Another corruption scheme organized by the first deputy mayor of Kharkiv, Oleksandr Novak, and the director of the relevant department, Kostyantyn Lyska, was exposed in Kharkiv. Officials involved the controlled company "Promtex" to use budget funds for the renovation of a residential building at 60 Uzhviy Street.
The contract worth over UAH 59.6 million was signed on July 16, 2025, although the tender in the Prozorro system was announced only on July 21. This directly indicates that the winner of the tender was determined in advance, and the procurement procedure itself turned into a formality.
Of particular note is the clause on "dynamic pricing", which allows the contractor to change the cost of materials during the execution of the work. At the same time, the documents lack any mechanisms for independent verification of market prices or certification of construction materials. This effectively frees the contractor's hands for manipulation and overpricing.
Analysis of the estimate reveals numerous discrepancies. In particular:
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ventilation grilles were installed for 1,852 UAH per piece at an average market price of 256 UAH;
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Müller Putzgrund paint is priced at 390 UAH per kilogram instead of the actual 78 UAH;
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decorative plaster is listed at 147 UAH at a market price of 92 UAH.
Only for a few items does the possible overpayment exceed UAH 2 million.
An additional element of the scheme is the absence of bank guarantees or any mechanisms to protect budget funds. Thus, Promtex receives almost unlimited freedom in using community money without the risk of liability.
Based on these facts, a complaint was filed with a demand to verify the contractor's activities, conduct an audit of the cost of materials, block suspicious financial transactions, and initiate criminal proceedings on the grounds of budget embezzlement, tax evasion, and corruption conspiracy.
