08.05.2025 Investigations

Officials of the Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs steal millions while veterans are without housing and assistance

Ukraine’s veterans, who gave their health and lives for the country’s freedom, remain without proper support while the Ministry of Veterans Affairs under the leadership of Natalia Kalmykova turns public funds into a source of personal enrichment. Instead of providing housing, medical rehabilitation, or psychological assistance to defenders, the Ministry of Veterans spends millions on dubious advertising campaigns and corrupt schemes, such as the construction of the National Military Memorial Cemetery in a swamp that has become a symbol of cynicism and mismanagement.

This failure of the ministry not only disrespects the memory of fallen heroes, but also leaves living veterans alone with their problems, while budget billions are being siphoned off through shell companies and people close to Kalmykova.

Construction of the National Military Cemetery as a way to make money for the Ministry of Veterans

The national military memorial cemetery to be built in the Gatne community near Kyiv was supposed to be a symbol of respect for the fallen defenders. Instead, the site chosen for construction turned out to be a swampy area unsuitable for burials. At the planning stage, environmentalists warned that groundwater and unstable soil would make a decent burial impossible – the coffins risked literally sinking into the mud. However, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, headed by Natalia Kalmykova, ignored these findings.

Why did they choose this particular site? The answer is simple. The swampy land was cheaper to buy, which allowed officials to “save” budget funds – not for the state, but for their own pockets.

In addition, it is worth mentioning that the tender for the construction of the first stage of the cemetery worth UAH 1.8 billion from the state institution National Military Memorial Cemetery was won by the Building UA consortium, which was registered the day after the tender was announced, and which is affiliated with the curator of the Big Construction, Yuriy Golyk.

At the same time, the company has neither the necessary equipment, nor qualified personnel, nor experience in implementing such projects. But this did not stop the Ministry of Veterans from awarding the contract to Building Yua.

By the way, the Ministry of Veterans planned to allocate UAH 1.3 billion for the second stage of construction (with a crematorium). However, the tender was suspended due to a complaint to the Antimonopoly Committee. But for how long and who will receive the next budget billions from the Ministry?

According to our materials, the Kyiv City Department of the State Bureau of Investigation is already conducting a pre-trial investigation in the proceedings Nº 62024100110000224 under Part 4 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. We are waiting for real results.

Advertising instead of helping veterans

An analysis of the Ministry of Veterans’ tenders shows that a significant portion of the budget is spent on advertising campaigns, information activities and the organization of events that have little to do with the real needs of veterans.

Here are just a few examples of agreements concluded by the Ministry of Veterans:

  • Individual entrepreneur Novytskyi Oleh Volodymyrovych: advertising services for UAH 75,000.
  • Oksana Yakovlevna Romanchuk, private entrepreneur: organization of exhibitions and fairs for UAH 87,000.
  • PE Ivanova Olena Oleksandrivna: photo services for UAH 95,000.
  • PE “Travelsystem”: transportation for delegations.

These procurements are carried out through a number of contractors, including state institutions (National University of Defense of Ukraine, SE Infotech), private enterprises and individual entrepreneurs. The Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center, which operates under the auspices of the National Committee for Sports for the Disabled of Ukraine, is worth mentioning separately. This institution receives contracts for rehabilitation programs, but their effectiveness is questionable, as veterans complain about the lack of real support.

The total amount of funding for such areas reaches tens of millions of hryvnias annually. At the same time, the key problems of veterans – housing, medical rehabilitation, and psychological support – remain unresolved.

Although the Main Department of the National Police in Odesa Oblast is already investigating the matter under criminal proceedings No. 12025160000000384 under Part 4 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the Ministry of Veterans continues to abuse its authority in the management of budget funds.

What is known about Minister Kalmykova?

Former Deputy Minister of Defense and current head of the Ministry of Veterans Natalia Kalmykova has repeatedly called on Ukrainians to “defend the country for everyone” and to report to the MCC on their own. However, her own family seems to live by different rules.

Kalmykova’s three brothers, Rykabal-Aviles Petro (born in 1983), Rykabal-Kalmykov Anatoliy (born in 1988) and Kalmykov Oleksiy (born in 1985), are liable for military service, but none of them serve in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Moreover, their lifestyle raises questions:

  • Oleksiy Kalmykov is in the United States.
  • Petro Rycabal-Aviles had a computer programming business, but it ceased operations in 2023.
  • Anatoliy Rykabal-Kalmykov is an active user of the Russian social network VKontakte, where he expressed support for Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and mocked Maidan slogans, including “Gangs out”. After the media outcry, he deleted some of the posts, but the screenshots were preserved.

Interestingly, none of the brothers has official employment. So if the men do not support Ukraine’s economy and do not serve in the Armed Forces, why does Natalia Kalmykova, who publicly calls for mobilization, not comment on her family’s behavior?

Questionable standards of military medicine: drugs, first aid kits, chaos

Under Kalmykova’s patronage, Oksana Sukhorukova, the former head of the Health Department of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, promoted new standards of military medicine that caused outrage among doctors and soldiers. These standards were implemented with numerous violations, without proper testing and taking into account the real needs of the Armed Forces.

For example, these standards allowed combat medics to possess and use narcotic drugs such as fentanyl, demidrol, panephrine (epinephrine), sibazon and ketamine without proper accounting or control. Most doctors were not trained to handle such drugs, creating a risk of abuse and even drug trafficking among the military.

The nasopharyngeal tube, a critical life-saving device for penetrating wounds, was removed from combat kits. Instead, they added antibiotics and paracetamol exclusively made in the West, effectively eliminating Ukrainian producers from the market. This decision looked like lobbying for the interests of foreign pharmaceutical companies that cooperated with Sukhorukova and Kalmykova.

The procedure for creating new medical protocols was carried out formally, without the involvement of experts and testing. The “approved” instructions contain numerous flaws that are already leading to problems in the medical support of the Armed Forces.

This not only worsened the quality of medical care, but also created new opportunities for corruption. Procurement of Western medicines and medical equipment is carried out through controlled companies that provide kickbacks to Kalmykova. At the same time, the company has neither the necessary equipment, nor qualified personnel, nor experience in implementing such projects. But this did not stop the Ministry of Veterans from awarding the contract to Building Yua.

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