12.03.2025
Investigations
Money laundering
Tenders
Kyrylo Tymoshenko: from media mogul to defense minister
Rumors are increasingly circulating online that Kyrylo Tymoshenko will soon replace Rustem Umerov as Ukraine’s Defense Minister. So what do we know about the new possible minister and should we expect an improvement in the situation with army supplies and support for troops at the front?
Tymoshenko’s PR career
Kyrylo Tymoshenko started his career in the media. Having founded GOODMEDIA, he provided services in organizing TV programs and film production.
Tymoshenko also owns the Kinokit company, which produces content for the state-owned Rada TV channel. The latter annually receives significant funding from the state, which, for example, in 2024 amounted to 105 million hryvnias, and as of 2025, the country has already given it more than 100 million.
In addition, Kyrylo’s father, Vladlen Tymoshenko, is an influential figure in regional business and politics. He heads Cominfo Business Center LLC and is a member of the Dnipro Regional Council. Kyrylo’s wife, Olena Tymoshenko, is also part of the media empire, running the Ukrainian Film School.
“Big Construction” and suspicions of corruption
Kyrylo Tymoshenko became most famous during the implementation of the Big Construction program. During his tenure in the Presidential Office, almost 70% of construction contracts were awarded to companies controlled by Dorstroy, NOVEM Logistic, and TIRAS, which supplied construction materials and performed work at inflated prices, without competition and proper bidding.
This became the basis for numerous scandals and suspicions of corruption schemes. The program, which was aimed at modernizing the country’s infrastructure, received serious criticism due to the lack of transparency in tenders and evidence of overpricing.
Based on our materials, a number of both regional and central law enforcement agencies launched investigations, for example, the Vinnytsia Regional Prosecutor’s Office registered the information in the URPTI under No. 42025020000000034, Part 3 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code, and the Prosecutor General’s Office – under No. 42024000000001083, Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code.
However, as we can see, this does not prevent Tymoshenko from advancing his career.
Resignation and return to power
In 2023, after his dismissal from the Presidential Office, Tymoshenko disappeared from the media space, and various versions of why he left his post began to appear.
However, the man soon returned to political life, becoming an adviser to the new defense minister, Rustem Umerov. And now there are rumors about his future leadership of the entire ministry.
By the way, as an advisor to Umerov, Tymoshenko is in charge of fortification and reconstruction. On his initiative, numerous “dragon’s teeth” were installed on the beaches of Chornomorsk in Odesa region. This decision became an example of laundering billions of budget dollars, because along the same city beaches there is a large area of shallow water, which makes it impossible for a warship to approach the borders of Chornomorsk. Therefore, the concrete structures are just an opportunity to misappropriate more public funds.
So, will Tymoshenko, who already has a dubious reputation in the media and construction sector, be able to successfully and, most importantly, without corruption, coordinate the activities of one of the most important ministries in the war?
What is the current situation at the Ministry of Defense?
The Ministry of Defense under Umerov’s leadership and Zhumadilov’s State Operator of the Logistics Systematically conduct controversial public procurement, which results not only in the disappearance of millions from the state budget, but also in the lack of proper supply of the Armed Forces. Bulletproof vests, shells, and drones are supplied by companies controlled by the department with no experience in the field, at inflated prices, and with numerous questions about the goods themselves. The latter are often delivered to the troops defective and unable to protect the Armed Forces.
For example, in 2024, the Defense Department, controlled by the Ministry of Defense, did not use more than UAH 3 billion of budget funds, which led to the disruption of the supply of more than 100,000 bulletproof vests for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
For a long time, the leader in the bulletproof vest market in Ukraine was TEMP-3000, the largest domestic manufacturer with many years of experience. Their products were competitively priced, which allowed them to win government tenders.
However, this caused dissatisfaction among smaller producers, who argued that the indicative prices set by the state were lower than the cost of production.
In December 2024, Fortecya Zakhyst appeared at the tender with an authorized capital of UAH 500. The company offered the lowest price for the supply of almost 75,000 bulletproof vests. During the inspection, it turned out that Fortecya Zakhysta had not provided the necessary license for the production of personal protective equipment, as required by the tender documents.
Instead of disqualifying this bidder and moving on to the next bids, the DOT canceled the tender, citing the absence of a license requirement in the tender documents.
In addition, numerous schemes for reselling ammunition at inflated prices have been uncovered in recent months. For example, firms such as YDT LLC have been actively using intermediaries, such as the Bulgarian company BIEM, to inflate prices for mortar shells. The amount of contracts for the production of which is 400 million euros. However, this ammunition, which was supposed to be produced in Ukraine, was delivered to the Armed Forces through shell companies at inflated prices.
All of this is a consequence of the robbery of Umerov and Zhumadilov, who, instead of strengthening the defense and armed potential of the Armed Forces, rob the troops.
It is unlikely that the situation will change with Tymoshenko’s arrival at the Ministry. That is why we are already drawing the attention of law enforcement and controllers to the above and asking them to take immediate measures to stop the open robbery of the Armed Forces.
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