzling almost 124 million UAH of budget funds designated for military purposes — in Mykolaiv region, the amount of theft reached 2.3 million UAH.

This information was reported by the special prosecutor's office in the defense sector for the Southern and Eastern regions.

According to the investigation, the head of the housing and utilities department (KED) in Mykolaiv was exposed for signing a contract with a company for the purchase of timber at inflated prices. He involved the head of the fuel group and an authorized representative of the Mykolaiv KED in this scheme. Such actions caused the state a loss of nearly 2.3 million UAH.

In Odesa region, KED officials, along with a private entrepreneur, misappropriated budget funds during timber purchases at inflated prices, resulting in a loss to the state of 4.1 million UAH.

In Kropyvnytskyi, the head of the KED entered into a contract with one of the limited liability companies for the purchase of beds at inflated prices, leading to a state loss of 352 thousand UAH.

In Vinnytsia, KED officials excessively spent 508 thousand UAH of budget funds during the capital renovation of a hospital cafeteria from 2020 to 2022.

A criminal scheme involving KED officials was uncovered in Zaporizhia, where they signed contracts with contractors for the purchase of timber at inflated prices. The state incurred a loss of almost 15.5 million UAH.

In Luhansk region, KED management purchased firewood at inflated prices through controlled enterprises without an open tender process, seizing over 101 million UAH.

In total, the amount of damage to the state amounts to 123.8 million UAH.

All participants in these schemes are charged with embezzlement, misappropriation of property on a particularly large scale, official negligence, and legalization of property obtained through criminal means (part 3, 5 of Article 27, part 4, 5 of Article 191, part 2 of Article 367, part 2 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).