18.11.2024 Investigations Tenders

The Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs is making money on veterans. How wounded soldiers are left on the street without benefits and payments

Вінничанка стала заступником міністра оборони України - 20 хвилин Вінниця

After receiving numerous complaints from veterans about not receiving payments and assistance from the state and months of waiting to receive combatant status, we launched our own investigation.

It turned out that the current Minister of Veterans Affairs, Natalia Kalmykova, actively supports corrupt practices that allow her to enrich herself at the expense of public funds aimed at protecting veterans.

For example, the Ministry actively signs contracts with controlled companies through intermediaries, even if the services actually received do not meet the standards. Much of the budget funds simply end up on the accounts of fictitious contractors rather than being used for the real needs of veterans’ protection.

Most often, the Ministry of Veterans chooses the latter:

  • PRIVATE ENTREPRENEUR NATALIA OLEXANDRIVNA GOSTRENKO,
  • IHOR MELNYK, PRIVATE ENTREPRENEUR,
  • IE Novytskyi Oleh Volodymyrovych,
  • FOP Romanchuk Oksana,
  • PROTOKA SOFT LTD,
  • FORSERVICE USA SALES LLC, which suggests that legal entities are close to the Ministry’s management.

For example, during the period May-November 2023-2024, individual entrepreneur Natalia Gostrenko received more than UAH 2.5 million from the Ministry of Veterans, all for the provision of software development services, development of an online platform, etc.

In turn, UAH 1 million was spent on the creation of video clips, which went to Ihor MELNYK, a private entrepreneur.

FORSERVICE USA SALES LLC conducted sociological research for the Ministry of Veterans worth more than UAH 350 thousand, and PROTOKA SOFT LLC supported the e-Veteran services, which, despite a large budget (almost UAH 4 million for technical support services alone), were not successful.

Another aspect is also interesting

The Ministry of Veterans is subordinated to a number of legal entities, including:

  • Borodyansky center for social and psychological rehabilitation of the population.
  • Ivankiv Center for Social and Psychological Rehabilitation of the Population.
  • Social and psychological center in Slavutych.
  • Kyiv-Svyatoshinsky Center for Social and Psychological Rehabilitation of the Population.
  • Center for Social and Psychological Rehabilitation in Korosten.
  • Ukrainian Veteran’s Fund.
  • STATE ENTERPRISE “NVMK”.

But instead of supporting veterans and providing them with real, not just pretended, assistance, the above-mentioned parts of the Ministry order sociological research and analysis of “veterans’ challenges.”

For example, the Ukrainian Veterans Fund announced procurements for social surveys and the development of online platforms, each with a budget of more than UAH 100,000. And there were several such tenders.

Thus, the Ministry of Veterans’ PR and marketing is literally being “dumped” on the budget. So is the Ministry working in the right direction? Are research and surveys among the priority needs of veterans?

Does the Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs promote mobilization evasion?

The Minister of Veterans Affairs Kalmykova is also involved in a large-scale scheme to evade mobilization, where a woman uses her official position and influence in the TCC to “cover up” for people close to her. It sounds like a movie script, but the facts point to the reality of this story.

According to the sources, Kalmykova, in collusion with other members of the criminal group, ensures that employees of the companies under her control are not drafted into the army. This applies not only to personal contacts, but also to a number of individual entrepreneurs and companies involved in dubious schemes.

The list of the main “evaders” includes the following individual entrepreneurs and companies:

  • Ihor Liubomyrovych Melnyk, sole proprietor,
  • IE Novytskyi Oleh Volodymyrovych,
  • Protoka Soft LLC,
  • Forservice UA Sales LLC.

By the way, Kalmykova’s brothers, who are liable for military service, have not yet been mobilized for unknown reasons. Despite their sister’s words that “everyone will fight,” Rykabal-Aviles Petro (born in 1983), Rykabal-Kalmykov Anatoliy (born in 1988), and Kalmykov Oleksiy (born in 1985) are not officially employed, have no businesses, and Oleksiy has left for the United States.

“Everyone will fight,” but with some exceptions?

In addition to veterans’ affairs, Kalmykova is trying to take over the military healthcare system. With her assistance, the Defense Ministry’s Health Department was headed by Oksana Sukhorukova, a philanthropist who completely failed the newly created structure.

The military still complain about the lack of proper medical care and the need to purchase medicines at their own expense, but does Kalmykova and her colleagues care?

Isn’t it time for the Commander-in-Chief to intervene in the situation and set the record straight?

Siphoning off funds for the construction of the memorial

The company Building UA, established just a day before the tender was announced, received a contract worth UAH 1.75 billion to implement the first phase of this project.

However, instead of a transparent procedure and selection of a responsible company, the Ministry of Veterans handed over the project to a company that had no experience in such work.

The chosen location is a swampy area unsuitable for such work. Environmentalists have repeatedly warned that a cemetery at this location would lead to problems with soil subsidence and flooding. Burial in such conditions is a real mockery of the memory of those for whom this cemetery is being built.

One of the key players who supported the construction on this site is Kalmykova herself and Golik and Birkadze, who are associated with Building Yua. It seems that the interest in the project goes beyond caring for the memory of the fallen – the question is where the almost UAH 2 billion will go.

According to our materials, the Prosecutor General’s Office opened proceedings No. 42024000000001074 on 20.09.2024 under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. But I wonder if Golyk, Birkadze, and Kalmykova will be charged in the case?

Risks of military data leakage.

Imagine, the Ministry of Veterans did not even provide sufficient cyber protection, which creates risks of leakage of personal information of our defenders. And even knowing about these problems, Kalmykova ignores the need to strengthen security in order to keep part of the budget for herself.

This is not just corruption – it is a disregard for our defenders and the national security of Ukraine. How long will this go on?

Veterans are outraged that the funds allocated for their support are being stolen and their real needs are being ignored. This is not only financial damage, but also moral humiliation for those who risked their lives for the sake of the country.

We have already sent materials to law enforcement agencies. We will seek Kalmykova’s resignation (as was the case with her colleague Sukhorukova) and resolve all the problems within the Ministry of Veterans.

According to our preliminary materials, the ruling of the investigating judge of the Solomianskyi District Court of Kyiv of September 13, 2024, in case No. 760/20740/24, obliged the authorized persons of the BES in the Kyiv region to immediately launch a pre-trial investigation into the activities of the Department of Health as part of the Ministry of Defense and separately the Ministry of Veterans. We are waiting for law enforcement to fulfill their obligations and stop profiteering from veterans.

Did you witness a crime?

Let us know about it. We will help protect the violated rights!

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