A scheme for embezzling money during the construction of the memorial 'Alley of Memory of Defenders of Ukraine' has been uncovered
In the Kyiv region, law enforcement agencies have stopped an illegal scheme that was being implemented during the construction of the memorial 'Alley of Memory of Defenders of Ukraine' in Irpin. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, three suspects have already been charged, including a representative of a private company, a procurement specialist, and a former deputy mayor of Irpin.
The investigation established that officials from the Irpin city council, in collusion with a commercial entity, organized purchases with a predetermined winner. The tender documentation was compiled with violations of the Law of Ukraine 'On Public Procurement', which excluded real competition. The only participant and winner was a limited liability company that supplied 75 tombstones for the memorial.
Financial machinations and new standards
The monuments were imported from China at a price of about 12 thousand hryvnias each, but were presented to the city budget for nearly 80 thousand hryvnias each. The total payment amounted to about 6 million hryvnias, and the alleged overpayment exceeded 2.8 million hryvnias. The investigation is being conducted under the article on appropriation of budgetary funds in especially large amounts.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved changes to the description of tomb structures and memorial plaques for the National Military Memorial Cemetery. Resolution No. 190 of February 11, 2026, details the appearance of monuments and the rules for inscriptions. Such measures aim to unify the approach and enhance control in the sensitive area of memory of the deceased, which is especially relevant in today's conditions.
The situation with the memorial 'Alley of Memory of Defenders of Ukraine' demonstrates the critical need for transparency and accountability in the field of public procurement, especially when it comes to projects dedicated to the memory of heroes.
- Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine
The course of this investigation may create an important precedent for strengthening control over the expenditure of budget funds in the country. The government's adoption of new standards for memorial objects also indicates a desire to prevent similar abuses in the future by establishing clear unified rules.