In the Kharkiv region, preparations are underway for the construction of protective structures in educational institutions in Dergach and Stary Saltov. This year, tenders were announced for five facilities with a total value of over UAH 826 million. As before, the winners were companies with a dubious reputation, newcomers, and firms with a political background.
The cheapest project is a radiation shelter in kindergarten No. 3 “Sonechko” in Dergachy, the initial cost is UAH 121.3 million. The only participant in the tender was LLC “Project Alliance”, a company with a four-year history and connections with former Kharkiv officials, including former official of the Regional State Administration Andriy Kolos. During the war, the company's revenues increased from UAH 15.5 million in 2022 to over UAH 2 billion in 2025.
In Stary Saltiv, the construction of a shelter for the nursery school “Barvinok-100” was estimated at 137.1 million UAH. The winner was LLC “Slobozhansk Construction Company Sargon”, which has earned over 2.5 billion UAH on government contracts in the three years of its existence. Activists and journalists are drawing attention to inflated prices and possible abuses in estimates, which are currently being checked by law enforcement officers.
Two more kindergartens in Dergachy will receive shelters for UAH 176.5 million and UAH 187.4 million. The winners were LLC “TT 2006” and LLC “Drogon Eco”, both companies received critical remarks regarding inflated prices and minimal competition in the tenders.
The largest object – a protective structure on the basis of Dergachi Lyceum No. 2 – is estimated at UAH 205.9 million. The winner was LLC “Inzhener-BK”, a newly established company with a staff of only 13 people and rented equipment. Despite its limited experience, the company will perform large-scale work, and the tender documentation did not include strict requirements for the qualifications of employees.
Experts emphasize that recent tenders in the Kharkiv region demonstrate a recurring practice: state customers give preference to firms with dubious connections, inflated prices, or insufficient experience, even when financed by EU donor funds.
