In the Kharkiv region, officers of the Security Service of Ukraine exposed a multimillion corruption scheme in the construction of primary health centers.

Allegedly, the illegal mechanism operated with the participation of office holders of public authorities, local governments and 14 commercial structures affiliated to them, including with signs of fictitiousness.

During 2018-2019, the Department of Capital Construction of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration allocated a total of more than UAH 360 million for the construction of 30 rural outpatient clinics in different districts of the region. According to the results of local tenders, these funds were transferred to construction firms and involved subcontractors.

At the same time, the construction, technical and economic examinations initiated by the SBU showed that part of these funds was appropriated by the parties to the transaction due to a significant overestimation of the cost and scope of work performed.

It was established that during the construction of only two medical centers, the waste of budgetary funds amounted to more than UAH 1 million. Now three heads of contracting firms involved in the transaction have been served a notice of suspicion on misappropriation, embezzlement or seizure of property through abuse of official position and on neglect of duty. The property of one of them was arrested, and another person involved in the case was put on the wanted list.

The investigation is ongoing; all facts of embezzlement of budget funds are being established. The involvement of other office holders in illegal activities is being verified.

The exposure of the transaction was carried out jointly with the National Police and the Prosecutor's Office of Kharkiv region.