How the National Memorial Became a Family Contract

The National Military Memorial, which was supposed to become a symbol of memory and pride for Ukraine, found itself at the centre of a major scandal even at the launch stage. Instead of a transparent selection of contractors, there were suspicious connections, firms with murky histories, and people without relevant experience but with the right contacts.

A billion-hryvnia contract awarded to “insiders”

The high-profile tender for the construction of the memorial, worth more than two billion hryvnias, was won by a company whose representatives had previously travelled abroad together with project consultant Georgiy Birkadze. Instead of public competition, there were backroom deals and close ties with officials overseeing the project.

70 million for the design — via an entity linked to Holik

The design documentation, for which the state allocated 70 million hryvnias, was produced by a firm linked to Yuriy Holik, the well-known curator of the “Great Construction” programme. His name has repeatedly surfaced in investigations concerning budget spending in the construction sector.

It is hard to believe, but among the co-founders of this company is an ordinary primary school teacher from Izmail. On paper, she is one of the key partners in a multi-million-hryvnia project. In reality, she is most likely just a nominee.

Granite, concrete, and shadows of the past

The tender’s technical specifications are drafted in such a way that only a limited number of companies can meet them — mainly those who have previously received lucrative contracts on state construction projects. All of this raises serious doubts about the transparency of the selection process and opens the door to corruption schemes.

Patriotism at the price of luxury real estate

The National Memorial was supposed to become a place where the country pays tribute to its heroes. But instead, it risks becoming yet another symbol of embezzlement and cynicism. Under the guise of patriotism — old schemes, familiar names, and billion-hryvnia budgets ending up in the pockets of “insiders”.