Metro contract in Vinohrady: UAH 13.8 billion to Avtostrada without competitors

Unique deal in the public procurement market

In 2024, the largest construction contract of the year was concluded in the Prozorro system. Its subject was the extension of the metro to the Vinohrady district, with a value of UAH 13.79 billion. The winning bidder was Avtostrada, a company owned by Maxim Shkil. The winner's price offer amounted to UAH 13.785 billion, implying a discount of approximately 1.2% from the initial price. Notably, only this one company participated in the bidding.

Background: a broken project and budget losses

Construction began back in 2018. At that time, the contractor was Kyivmetrobud, and the contract value was UAH 5.98 billion. However, according to the State Audit Service, budget advance funds were used for purposes other than intended, with part of the funds going into deposits. As a result, nearly UAH 4 billion turned into overdue debt. In December 2023, the contract with the previous contractor was terminated.

The change of contractor coincided with a change in metro leadership. In March 2024, metro head Braginsky left his post, and Viktor Vyhovskyi began performing his duties.

Tender terms and participants' reaction

On 13 May 2024, an announcement for the tender was published with an initial price of UAH 13.96 billion. Participants were given only three weeks to prepare their documents. Among the key requirements was a company's 2023 revenue of at least UAH 7 billion. According to estimates by the publication Nashi Hroshi, only a handful of companies in Ukraine meet this criterion.

The Spanish company Cobra requested an extension of the deadline for translating the documentation but was refused. Complaints from companies Miskbud Invest and NewHouse were rejected by the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU). One of these complaints stated that the established conditions "may have been drafted by the Customer for a specific participant".

Contract signing and financial nuances

On 12 July 2024, Avtostrada was declared the winner. The contract was signed on 14–15 August. For comparison: in another tender in Zhytomyr Oblast, where three companies participated, the price dropped by 45%, whereas here the discount was minimal.

The contract itself allocates only about UAH 150 million for 2024. The remaining funds are planned to be allocated through future additional agreements.

Investigation and audit: problems at the site

In July 2024, the acting head of the metro, Viktor Vyhovskyi, was placed under house arrest. He was charged with negligence in office during the flooding of a tunnel that was being repaired by Avtostrada. The tender and the signing of the new contract fell within the period of his leadership.

In September 2024, the State Audit Service recorded a 2.5-fold increase in the project cost — by UAH 8 billion. This is linked to the actions of the previous contractor and the "inaction" of the capital's authorities.

Deadlines and current project status

In November 2024, the completion deadline for the works was moved to April 2027. In October 2025, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that at least one station is planned to open in 2026.

However, financing has changed. In September 2026, Maxim Shkil reported that the annual budget was cut from UAH 10 billion to UAH 1.6 billion. In August of the same year, a project adjustment of UAH 80.1 million was announced. By the end of October 2026, no station had been opened.

Investigation conclusions

The materials confirm that the tender was conducted with a single participant, the discount was insignificant, and the conditions, although strict, formally complied with the law. At the same time, it was not possible to prove that the conditions were specifically developed for Avtostrada by agreement, that the price was inflated, or that Vitali Klitschko personally influenced the choice of the winner.

In the next part, we will examine the situation in Vinnytsia (June 2024): three contracts worth UAH 10.5 billion with a 3% discount and pothole repair that is almost three times more expensive than in the neighbouring oblast.