18.01.2025
Money laundering
Tenders
How MP Bondar and his partners took Ukrzaliznytsia’s money through cable tenders

Large-scale crimes involving the embezzlement of Ukrzaliznytsia’s funds remain out of the public eye. Although today the NABU and the SAPO served a notice of suspicion to the current MP Viktor Bondar, a co-organizer of the criminal group that organized the scheme to supply cable and wire products at inflated prices to Ukrzaliznytsia, the effectiveness of the investigation is still questionable.
How was MP Bondar’s scheme implemented?
In short, the entrepreneur, together with his group, had access to Ukrzaliznytsia’s tenders, and if his companies won the tenders, in return for a certain percentage of the deal, he ensured that the suppliers who overpriced their products won the tenders.
The scheme was implemented during 2021-2022. According to the investigation, Ukrzaliznytsia entered into agreements with companies that provided products that met all technical requirements, but the price of cable and wire materials was significantly higher than the market price. Instead of receiving competitive prices for the products, Ukrzaliznytsia was paying much more than it needed to. The difference between the market price and the inflated price amounted to hundreds of millions of hryvnias.
As a result, the state-owned company suffered losses of over UAH 140 million. This is at a time when Ukrzaliznytsia is announcing tariff increases and a lack of funds for financing.
The personality of Bondar, a member of the Servant of the People faction, attracts special attention in this case. Bondar is also a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, which makes his role in the corrupt deals even more important.
Along with the MP, another co-organizer, according to the investigation, is Kyiv businessman Volodymyr Kotlyar. Also suspected in this case is Oleksiy Onysymiuk, former first deputy head of the UZ’s Production Support Center branch (he is a suspect/accused in two other cases).
Naturally, it is difficult to imagine that such a large-scale scheme could have been implemented without the participation of Ukrzaliznytsia’s management, in particular, the chairman of the board, Oleksandr Pertsovsky, the management of the procurement department of Ukrzaliznytsia, and the Minister of Infrastructure, Kuleba, without their knowledge or assistance. So why don’t the NABU and the SAPO charge the main figures? We demand that law enforcement agencies take immediate action and detain absolutely all those involved. Or will the resonance fade and the officials be forgotten?
Fictitious tenders of Ukrzaliznytsia
“Ukrzaliznytsia and the branch of the Center for Transportation Services “LISY” are suspected of corruption schemes involving misappropriation of budget funds through tender purchases. The latest scandal is related to the purchase of 252 fitting platforms worth over UAH 600 million from TAS DNIPROVAGONMASH, a company owned by businessman Serhiy Tihipko.
What’s wrong?
The tender was conducted with serious violations, limiting competition. Only two bidders took part in the competition, and although the technical requirements were too specific and limited, TAS DNIPROVAGONMASH won.
The anonymous company tried to challenge the technical specifications, which made it virtually impossible to deliver on time. All its requests were rejected. In addition, one of the criteria for participation in the tender was the fulfillment of “similar” contracts.
Monopoly of the Kryukiv Carriage Plant in Ukrzaliznytsia’s tenders
This time, only one bidder won the tender for the purchase of 12 sleeping and 20 compartment cars worth UAH 1.95 billion – Kryukiv Carriage Works, which is actually a monopolist in Ukraine.
Other bidders did not have a chance: the deadline for submitting documents was so short that it could indicate a deliberate benefit for the winner.
According to the investigation, Kryukiv Carriage Works is suspected of transferring millions of hryvnias to accounts in Russia through dubious foreign economic transactions. This raises serious questions about corrupt ties and the possible withdrawal of public funds.
Based on our materials, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv ordered the detectives of the Bureau of Economic Security to launch a pre-trial investigation into the case.
How Ukrzaliznytsia finances Russia through Azerbaijan’s SOCAR
The tender for the supply of diesel fuel worth UAH 529 million was won by SOCAR Ukraine, a company that supplies fuel from Hungary. However, an important detail is that Hungary receives oil from Russia, which raises the question of financing the aggressor country by circumventing sanctions.
All diesel supplies go through SOCAR, which actively cooperates with Russian Gazprom. This also raises fears that some of the funds may end up in Russia, which is completely contrary to Ukraine’s national interests.
In response to our application, which contained a full description of the circumstances, we received an extract from the Kyiv City Department of the State Bureau of Investigation, which indicated that law enforcement officers had entered information into the URPTI under Nº 62025100110000004, part 1 of Art. 212 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. In addition, the Pecherskyi District Court of Kyiv ordered the MID of the National Police of Ukraine to start investigating the case. However, we have not received the relevant materials.
These three cases are only part of a larger picture that shows how corruption schemes are flourishing in state-owned companies. At the same time, each such scandal is a challenge for citizens, media and law enforcement. We all need to remember that the more we talk about these schemes, the more likely it is that corrupt officials will be held accountable.
Did you witness a crime?
Let us know about it. We will help protect the violated rights!
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