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Great Construction

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Great Construction
Велике будівництво
Government program overview
FormedMarch 2020 (2020-03)
Jurisdiction Ukraine
StatusActive
HeadquartersKyiv, Ukraine
Annual budgetOver ₴100 billion annually (approximation)
Coordinator responsible
Parent Government programCabinet of Ministers of Ukraine
This article is part of
a series about
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Personal
Entertainment career
6th President of Ukraine
Tenure
Elections
Volodymyr Zelenskyy's signature

The Great Construction (Velyke Budivnytstvo) is a government program in Ukraine initiated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in March 2020, aimed at developing the country’s transport, educational, social, and sports infrastructure. The program is coordinated by Yuriy Holyk, who has been featured in several journalistic investigations and criminal cases related to the allocation of budget funds and government contracts. In the public sphere, the program has been informally dubbed The Great Theft (Velyke Kradivnytstvo)[1][2][3] due to widespread allegations of large-scale corruption and inefficient use of budgetary resources, actively discussed in the media and society. According to a Razumkov Centre survey conducted just before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, 57.1% of respondents considered financing the Armed Forces of Ukraine a higher priority than the implementation of the Great Construction program.[4]

History

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The program was initiated by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in March 2020, and its implementation began under the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development. The program involves the reconstruction and construction of schools, kindergartens, and sports infrastructure.[5] In 2020, it was planned to complete 10 long-term construction projects.[6] Throughout 2020, 150 km of roads leading to international border checkpoints were repaired,[7] and 216 bridges were built or renovated.[8]

The program was launched amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine coronavirus pandemic and, according to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, created 200,000 jobs.[9]

Role of Yuriy Holyk

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Yuriy Holyk, the coordinator of the Great Construction program

Yuriy Holyk, the coordinator of the Great Construction program, played a key role in its implementation. Holyk is a former advisor to Valentyn Reznichenko, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration.[10][11] He coordinated the program’s information support and participated in the allocation of contracts.[10] However, his involvement in the project was marred by numerous corruption scandals and investigative reports.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

In 2022, investigative journalists reported that Budinvest Engineering, a company co-owned by Reznichenko’s close friend, received billion-hryvnia contracts for road repairs under the program.[12][21] Following these reports, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) conducted searches of Holyk’s properties in connection with suspicions of corruption schemes.[22][23] Investigators also discovered text messages on Holyk’s phone with a contractor who had received over 4 billion UAH in state contracts.[24] These messages revealed coordination of actions between Holyk and the contractor, including discussions about obtaining subsidies and the progress of construction work.[24]

Despite having no official position, journalists documented Holyk’s regular visits to the Office of the President of Ukraine, suggesting his informal influence within government structures.[19][20]

Criticism

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The Great Construction program has faced criticism from journalists as a media-driven PR campaign for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, due to the absence of any official government document listing the projects or the conditions for participation in the program. Additionally, many of the Great Construction projects were actually completed before the program officially started, but were reopened under the branding of the government initiative.[25]

During 2020, approximately 4,000 km of roads were built within the framework of the Great Construction program at a cost of 120 billion UAH. However, in 2018, 3,800 km of roads were built for 40 billion UAH, meaning the construction costs have tripled. Due to this, the program has often been nicknamed the Great Theft (Velyke Kradivnytstvo).[26] In 2020, law enforcement agencies identified 429 criminal offenses related to works carried out under the Great Construction program.[27]

Furthermore, the Office of the President of Ukraine and local authorities have used the program’s implementation for self-promotion. Advertising signs were installed at construction sites, and several Ukrainian politicians used the "Great Construction" branding on their social media profiles.[28] The ruling party, Servant of the People, promoted itself by leveraging the Great Construction program ahead of the 2020 local elections.[29]

Critics also point to allegations of cartel collusion, as six companies won a large share of the tenders, holding about 67% of all orders from the Ukravtodor in 2020.[30] One of the program’s critics was Ihor Umanskyi, advisor to the head of the President’s Office and former Minister of Finance of Ukraine, who spoke about cartel misuse of funds allocated for road construction, which were originally transferred from the COVID-19 response fund.[31]

Assessments

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Facilities completed as part of the Great Construction program in 2020

In 2022–2023, the program came under increased scrutiny for allocating resources to infrastructure projects while the threat of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine loomed larger.[4] Experts and civil society activists argued that substantial funds could have been redirected to bolster Ukraine’s defense capabilities and that some of the Great Construction expenditures were inefficient under martial law.[32][33][34][35]

According to a survey by the Razumkov Centre conducted just before the invasion, 57.1% of respondents considered funding the Armed Forces of Ukraine to be a higher priority than implementing the Great Construction program.[4]

Funding during the war

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In August 2022, investigative journalists reported that despite the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the government continued to finance road projects without using the Prozorro procurement system.[36] The largest payments were received by Budinvest Engineering, a company linked to the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration and the coordinator of the Great Construction program, Yuriy Holyk.[36]

Contractor Payment Amount (UAH)
Budinvest Engineering 1,034,611,599
Avtomagistral 2016 197,096,724
Avtomagistral-Pivden 172,305,506
Onur Construction International 139,916,647
Techno-Bud-Center 128,055,995
Kharkiv Oblavtodor 127,072,306
Khmelnytskyi Oblavtodor 104,453,079
Rostdorstroy 100,057,504
Spets Komplekt Postach 92,556,163
SUNP Avtostrada 75,866,659
PP Avtomagistral 75,257,214
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  • Objects of the Great Construction program
  • Zaporizhzhia — Mariupol highway
    Zaporizhzhia — Mariupol highway
  • New Zaporizhzhia Dniper Bridge
    New Zaporizhzhia Dniper Bridge
  • Construction of a swimming pool in Kryvyi Rih
    Construction of a swimming pool in Kryvyi Rih
  • Road repair in Zakarpattia region
    Road repair in Zakarpattia region
  • M03 route Kyiv — Kharkiv — Dovzhanskyi
    M03 route Kyiv — Kharkiv — Dovzhanskyi

