In the frontline city of Kramatorsk, which is under daily threat from rocket and artillery fire, local authorities continue to direct budget funds to secondary facilities instead of prioritizing increased security for residents.
Two tenders were recently announced through the Prozorro system: for the current repair of the roof of the Leonid Bykov Culture and Leisure Center (UAH 182,000) and for the development of design and estimate documentation for the major repair of the Akademichnyi support school (UAH 250,000). Both projects are to be completed by the end of May 2025.
The choice of contractors is of particular interest. The documentation for the overhaul of the school, which does not conduct offline classes due to the danger, was ordered from an entrepreneur from Druzhkivka, whose main specialization is electrical installation work, not the design of school buildings. Meanwhile, in the old part of the city, the roof of the Cultural Center, with an area of only 62 m², is being renovated.
Critics point out that the issue is not so much the repairs themselves, but their feasibility in the current conditions. Kramatorsk still lacks a sufficient number of shelters, protected infrastructure facilities and security systems for civilians, and funds are being directed at facilities that, under the constant threat of shelling, may never be fully used.
Similar cases have already occurred in other frontline communities. For example, in Izyum, they planned to spend over 630 thousand UAH on the purchase of decorative flowers - petunias, salvias and marigolds. In Pokrovsk, located 20 km from the front line, flower beds were arranged by entire brigades. In such cases, local authorities either spend money irresponsibly or create "decorations" that can reach the occupiers.
