Corinthian capitals and bossages for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Lviv region welcomed tens of thousands of people fleeing from Russian bombs and missiles. Over time, some of the displaced individuals moved to other regions or abroad, while others managed to establish their lives independently. However, some remained in Lviv region and were unable to secure housing. For them, various dormitories and other buildings have been reconstructed in Lviv and across the region over the past three years. In one of the dormitories, even separate apartments have been created.
Such renovations are still ongoing. Unfortunately, they are not without abuses, as for some, especially those close to the authorities, it presents an opportunity for significant profit. For instance, according to law enforcement officials, in January, the director of a local construction firm was dismantled for embezzling funds during the renovation of a dormitory for displaced persons in Sokali.
ZAXID.NET analyzed a series of procurements carried out by Lviv region communities in 2022-24 for the accommodation of displaced persons and the creation of appropriate conditions for them. We share a few of the most interesting ones, in our opinion.
Corinthian capitals and ballet bars
In September 2024, the Pidberiztsi village council signed a contract with "Neotechpostach" LLC for the reconstruction of a community building to accommodate internally displaced persons. The contract price is 18 million UAH. Bidding took place in the electronic procurement system Prozorro, with the company being the sole participant.
This concerns the people's house in Pidberiztsi, where by the end of May 2025, floors, walls, ceilings, and the facade are to be completely renovated. They also plan to replace the electrical wiring, sewage systems, plumbing, lighting, install a fire alarm system, new sanitary equipment, and more. Additionally, there will be an elevator for people with reduced mobility and an inclusive restroom.
Furthermore, the building is set to feature underfloor heating, air conditioning, and new doors, including concealed ones that are more expensive than standard options. Naturally, the documents also addressed the need for new curtains.
Although the tender announcement mentions accommodating displaced persons, the technical specifications published on the bidding page do not include this information. Instead, it focuses on the reconstruction of the people's house and its decoration, including:
- a new stage;
- ballet bars and mirrors;
- spotlights, projectors, speakers;
- new chairs for the hall;
- a negotiation table, office chairs, etc.
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The project also includes landscaping and improvement of the area with paving stones, garden benches, and several maples.
As noted by ZAXID.NET, the people's house in Pidberiztsi is an example of Ukrainian modernism in architecture. Repairs were already carried out here a few years ago, including the replacement of some windows and doors with plastic ones (now the windows are to be replaced again) and the renovation of the heating system (new radiators will be purchased now). In 2021, during facade insulation, the unique decoration of the people's house was damaged.
This time, the facade will be insulated anew. The same firm that worked in 2021, "Neotechpostach," is responsible. However, this time they have taken care of the decoration, albeit not historically but rather "antique."
The work estimate on the tender page mentions facade decoration of the people's house in Pidberiztsi using polystyrene bas-reliefs (this decorative element is also called rustication). After the renovation, Corinthian capitals will crown the columns in the building.
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Speaking of the estimate, the contractor will purchase the bas-reliefs for 154 UAH each, when similar-sized decor can be purchased retail for 93 UAH each, or even cheaper.
Prices for materials in the estimate appear inflated. For example, fireproof insulated and uninsulated doors for the people's house are proposed to be purchased at prices ranging from 13,500 to 22,000 UAH per m2, while the average market price is up to 10-12,000 UAH per m2. Doors made of MDF with a selected trim are planned to be bought for nearly 16,000 UAH per meter, whereas the average price in specialized stores is 8-10,000 UAH per sheet.
Additionally, the prices for extruded polystyrene for facade insulation and radiators are one and a half to two times higher than market prices. It is worth noting that a few years ago, the facade and heating were already brought into order.
According to the estimate, nearly 1.6 million UAH will be spent on equipment. Besides ballet bars and mirrors, plans include purchasing a wardrobe for 130,000 UAH, document cabinets for 18,000 UAH, two conference tables for 29,000 UAH, and 16 office chairs for 6,500 UAH. Chairs in the assembly hall of the people's house will be replaced at 2,500 UAH each. And much more.
For such meticulous work with a multimillion cost, the contractor is expected to earn a profit of 428,000 UAH according to the estimate.
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Speaking of the contractor, "Neotechpostach" LLC was established in 2011 by Roman Zubyk and Yuriy Miskiv, whose main activity now is trading in auto parts. The latter was a business partner of the controversial Ihor Hrynkevych for many years, including in "Verkhovyna" Construction Company LLC.
In 2021, according to data from the YouControl service, the sole owner of the company was already Ihor Chaban, who has been listed as its director since 2015. Ihor Chaban is also the owner of construction companies "Synevyr-Nova," registered in Uzhhorod, and "Synevyr-Optima" in Lviv.
From 2016 to 2018, "Neotechpostach" obtained three small contracts from various village councils. Since 2018, it has only won tenders from the Pidberiztsi village council, mostly concerning landscaping and minor repairs, with contract sums ranging from 25,000 to 250,000 UAH, and occasionally within 1-1.5 million UAH.
In May 2021, the Pidberiztsi village council awarded "Neotechpostach" LLC a contract for landscaping repairs worth 3.57 million UAH, in November 2022 – 4.3 million UAH, in 2023 – 3.9 million UAH, and last year – immediately 18 million UAH.
An unfinished picture
At the end of 2023, renovations began on part of the building that once belonged to the Institute of Agriculture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences in the village of Pidhirne, Pidberiztsi community. Here, on the second floor, a space for accommodating displaced persons was to be organized by the end of 2024. The corresponding tender was won by "Synevyr-Optima" LLC, which was repairing offices in this building for local government bodies before the invasion of Russia.
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"Synevyr-Optima" LLC is another firm owned by Ihor Chaban, who is also the owner of "Neotechpostach" LLC. He founded the new company on March 13, 2020, and just 11 days later, it signed a contract with the Pidberiztsi village council for nearly 1.5 million UAH for major road repairs in the village of Tarasivka.
The contract price for the works to accommodate IDPs in Pidhirne village is only 3.9 million UAH. At first glance, there is nothing unique about it. It covers restrooms, 19 office chairs, fire alarm systems, air conditioning, and similar "little things."
However, some elements in the "equipment" section have special references to home comfort. For