Over the years, the same company has consistently won tenders for "Municipal Security"
In Kyiv, there is a municipal organization called "Municipal Security," which operates under the Department of Municipal Safety (Director — Roman Tkachuk). The organization carries out a number of important tasks: patrolling parks, squares, streets, pedestrian bridges, and cemeteries, maintaining public order during sports, cultural, artistic, and volunteer-patriotic events, as well as ensuring safety in schools.
According to the head of this organization, Serhiy Chernychev, there are 1,300 employees among the municipal guards. The technical resources seem to be adequate. After all, we have not found any information in open sources indicating that the municipal guards lack, for example, service vehicles.
1 However, this is what is reported on the procurement website Prozorro. In September 2023, "Municipal Security" purchased nine vehicles through a tender for a total of 7 million 189 thousand 860 hryvnias. Of these, six are Renault Duster Life and three are Renault Express Zen. Only one company participated in the auction – LLC "Arma Motors." On September 25, 2023, the company's director, Denys Pohuliaiev, and the head of "Municipal Security," Serhiy Chernychev, signed a contract for this procurement.
On June 23, the municipal organization signed a contract with "Arma Motors" for a range of services related to scheduled maintenance and repair of vehicles for a total of 393 thousand 961 hryvnias. The firm was the only participant in the bidding.
In October 2024, the municipal organization announced the procurement of three passenger cars for a total of 2 million 809 thousand 254 hryvnias. On October 30, LLC "Arma Motors" again emerged as the winner of the tender competition, being the sole participant in the bidding once more.
2 On November 1 of this year, "Municipal Security" announced the winner of the tender for the purchase of five passenger cars – "Arma Motors." The total cost of the procurement is 4 million 711 thousand hryvnias. The tender was announced on October 22.
On October 2, 2024, the organization expressed its intention to purchase a cargo van through a tender, planning to allocate 1 million 454 thousand 300 hryvnias from the budget for this. Only one participant took part in the competition – the already familiar LLC "Arma Motors," with a bid of 1 million 451 thousand 397 hryvnias for the vehicle. The company was declared the winner of the bidding.
On October 22, a message appeared on the Prozorro page indicating that the municipal organization is acquiring a pickup truck at the auction, for which they are willing to pay 1 million 827 thousand hryvnias. The documents for the auction were submitted by the LLC with limited foreign investments "Yuromash," offering to sell the vehicle for 1 million 729 thousand hryvnias. According to the tender documentation, this offer was rejected.
3 4 In spring 2024, specifically on April 30, the winner of the tender for the purchase of 10 specialized Renault Duster Zen vehicles was again LLC "Arma Motors." The firm was also the only participant in the bidding. According to the tender documents, the city is purchasing the cars for 9 million 814 thousand 540 hryvnias. The corresponding contract was signed on May 8. According to YouControl, the ultimate beneficiary of "Arma Motors" is Roman Rebrov.
Interestingly, as reported by Economic Truth, in 2011 "Arma Motors" received a government order from the Ministry of Internal Affairs for 242 service vehicles. And in 2015, there was another procurement: nearly 300 vehicles were again purchased from "Arma Motors" by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
“Overall, during the existence of 'Arma Motors,' the most contracts were signed specifically with the Main Directorate of the National Police of Kyiv – for a total of almost 57 million hryvnias... Since the beginning of 2023, 'Arma Motors' has won tenders for the sale of vehicles for a number of government institutions and the National Police for 34 million hryvnias,” note the journalists of “EP.”
Analyzing the transport procurements of "Municipal Security" on the Prozorro platform, one can find information that back in 2021, the organization purchased 12 Renault Duster Life crossovers from "Arma Motors" for a total of 7 million 949 thousand 904 hryvnias.
One can conclude that over the years, car dealers have been quite fortunate – they consistently find themselves as the only participants in the bidding. It remains a mystery why other car dealers do not participate in the tenders.
Of course, "Municipal Security" cannot function without vehicles. However, let us not forget: the vast majority of Kyiv residents believe that it is not appropriate to spend budget funds during wartime on what is not an urgent necessity. This year, civic activists held a series of protest rallies near the building of the Kyiv City State Administration regarding this issue.
5 “Kashтан NEWS” previously reported, citing the views of civic activists: spending from the city budget on secondary needs, on the purchase of goods and services that can be done without, should be prohibited in the capital.
All resources should be directed towards the defense of the country. However, Mayor Klitschko's team continues to allocate funds for non-essential needs, paying for multimillion-dollar contracts.
It is known that municipal guards patrol not only in vehicles but also on bicycles and in foot patrols. Is it really sensible to spend millions of hryvnias on purchasing crossovers for patrolling public areas when there is such a significant shortage of automotive equipment at the front? Why aren’t city guards acquiring additional bicycles?
Meanwhile, in August 2024, Mayor Klitschko announced that “the capital will transfer 5 vehicles, which were on the balance of 'Municipal Security,' to three military units.” He did not specify which vehicles would be sent for the needs of the soldiers, nor did he mention that the municipal organization is purchasing new equipment. Are these vehicles that were acquired in previous years?
It is agreed that when it comes to spending budget funds, the community should be provided with the most complete information possible.
Bohdan TUR
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