The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine has returned to Ukraine the owner and former director of the contracting company that was involved in the construction of the Centralized Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. The bureau does not disclose his name, but open data suggests that it concerns Dmytro Nesteruk, who led and owned LLC “BK KBR.” This company was the main contractor for the construction of the storage facility.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Charges of Causing Damage to the State
Currently, Dmytro Nesteruk, along with officials from NAEC “Energoatom,” is among those accused in a case regarding damages to the state enterprise amounting to 100 million hryvnias. According to NABU, an organized group, which included officials from “Energoatom” and representatives of the contractor, supplied radiation control system equipment at prices inflated by three times. The participants in the scheme embezzled the price difference.
“In collusion with the officials of ‘Energoatom,’ he supplied radiation control system equipment at prices inflated threefold. The difference was embezzled by the group members,” NABU reported.
The agency notes that in November 2023, the suspect was placed on the wanted list, and in April 2025, thanks to cooperation with German law enforcement, he was arrested and extradited to Ukraine.
Details of the Investigation into the Contractor and ‘Energoatom’ Officials
In January 2022, journalists published an investigation that included an audio recording of a meeting in the office of “Energoatom” top manager Mykola Bozhko. Participants in the meeting acknowledged that part of the funds allocated for the construction of the nuclear storage facility had disappeared and discussed possible measures to conceal this fact and ensure further financing for the timely completion of the project.
During the conversation, an example was mentioned regarding the procurement of one of the key components of the storage — the radiation control system. A voice resembling Mykola Bozhko stated: “You were additionally paid 22 for the radiation control system. Am I understanding this correctly? I had to help you and help myself, and that’s why we went for real violations there. We paid you misallocated funds. Until the first inspection.”
During the investigation, it was revealed that NAEC “Energoatom” selected LLC “BK KBR” as the new general contractor to complete the construction of the storage without conducting an open tender. Proposals to participate in the project were sent to only three private companies, and less than a week later, a contract was signed with “BK KBR.”
On December 7, before the official signing of the contract for 420 million hryvnias, Herman Halushchenko, who at that time held the position of vice president of NAEC “Energoatom” and is now the Minister of Justice, approved an advance payment of 210 million hryvnias to this contractor. The contract itself was signed only on December 9.
Journalists approached Halushchenko for clarifications regarding the advance payment and the engagement of a new contractor without a tender. He responded that such advance payments are typical for important works and that the procedure was followed, considering the need for the project’s rapid completion.
After the release of the journalistic investigation, NABU and SAP informed the general director of the “Energoatom” division “Atomproektynhirynh” Mykola Bozhko of the suspicion of embezzling 100 million hryvnias. Similar suspicions were announced against the management and employees of the contracting company LLC “BK KBR.” In July 2024, the case materials were submitted to the court.
