Generators at inflated prices: ESBU notified a Chernivtsi City Council official and a company head of suspicion

 Detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Chernivtsi region have notified a former director of a municipal enterprise, who currently heads one of the departments of the Chernivtsi City Council, and a former head of a private enterprise of suspicion. They are suspected of misappropriating budget funds during the procurement of technical equipment at inflated prices.

According to the investigation, in 2022, the municipal enterprise procured 31 diesel generators to provide the city's critical infrastructure facilities with alternative power sources. The official, acting in prior conspiracy with the head of the private enterprise, organized the procurement of equipment at inflated prices.

It was established that the winner of the tender was an enterprise that, at the time of the procurement, had no experience in supplying such equipment. Subsequently, a contract worth over UAH 9.7 million was concluded between the parties.

Furthermore, the individuals involved signed a delivery note certifying the alleged receipt of all 31 generators, even though the equipment had not been delivered in full at the time the document was executed. On the basis of this document, budget funds were transferred to the company's account.

According to the conclusions of the expert examination, the cost of the purchased equipment was inflated. As a result of these actions, the municipal enterprise sustained damages of over UAH 2.5 million.

The former director of the municipal enterprise and the head of the private enterprise were notified of suspicion of misappropriation of property through abuse of official position, on an especially large scale, committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons under martial law, as well as official forgery.

Under martial law, monitoring the use of budget funds is of particular importance. Every hryvnia aimed at securing critical sectors must be used effectively and for its intended purpose. Any attempts to abuse budget resources are unacceptable.

In 2026, detectives from the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Chernivtsi region investigated 36 criminal proceedings in the field of budgetary offenses. Six criminal proceedings have been forwarded to the court, and 18 individuals have been notified of suspicion," noted the head of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Chernivtsi region.

The pretrial investigation is ongoing.

Operational support is provided by the staff of the Strategic Investigations Department in the Chernivtsi region of the Strategic Investigations Department of the National Police of Ukraine.

Procedural guidance is provided by prosecutors of the Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor's Office.

It should be noted that according to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven through legal procedures and established by a court's verdict of conviction.