Hand control and tenders: curator Holyk’s phone shows links to Stroyinvest

Manual control and tenders: in the phone of the curator of the 'Great Construction' Holik, connections to 'Stroyinvest' were found

The coordinator of the state infrastructure program 'Great Construction' Yuriy Holyk consulted and effectively managed the work of some contractors on the projects.

In Holyk's ideologue of the program's phone, investigators found correspondence with the former owner of the construction company 'SK 'Stroyinvest', which over the past few years has received from the state more than 4 billion hryvnias for various works.

In May 2023 year, NABU detectives seized two mobile phones from Holyk. Among the files, there was correspondence with 'SK 'Stroyinvest', whose owner for a long time was (and probably still controls the company) businessman Denis Ostrovsky.

Denis Ostrovsky

In the correspondence, Holyk issues instructions on obtaining subsidies, and also demands reports on the progress of work at specific facilities. The tone of the messages indicates that Ostrovsky in this process effectively acts as a subordinate. In particular, one of his messages reads: 'Task understood. It will be done'.

In cases when Holyk mentioned potential future subsidies, 'Stroyinvest' subsequently received either additional funding or won tenders.

For example, in one of Ostrovsky's messages it said: 'Waiting for the figure today. If you don’t give today, the next subsidy in April. If you give today, you will take the money in November'. The message sent in October 2021 referred to a new House of Culture in Kanev, Cherkasy region.

In November, a new tender for works at this House of Culture was announced. The cheaper bid was rejected, and 'Stroyinvest' was recognized as the winner.

Despite a number of scandals and criminal cases regarding possible embezzlement, the company continued to receive significant state orders.

After the start of the full-scale invasion, Holyk, in the Office of the President, began overseeing reconstruction of damaged facilities. As early as 2023 year, 'Stroyinvest' undertook reconstruction. In particular, companies ordered works in Zaporizhzhia and Borodyanka in Kyiv region. Later, journalists uncovered substantial overpayments built into the estimates.

This is not the only connection between Holyk and Ostrovsky that journalists were able to establish.

Parallel to business in Ukraine, Ostrovsky established a company in Austria. The firm ODM BAU & Investition was registered in Vienna. Journalists found that a local lawyer Serhiy Bakhariev oversees it, who confirmed that Ostrovsky is his client. Bakhariev also accompanies another Austrian company — DEVERTE HOLDING GMBH, which through a Ukrainian firm for a long time co-owned the network of coworking spaces Creative States, where Holyk owns a significant share.