Yuriy Golik and Valentin Reznichenko’s veteran funding scheme: how former Big Construction curators shifted their focus to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs

“Some people from the ministry called and made an offer” — this is how Yuriy Shulika, head of the charitable foundation “Songs Born in ATO,” explains the unexpected involvement of the music organization in the development of a standard design project for a veteran space. The foundation, which had never been involved in construction, prepared the documentation that became the basis for a large-scale project worth billions of hryvnias just 55 days before the government program was approved.

Project author Yuriy Erdeli claims that he completed the work for a symbolic fee of just 1 hryvnia — “because it is for veterans.” The documentation was then transferred to the “Songs Born in ATO” foundation and later ended up in the possession of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs.

However, key questions remain unanswered: why was this particular foundation chosen as an intermediary, who initiated the arrangement, and why was an organization with no construction experience selected to prepare a state program project?

Yuriy Shulika was unable to provide clear explanations — he does not know who made the call, does not remember the details, and cannot name the initiators. As a result, the state received a “free” project that later became the foundation for a program backed by billions of hryvnias in budget funding. The circumstances surrounding its creation remain unclear to this day.

The charitable foundation “Songs Born in ATO” became the designer of a state program project for 1 hryvnia.

How “Big Construction 2.0” moved into the veterans’ sector

The charitable foundation “Songs Born in ATO” was founded by Vladimir Yurchenko — former deputy head of the Dnepropetrovsk Regional State Administration under Valentin Reznichenko. The same Reznichenko whom NABU suspects of embezzling UAH 392 million. The same Reznichenko under whose leadership the controversial Big Construction program was implemented. Now his associates — Viktor Baidachnyi and Vladimir Yurchenko — have appeared in the Ministry of Veterans Affairs. Even before the official launch of the program, Viktor Baidachnyi traveled to local communities and negotiated construction plans. It was Baidachnyi who signed approvals for the use of the project developed by the “Songs Born in ATO” foundation and distributed subsidies. The scheme appears transparent as a tear — unless you understand who is who. But we do.

A veteran space in ten days — how Yuriy Golik and Viktor Baidachnyi pushed communities into impossible deadlines

The construction contract in Kremenchuk was signed on November 10, and the facility was supposed to be completed by November 20. Ten days to build a facility of almost 1,500 square meters. In Lutsk, the project schedule provided for four months — from August to November. But the contract was signed only on October 15, while completion was still required by November 20. The rush had a simple explanation: communities had to spend the allocated budget funds before the end of the year. Vasiliy Lishchuk, head of the capital construction department of Lutsk, admitted that the deadlines were unrealistic, but said that “the country’s leadership sees things differently.” Who is this leadership? The same people who pushed this project through. And behind them, as always, stands the figure of the informal curator Yuriy Golik. The same Golik whose premises were searched, who left Ukraine through the “Shlyakh” system as a volunteer for the “Songs Born in ATO” foundation, and who now claims that he “knows nothing” about veteran spaces. He does not know — but his associates are managing the process.

Yuriy Golik — the informal curator of Big Construction; Valentin Reznichenko — former head of the Dnepropetrovsk Regional State Administration, facing suspicions of embezzlement.

Seven facilities, none delivered: billions spent, while openings remain somewhere in the future

In July 2025, the government allocated UAH 446 million for the first seven veteran spaces. They were scheduled to be commissioned by December 1, 2025. Six months have passed — and not a single one has opened. In Lutsk, the facility’s completion date was pushed back to June, while it remains unclear who will maintain it afterward. “We are responsible for construction, while the ministry decides who will operate it further,” said Lishchuk. In other words, the ministry led by Viktor Baidachnyi and his curator Yuriy Golik builds the facilities, and afterward — “let the grass grow.” Meanwhile, in February 2026, the government approved the next stage — another UAH 1.1 billion for 15 communities. This happened despite the fact that the first seven facilities had not been completed, despite inflated estimates (in Uzhhorod — by UAH 7 million, in Krivoy Rog — by UAH 2.6 million), and despite contractors with no relevant experience. For Yuriy Golik, Valentin Reznichenko, and Viktor Baidachnyi, this is not a veteran support program. It is “Big Construction 2.0” — another barrel of budget money involving the same people, the same schemes, and the same outcome: billions spent, while veteran spaces remain empty.

The National Military Memorial Cemetery as the third billion-hryvnia project for Yuriy Golik and Viktor Baidachnyi

But veteran spaces are not the only project. The National Military Memorial Cemetery is another major initiative of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs. Journalists from Bihus.Info found that only one bidder participated in the tender for the first stage, worth UAH 1.75 billion — a consortium created the day after the tender was announced. According to the investigation, Yuriy Golik is linked to this consortium. The chief architect of the memorial had previously worked with Golik during the Big Construction period. Construction on behalf of the ministry is overseen by Viktor Baidachnyi — the same Baidachnyi who refused to comment on the investigation. Yuriy Golik denied any involvement, calling the claims “someone’s fantasies and speculation.” But why does his name appear for the second time alongside multi-billion-hryvnia construction projects overseen by his longtime associate Viktor Baidachnyi, while being funded by a state in which Valentin Reznichenko is already facing court proceedings? Probably just a coincidence. Just like the mysterious call from “some people” after which a music foundation became the designer of a government program. And while Yuriy Golik denies involvement, Valentin Reznichenko fights legal battles, and Viktor Baidachnyi remains silent, veterans continue waiting for their spaces. And they may have to wait much longer. The money has already been spent.