Zaporizhzhia allocates UAH 94 million for underground office in Regional Military Administration

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a budget for the major repair of the basement premises of the regional state administration building has been approved. The allocated amount is 94 million hryvnias. The project envisages the creation of a full-fledged underground workspace capable of functioning autonomously. The customer is the state enterprise "Local Roads of Zaporizhzhia Oblast," while the contractor is the company "BK Kalmius."

Contractor's link to former RMA head

An investigative report by the Zaporizhzhia Investigative Centre recorded that the contractor company has repeatedly received large construction orders in the region. As previously reported by journalists from "Nashi Groshi" (Our Money), "BK Kalmius" is linked to Ivan Fedorov, who headed the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration before moving to another position.

According to the investigators, the firm was established after the Antimonopoly Committee restricted the participation of Melitopol's "Kompaniia Pozytyv" (Positive Company) in state procurement for three years. Attention was also drawn to new "BK Kalmius" contracts that appeared following personnel changes associated with Ivan Fedorov's appointment to a new post.

A peculiarity of this tender was the absence of the exact address of the facility in the main announcement and on the state DREAM portal. The address could only be established after a detailed review of the tender documentation. Amendments to the contract for the project expertise and the title of one of the budget sheets mention Sobornyi Avenue, 164 — this is where the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration building is located.

What is included in the 94 million budget

According to the project documentation, the underground office is to contain approximately 30 offices, a kitchen, and sleeping areas. The budget, which lists over a thousand items, includes the purchase of modern equipment and furniture.

Among the kitchen appliances, a large refrigerator, induction stoves, a food processor, hoods, and two DeLonghi coffee makers are provided for. Particular attention was drawn to the list of soft furniture: the budget specifies 14 sofas and three double beds. According to journalists' calculations, the cost of these items is approximately 345,000 hryvnias.

In addition, plans include the purchase of 70 "Dakota" model office chairs, additional visitor chairs, and six conference tables. The total cost of the chairs is estimated at approximately 1.26 million hryvnias. The premises will also be equipped with a shower cabin, ventilation, water supply, and communication systems. According to the authors of the investigation, such equipment will allow the underground space to operate even in the event of a power outage or utility disconnection in the main building.

Questions about the appropriateness of expenses

The decision to carry out repair work is made against the backdrop of a general reduction in budget expenditures. In some Ukrainian communities, delays in treasury payments are recorded, specifically for fuel for generators and salaries for municipal enterprise employees.

On the DREAM portal, the project is classified as the development of local government infrastructure to enhance safety, energy efficiency, and building functionality. The basis for the work was an order from the head of the Zaporizhzhia RMA dated 14 May 2026 on amending the regional programme for the construction, reconstruction, and modernisation of infrastructure. However, this document has not been published on the administration's official website.

Leading expert at the Institute of Economic Studies, Oksandra Betlii, explained that such investment decisions are made by the investment council at the regional administration. Its members usually include representatives of the administration itself, who also participate in forming the Unified Project Portfolio.

The authors of the investigation contacted the Zaporizhzhia RMA with questions regarding the expediency of such expenses and the specifics of the project implementation. As of 21 October, when the material was published, no response had been received within a week.

Recall that in May 2025, the state enterprise "Local Roads of Zaporizhzhia Oblast" signed three contracts with the company "BK Kalmius" for a total amount of 658.82 million hryvnias. They envisaged the construction of a new wing of the regional children's hospital and two school shelters. At that time, journalists found prices for materials in the budgets that exceeded market rates. It is also mentioned that 263 million hryvnias may have been allocated for the arrangement of an underground room for meetings of the Verkhovna Rada during air raids.