The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office have reported suspicions against the acting general director of the Odesa International Airport. According to the city council website, this position is held by Olga Makogonyuk.
The investigation believes that the official deliberately did not submit an application to the State Aviation Administration for certification of the airfield, which would have allowed the municipal enterprise to earn money from servicing flights. The airport has been receiving these revenues - fees for takeoff, landing and parking of aircraft - since 2003.
Instead of protecting the city's interests, the head of the airport helped a private company become the airport operator. In December 2020, this structure took over the functions and began to earn money from services for airlines.
Due to such actions, the utility company lost its operator status, and the city lost over UAH 15.6 million in revenue. The suspect's actions were classified under Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code (abuse of power, leading to grave consequences).
The airport scandal has a long history. In 2011, businessmen Boris Kaufman and Oleksandr Granovskyi, through controlled companies, effectively gained control of the enterprise, using fictitious documents and the support of the city authorities. As a result, the city lost influence over the strategic facility.
In 2022, the NABU and the SAPO exposed the criminal organization led by these businessmen. The Supreme Court of Criminal Appeals has already sentenced several participants, imposing sentences of 7–8 years in prison and fines of over UAH 400 million.
The airport manager's new suspicion looks like a continuation of a long-standing struggle for control over one of Odessa's key infrastructure facilities.
