Ukrainian officials allegedly embezzle billions in power infrastructure fortifications

This scheme involved lobbying for a government resolution aiming to overhaul infrastructure and energy sectors without public procurement procedures. Plans initially considered burying the power system underground, but technical constraints rendered it impractical. Consequently, the project evolved into constructing reinforced concrete structures (“cabins” and “turtles”) at various substations under two entities: the Restoration Agency and Ukrenergo.

At Restoration Agency-assigned substations, transformers were to be shielded by reinforced concrete structures. Additionally, colossal concrete structures, termed “turtles,” were planned for select substations to relocate the equipment underneath. Ukrenergo-assigned substations also required similar structures to shield transformers, albeit without the need for “turtles.”

The cost of these structures varied with Agencie’s structures being notably higher priced than those under Ukrenergo’s oversight. For instance, the massive “turtle” structure at a major substation was estimated to cost billions of hryvnias. This exploitation has been ongoing for almost a year in documentation and six months at the construction sites of Ukraine’s main substations.