Zaporizhzhia region has once again found itself at the center of a high-profile corruption scandal. The prosecutor's office reported a series of abuses among city council officials, heads of utility companies, and even local mayors. The schemes ranged from inflated energy prices to fictitious repairs and dubious purchases for educational institutions.
The biggest mark in the case was left by a high-ranking city council official who “dissolved” over eight million hryvnias in budget tenders during the purchase of uninterruptible power supply systems for schools. His colleagues did not lag behind: negligence in construction work allowed contractors to overstate the volume and cost, and heads of utility structures signed contracts at knowingly inflated prices.
The total amount of losses for the state and communities exceeded 10.6 million hryvnias. All these facts are confirmed by the materials of criminal proceedings opened under articles of embezzlement of property, abuse of power, official negligence, and abuse of influence.
Law enforcement officers emphasize that the scale of what was uncovered indicates not isolated violations, but a systematic scheme. The investigation is ongoing, and now everyone who could have been involved in the embezzlement of budget funds is under investigation.
