London, UK
September 4, 2025
In a country where every hryvnia counts in the defense against Russian aggression, officials in Ukraine’s Poltava Oblast are facing intense scrutiny after a lawmaker’s report accused them of embezzlement and the construction of poorly constructed fortifications. The regional government has come out swinging, forcefully denying the claims and labeling them as a “manipulative” effort to “discredit” their work. The public battle highlights a persistent and complex issue facing Ukraine: the struggle to balance the urgent need for defense infrastructure with the ever-present threat of corruption.
The allegations were brought to light by lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak, who released a detailed investigation that claimed millions of hryvnias were siphoned from fortification contracts in 2024. According to Zhelezniak, the Poltava regional government, then under the leadership of Filip Pronin, signed 16 contracts worth approximately Hr 370 million (around $9 million) with a company named Enki Construction. The core of the accusation is that these contracts were inflated using an intermediary company, Primum Aktyv, which allegedly sold basic materials like anti-tank pyramids and timber to the state at wildly overinflated prices. Zhelezniak’s investigation cited evidence of anti-tank pyramids, a crucial defensive barrier, being bought for four times less than the price the state paid for them.
Zhelezniak’s report was not limited to financial malfeasance; it also claimed that the fortifications built with these funds failed to meet modern military standards. He cited photographic evidence and conversations between officials and company representatives to support his claims that the defenses were inadequately constructed, putting the lives of Ukrainian soldiers at risk. The lawmaker’s report has prompted the Ukrainian parliament to summon both the former and current heads of the Poltava regional administration to answer for the allegations.
In a swift and sharp public response, Poltava’s current administration, headed by Volodymyr Kohut, released a statement on September 3, rejecting the claims as “incomplete, inaccurate, and manipulative.” The statement provided an alternative set of figures, stating that a total of Hr 375 million was spent on the fortifications, with Hr 70 million of that going to VAT, not into anyone’s pockets. The administration insisted that every step of the construction process followed approved blueprints and passed multiple inspections. Kohut also accused those behind the allegations of “working for the enemy,” suggesting the claims were an attempt to undermine public trust and weaken Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
This scandal is not an isolated incident but rather a symptom of a larger, persistent problem. The urgency of wartime procurement and the sheer scale of foreign aid have created a fertile ground for corruption. The construction of fortifications, in particular, has been a source of significant scrutiny in other regions as well, with accusations of embezzlement and poor quality control marring crucial defense projects. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has consistently made anti-corruption efforts a cornerstone of his administration, viewing it not just as a domestic issue but as a vital part of the nation’s war effort and its bid for European Union membership. However, as the Poltava case demonstrates, the fight against graft remains a difficult and often politically charged battle.
Headline Points
* Embezzlement Claims: Officials in Ukraine’s Poltava Oblast are accused of embezzling millions from fortification contracts by a Ukrainian lawmaker.
* Poor Construction Alleged: The lawmaker, Yaroslav Zhelezniak, claims the defensive fortifications were built with poor quality materials and fail to meet military standards.
* Official Denial: The Poltava regional government has forcefully denied the allegations, calling them “manipulative” and providing its own financial figures to counter the report.
* Wider Corruption Issue: The scandal highlights the ongoing challenge of corruption in Ukraine’s wartime procurement and construction of defense infrastructure.
* Parliamentary Scrutiny: Both the current and former heads of the Poltava administration have been summoned to Parliament to answer for the allegations.
