Newcomer secures first state contract worth 35 million hryvnia in Makariv

The restoration of a multi-storey building destroyed by Russian forces in Makariv has been transferred to a new contractor. After the contracts with Astrum Building Company LLC, which failed to complete the work in 2.5 years, were terminated, the site was awarded to Vertex Project. The value of the new agreement amounted to 35 million hryvnia.

Failures of the previous contractor

The building was damaged during the attempted occupation of the city. In autumn 2023, Astrum Building Company LLC obtained the rights to restore it. This same entity is known as the developer of the Sky City residential complex in Borispil, whose investors have been waiting for their apartment keys for years.

Initially, a contract for over 18 million hryvnia was signed. Six months later, the need for additional work arose, increasing the budget by a further 9 million. The total value of the contracts reached approximately 27 million hryvnia. According to the plan, the site was to be completed in 2025.

However, on location, journalists observed that fire damage still remained on the upper floors, while residents had already moved into the lower ones. A resident of a neighbouring building said she had not seen any builders for a long time. In her observations, work was carried out intermittently, and the contractors themselves had changed many times.

Termination of contracts and change of contractor

In May 2026, both contracts with Astrum were terminated. Under a supplementary agreement, the parties ceased their obligations, except for the clause regarding the return of the advance payment received. It remained unclear what specific work the company had managed to complete in the nearly two and a half years.

Vertex Project LLC was registered on 10 February 2026. It was this firm, which had only just entered the market, that won the tender for 35 million hryvnia. Compared to previous agreements, the cost of restoration for the budget increased by approximately 8 million hryvnia.

Link to former deputy

A key moment in the investigation was the composition of the new company's owners. According to Clarity Project database records, the founders, beneficiaries, and signatories of Vertex Project were Kateryna Vovkotrub and Lyudmyla Dimnyk. Vovkotrub owned 50% of the business.

Kateryna Vovkotrub previously held the position of acting director of Astrum and was a deputy of the Borispil City Council from the Batkivshchyna party. On 19 September 2026, while the material was being prepared, she withdrew from the list of founders. Lyudmyla Dimnyk remained the sole owner, and Ihor Popov became the signatory.

Thus, first the company headed by Vovkotrub was removed from the site, and then the same work was awarded at a higher price to a firm she partially owned.

Broader context of Astrum's activities

The situation in Makariv is not isolated. While the police investigate a criminal case under Part 4 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code (fraud), Astrum continued to receive state orders. Specifically, over 160 million hryvnia was allocated for the repair of a children's hospital in Boyarka. A significant portion of these funds was routed through Medis, a firm linked to Kateryna Vovkotrub's husband.

Kateryna Vovkotrub herself did not respond to calls or official requests. Her husband, Petro Vovkotrub, agreed to an interview twice but failed to appear for filming on both occasions.

The facts presented are not an accusation. However, they raise questions for the client, regulatory bodies, and law enforcement: what exactly did the budget pay Astrum for, has the advance been returned, and why did the restoration of the same building become 8 million hryvnia more expensive. The editorial team is ready to publish comments from interested parties.