A contractor actively involved in the reconstruction of Kharkiv and the region has found itself at the epicenter of a high-profile scandal. The private enterprise "Construction Company "PROMTEX"" has become a figure in a number of suspicious transactions related to the use of budget funds allocated for the restoration of facilities damaged by Russian shelling.
An analysis of the concluded contracts and tender documentation of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration and the Kharkiv City Council indicates the systemic nature of possible manipulations that ensured the victory of this particular contractor and created conditions for overstating the cost of the work.
One of the most striking examples was the restoration of the Chuguyiv Lyceum No. 2 commercial enterprise (tender UA-2023-08-11-000194-a). The initial amount of the contract with Promteks PE was UAH 235.16 million, but at the end of 2023, the Kharkiv OVA increased the amount by another UAH 64 million without holding a new tender. The contracts revealed a provision on the so-called “dynamic contract price”, which does not contain a clear procedure for revision. This creates opportunities for artificially inflating the estimate and non-transparent use of budget funds.
A similar situation exists with the construction of a protective structure for Kharkiv Lyceum No. 124 (tender UA-2025-10-01-012314-a) for the amount of UAH 51.99 million. The documentation shows signs of being tailored to one participant, and the contract itself allows for payment for “additional work” that was not provided for in the initial procurement. This mechanism is traditionally used to uncontrollably increase the cost of a project outside of competitive procedures.
In the tenders for emergency and restoration works of apartment buildings on Buchma and Uzhviy Natalia streets, a number of barriers were also identified that effectively eliminated competition. Among them are excessive requirements for the package of documents and an inflated requirement for the potential participant's income for 2024 at 90% of the expected purchase price. These conditions cut off small and medium-sized enterprises, leaving room only for the "right" contractor.
The totality of the revealed facts indicates a possible conspiracy between officials of the Kharkiv OVA and City Council Departments and the private enterprise "Promtex". Manipulations with tender procedures and changes in price conditions open the way to non-transparent use of funds that should have been directed to the urgent reconstruction of the region after the destruction.
