The construction firm Master-Bud, owned by Mishalov’s father, had operated on the market for many years, but it had never been among the region’s leading companies.

After 2016, the situation changed dramatically: the company began showing rapid growth and regularly secured state contracts with virtually no competition. Within a single year, the total value of its contracts reached nearly half a billion hryvnias.

Across the city, numerous construction projects were launched simultaneously — from schools and kindergartens to hospitals, bridges and other infrastructure. But as the scope of work expanded, complaints about quality became more frequent: facilities were handed over with noticeable defects, deadlines were missed, and project costs continued to rise. Despite criticism from residents, media reports and pressure from civil activists, Master-Bud kept receiving new government contracts.

According to observers, this pattern clearly indicated the presence of administrative backing. No company could obtain such rapid and large-scale access to public funds without the support of someone influential. The key figure behind this support was believed to be Vyacheslav Mishalov, whose position and influence enabled the expansion of his father’s construction business — a crucial component of the broader scheme.