UKRAINE, Sep. 8 — The head of Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, must report to Verkhovna Rada on alleged embezzlement of defense fortifications funds, writes anti-corruption center “Mezha”

“Mezha” investigation estimates that the Kharkiv military administration transferred over 400 million hryvnias (~$96,992,340) to fake firms belonging to private entrepreneurs. Most of those entrepreneurs were connected and didn’t pay taxes, and prices for raw materials were artificially inflated and didn’t fit the average market price, “Mezha” says. 

Investigation points to the Kharkiv administration making direct purchase agreements without tenders with newly created firms that had “features of being fictitious.” 

A year after a criminal proceeding was opened into alleged embezzlement during fortification construction in the frontline region of Kharkiv Oblast, Syniehubov hasn’t been called to report to Parliament even once, the anti-corruption center says. 

“Mezha” says that, despite criminal proceedings into embezzlement, none of the officials from the Kharkiv regional administration was given a notice of suspicion. Mykhailo Kharnam, an official responsible for fortifications in the region, resigned.

At the beginning of May 2024, the Ministry of Defence reported the completion of fortifications in five directions, including the Kharkiv Oblast. 

On May 10, 2024, Russia started a new offensive north of Kharkiv Oblast. By the end of the month, the Russian army had occupied 173,81 square kilometers north of the region, and the lack of proper fortifications in the region sparked dissent among the military and civilians.

The Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) reported it detained a group of people suspected of embezzling money allocated to fortification construction on Jul. 1, 2025. One of them was former Kharkiv mayor deputy Andrii Rudenko, who is currently in custody. 

After a court hearing of Rudenko’s case on Jul. 30, Gwara Media’s journalists asked prosecutor Andrii Hliievoi whether the Kharkiv regional military administration’s potential involvement in the embezzlement of fortification funds would be investigated. 

Hliievoi referred to the government’s directive #1207 and said that, according to it, “in state procurement, it’s the contractor who’s responsible for forming prices and establishing an average market price, but, of course, the subject who orders (the services) has to control the price (of services/raw materials) to fit average prices in the region… So a pre-trial investigation is ongoing, but it’s not right to say into whom…” 

The Cabinet of Ministers has several directives under number #1207, and none relate to public procurement. 

Anti-corruption center “Mezha” reported that, under other investigations into embezzlement of fortification funds, law enforcement agencies are already preparing charges against other officials. They didn’t clarify who those officials are.

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