References

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  1. ^ "How Many Percentages of 'Great Theft' in the 'Great Construction'?". Nashі Groshi (in Ukrainian). 2021-08-30.
  2. ^ "Great Construction or Great Theft? Investigation by Espreso". Espreso TV (in Ukrainian).
  3. ^ "Project Without Censorship: The Great Theft—How the Country Turned Out Unprepared Due to Pre-Election PR". Censor.net (in Ukrainian).
  4. ^ a b c "Ukrainian Citizens' Assessment of the Threat of Aggression from Russia (January 2022)". Razumkov Center (in Ukrainian).
  5. ^ "Oleksiy Chernyshov: President's program 'Great Construction' is a priority of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development". Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  6. ^ "'Great Construction' of Zelenskyy and Servant of the People". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  7. ^ "Goal of 'Great Construction' is fast and comfortable travel throughout Ukraine" (in Ukrainian). President of Ukraine. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  8. ^ "Zelenskyy announced the plans of the 'Great Construction'". LB.ua. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  9. ^ "President: 'Great Construction' is a really cool program that helps Ukraine". President of Ukraine. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  10. ^ a b "Yury Holyk, the ideologue of "Great construction": The volume of work has decreased by 1 000 times, and debts have remained for 16 billion hryvnias". Babel.ua. 2022-07-11.
  11. ^ "Mysterious Holyk and Billions: Investigators Describe the Role of the "Great Construction" Consultant". Glavcom (in Ukrainian). 2022-12-13. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  12. ^ a b Natalie Sedletska, Valeriya Yegoshyna, Heorhiy Shabayev, Kira Tolstyakova (2023-01-03). "How Ukraine's 'Great Reconstruction' Brought Great Rewards For A Company Linked To Dnipropetrovsk's Government And An FBI Fugitive". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Daniil Ukhorskiy (2023-10-10). "Investigative Stories from Ukraine: Construction consultant under graft probe allegedly maintains ties to presidential office". The Kyiv Independent.
  14. ^ "Yuri Golik and hundreds of millions of losses: new facts of thefts during road repairs". Russian Crimes Daily News. 2023-03-15.
  15. ^ "What's in Holyk's Phone: Fund Distribution and Ties with Top "Great Construction" Contractor". Bihus.Info. 2024-07-09.
  16. ^ "Defendant in high-profile corruption case Golik flees the country with a disability certificate". 2024-06-13.
  17. ^ "How a person involved in the NABU case with ties to Russia stole billions and went abroad". GO "Non Stop". 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  18. ^ "How Budget Billions Disappear in Dnipropetrovsk Region with Support from the Presidential Office — Investigation". Dzerkalo Tyzhnia (in Ukrainian). 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  19. ^ a b "Coordinator of the "Great Construction" Yuriy Holyk Continues Visiting Bankova Street Despite Road Repair Scandal — Bihus.info". Dzerkalo Tyzhnia (in Ukrainian). 2023-01-18. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  20. ^ a b "Consultant of the "Great Construction" Yuriy Holyk Continues Visiting Bankova Despite Fitness Trainer and Billion-Hryvnia Road Repair Scandal". Bihus.info (in Ukrainian). 2023-01-18. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  21. ^ "Expert Examinations Continue in the "Great Construction" Case — NABU". Ukrinform (in Ukrainian). 2024-07-03. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  22. ^ "NABU Conducts Searches in Yuriy Holyk's Case — Schemes". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (in Ukrainian). 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  23. ^ "The "Great Construction" Cases: How the Investigation Unfolds". LB.ua (in Ukrainian). 2022-12-27. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  24. ^ a b "NABU and SAP Continue "Great Construction" Investigations". Ukrainska Pravda (in Ukrainian). 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  25. ^ ""Great Construction" of Zelensky: government program or media campaign?". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2021-11-09. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  26. ^ ""Great Construction" or "Great Theft"? – investigation by Espreso". espreso.tv (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2021-07-16. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  27. ^ ""Great Construction": Prosecutor General's Office reports number of criminal cases". Ekonomichna Pravda (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2021-11-09. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  28. ^ Bukatuk Uliana (2020-09-16). "Zelensky's Roads: Five Problems of the Great Construction". liga.net (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2022-01-23. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
  29. ^ Zakusylo Maryana (2020-10-22). ""Great Construction", candidate presentation, leader's messages, rhetoric changes depending on region – party communication trends on Facebook". detector.media (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2022-01-23. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
  30. ^ "Under the umbrella of Zelensky and Shefir". Mirror Weekly. Archived from the original on 2022-02-02. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  31. ^ "Umansky criticizes "Great Construction" and expenditure on roads". Economic Truth (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2022-02-02. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  32. ^ "Ekonomika: "I wouldn't call it theft, but a margin we could have lost" – journalist Nikolov on funds allocated to Great Construction". Espreso (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  33. ^ "Majority of Ukrainians don't want money poured into Zelenskyy's Great Construction". Gazeta.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  34. ^ "Where did the 62 billion go? Analysis of the budget of Ukraine's Great Construction program". Economic Pravda (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  35. ^ "Rebuilding vs Great Construction 2.0: Where did the 62 billion go?". Ukraine Crisis Media Center (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  36. ^ a b Yurii Nikolov (2022-08-09). "Found builders who were paid by the government over 1 billion hryvnias from the state budget during the war. And it's not for destroyed houses..." Nashi Groshi (in Ukrainian).
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