Budget millions for "insider" contractors: Vyacheslav Mishalov built a scheme for unpunished extraction of money from Dnipro

The most high-profile case for “Maister-Bud” involved the boiler projects — the famous 35 million hryvnias that the city allocated for upgrading heating equipment in schools and kindergartens.

On paper, everything looked correct: improved efficiency, savings on heating, new heat generators. But in practice, the funds were spent while the work was only partially completed—or in some cases, not done at all.

The equipment supplier turned out to be a company connected to Mishalov’s ex-wife. In other words: the contractor was his father, the supplier his former spouse, and the political cover was Mishalov himself. This perfect setup worked until activists started examining the documents, visiting the sites, and documenting the lack of actual work.

The scandal reached a criminal investigation, but the outcome was predictable. None of the key figures faced serious consequences. It became clear that Mishalov not only uses power, but also knows how to protect his own. The boiler scheme became a classic example of how their family model works: budget → contractor → equipment from “their own” → endless protection during inspections.