The Territorial Department of the State Bureau of Investigation in Kyiv entered information into the ERDR No. 62025100110000222 dated 10/22/2025 on the grounds of Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (misappropriation of property on an especially large scale). The investigation is investigating a possible conspiracy between the management of Avtomagistral-Pivden LLC and officials of the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development and the State Agency for Infrastructure Restoration and Development to embezzle state and international funds for infrastructure projects.
At the center of the alleged coordination of the process is Yuriy Holyk, the former curator of "Great Construction". Using his connections, he allegedly facilitated the approval of tenders and the conclusion of contracts, after which the funds were "dissolved" through a network of controlled structures, in particular, LLC "UKRTRANSMIST" and "Automagistral-Pivden". The mechanics of the scheme, according to the investigation: overestimating estimates, forging certificates of work performed, fictitious subcontracts and conversion into cash.
The most risky episodes concern the construction and reconstruction of water pipelines in Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions after the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station. On paper, it was about "large-scale reconstruction", but in practice, as the applicants claim, it was about "air pipes" and the lack of confirmed volumes of work worth hundreds of millions of hryvnias.
The received advances, according to the investigation, were channeled through a chain of brokerage firms and converted into cash for further distribution among the participants. These included funds from both the state budget and international recovery programs.
The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the involvement of officials of central and regional authorities. The report does not mention any suspicions against specific individuals. The parties mentioned in the materials have not publicly voiced/commented on their position on the allegations. Editorial note: all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Avtomagistral-Pivden has previously appeared in media investigations regarding large contracts within the framework of the "Great Construction" and the reconstruction after the explosion of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant. Critics spoke of inflated estimates and poor quality of work; the company systematically won tenders worth billions of hryvnias.
Estimates are expected to be examined, certificates of work performed are checked, financial flows are traced, and officials of customers and contractors are questioned. If "particularly large" losses are confirmed, the defendants could face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation.
