In Kyiv, a scheme for squandering funds for the construction of anti-radiation shelters in schools No. 186 on Sechenov Street and NVK No. 209 "Suzirya" on Bereznyakivska Street was exposed. According to the investigation, officials of district administrations ensured victory in tenders for controlled companies and built a system of "kickbacks" through fictitious contracts. Contracts were awarded to PrJSC "Ukratomenergobud" and LLC "BC "Mega Style"" - in total for more than half a billion hryvnias, with conditions that allowed increasing the cost of work without proper control and paying for it without supporting documents.
Analysis of the technical documentation showed that the shelters were designed under the stadiums, and the protective layer of the overlap was about 50 centimeters instead of at least two meters, as required by the current standards for protective structures (DBN V.2.2-5:2023). Such structures are actually unable to perform the function of a shelter during rocket attacks and pose risks to the lives of children. Officials promoted these solutions despite the lack of relevant experience among the contractors in the field of building protective structures.
Formally, the city authorities approved the working drafts of shelters for school No. 186 and announced procurements for "Suzirya", however, the real content of the contracts and the parameters of the works raise questions. According to available documents, the decision to build a dual-purpose building for school No. 186 was made in 2024, and tenders for the construction of such shelters were published in 2024–2025, which confirms the official status of the projects and the scale of financing.
The key point of the claims is compliance with safety standards. The current DBN for protective structures determine the minimum parameters of strength and geometry of structures, which cannot be arbitrarily "optimized" for the budget, in particular regarding the thickness of protective elements, the height of premises and evacuation routes. In the case of school facilities in Holosievo and Bereznyaki, the deviations identified are incompatible with the requirements for anti-radiation shelters.
The history of the contractors is particularly noteworthy. Mega Style has already come under the spotlight of auditors and journalists due to discrepancies in estimates and overpricing in other procurements by Kyiv's municipal structures, which raises questions about the integrity of the selection process here as well.
Against the backdrop of the amount approaching 830 million hryvnias for two projects, what is most outrageous is that "shelter" on paper may not protect children in reality. Without immediate expertise of project solutions and a complete revision of contracts, the risks will turn into actual danger.
