Mykolaiv Utility Director’s wife employed at company linked to brother’s corruption case

Director of the Department of Housing and Communal Services Dmytro Bezdolnyi and Deputy Mayor Serhii Korenev

In addition to the brother of the director of the Mykolaiv Housing and Communal Services Department suspected of corruption, Olena Shapirko, the official's wife, also works at the municipal enterprise «Self-supporting Construction Mechanisation Section» (hereinafter referred to as the SSCS).

This is evidenced by the data of Dmytro Bezdolnyi's declaration for 2024, published in the Unified State Register of NAPC declarations, as noted by NikVesti.

Although Dmytro Bezdolnyi did not officially marry Olena Shapirko, she is listed in the section «Family members» in the declaration. The official indicated that they live together and have a common household.

Also in 2024, Olena Shapirko purchased a new electric car — a Nissan Ariya 2024 — worth ₴1.1 million. According to journalists, this car is also used by Dmytro Bezdolnyi himself.

Working for the municipal enterprise «SSCS», the cohabitant of the Director of the Housing and Communal Services Department received a salary of ₴302,953 in 2024.

Nissan Ariya electric car in 2024. Photo: NikVesti

As it is known, an official of a utility company in Mykolaiv and a businessman from Lviv region were served with a notice of suspicion of misappropriation of budget funds. One of the suspects of corruption in the procurement of street lighting equipment in Mykolaiv turned out to be the brother of the head of the Department of Housing and Communal Services of the Mykolaiv City Council. According to law enforcement, during the procurement of 65 street lighting control cabinets worth over ₴5.3 million, the budget of Mykolaiv lost almost ₴600,000 due to the so-called «kickbacks» — 13% of the amount excluding VAT. Investigators have already served a notice of suspicion to Serhii Bezdolnyi, along with the company's director Vasyl Protsyshyn.

In addition, Dmytro Bezdolnyi, director of the Mykolaiv Housing and Communal Services Department, said he was considering resigning from his post for the duration of the investigation because of the suspicion served on his relative.