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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
More than 2,9 million UAH from Kyiv’s budget were directed to two Kharkiv entrepreneurs to supply coffins for burying homeless people, unidentified deceased, and people rejected by relatives. However, during the tenders both sole proprietors submitted effectively identical contracts with forged signatures and seals allegedly on behalf of “Pulyne Vodokanal.” These documents were meant to confirm their experience, although the current head of the utility said the vodokanal never did business with either of them.
More than 2,9 million UAH for coffins to bury homeless and unidentified deceased were paid by Kyiv’s municipal ritual service to two Kharkiv entrepreneurs. At the same time, to participate in the procurements both sole proprietors submitted documents that show signs of forgery: contracts with identical numbers, dates, terms, and quantities, supposedly concluded with the same municipal enterprise.
NGL.media reports this, citing tender documentation published in the Prozorro system.
This concerns sole proprietors Mykhailo Lymar and Ihor Masliy. To confirm their experience supplying coffins, they provided Kyiv’s specialized municipal enterprise “Special Combine of Communal and Household Service Enterprises” with copies of contracts with “Pulyne Vodokanal.”
However, the documents raised questions. Both entrepreneurs allegedly concluded agreements with the vodokanal to supply 300 coffins each. The contracts have the same numbers and dates and fully match in terms, quantities, and types of products. In addition, journalists found a forged seal and the signature of a former head of the enterprise in the documents.
The tender proposals also included waybills that were supposed to confirm payment for previous deliveries.
Pulyne Vodokanal itself denied any business relations with the Kharkiv entrepreneurs. The current head of the enterprise, Serhii Tsilyk, told journalists that they never concluded contracts with either Mykhailo Lymar or Ihor Masliy.
“We did not work with them and we do not know these people at all. It turns out someone is using our name and our prices,” Serhii Tsilyk said.
According to him, the enterprise encountered this situation for the first time, so it is currently only considering further actions.
Coffins for the homeless: how 2,9 million UAH was spent
Despite the questionable documents, Mykhailo Lymar and Ihor Masliy signed three contracts with Kyiv’s ritual service to supply coffins. The total value of the purchases exceeded 2,9 million UAH.
With these funds the municipal enterprise purchased 3080 standard coffins without upholstery.
The ritual service explained that this configuration is related to the nature of the product’s use. The coffins are intended for burying homeless people, unidentified deceased, and persons rejected by relatives.
Acting director of the Kyiv special combine, Oleksandr Krasyko, explained that such burials are carried out with state funds, so additional expenses for upholstering the coffins are considered impractical.
At the same time, the municipal enterprise said it does not have the ability to independently verify the authenticity of every document submitted by tender participants.
Procurement specialist of the special combine, Oleksandr Babenko, noted that the enterprise is not a forensic institution that could verify signatures and seals. According to him, if Pulyne Vodokanal officially reports the use of false information, that will be taken into account when evaluating tender proposals.
Family ties and a shared phone number
Journalists also drew attention to connections between the two suppliers. It turned out the entrepreneurs are linked by family relations: Ihor Masliy has been married for 15 years to the sister of Mykhailo Lymar.
In addition, according to YouControl, until February 2026 both entrepreneurs listed the same phone number in their contact information. Masliy changed it only six days before Kyiv’s ritual service announced the tender to purchase coffins.
Both entrepreneurs refused to comment on the situation to NGL.media journalists.
Not the first scandal around Kyiv’s ritual structures
The activities of SKP “Special Combine PKPO” and related ritual structures in the capital have already attracted journalists’ attention.
For example, two weeks ago the outlet Nash Hroshi reported on a dubious procurement for the construction of the Memorial Square in Kyiv worth 436 million UAH. Separately, the police and the prosecutor’s office are investigating a criminal proceeding regarding possible embezzlement of budget funds during repairs at city cemeteries and the crematorium.
Earlier, StopCor wrote that a scandal erupted in Kyiv around the market for ritual services: deputy director of KP “Special Combine,” Oleksandr Skoryk, is accused of creating an illegal scheme to profit from burials, pressuring relatives of the deceased, and using connections with city officials. According to eyewitness accounts, the scheme may have used the status of a municipal enterprise, and funds for services allegedly flowed to private individuals.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Поховання за бюджетний кошт і підроблені печатки: як два харківські ФОПи отримали контракти на 2,9 млн грн". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: NARDEP 24.
