The ritual mafia has taken over Kyiv morgues and hospitals, - veteran

The ritual mafia has taken over Kyiv morgues and hospitals, - veteran

In Kyiv, there is a so-called cemetery mafia. For certain businessmen, the burial process has become a lucrative way to earn money, bringing them enormous profits.

This was revealed in an interview with TSN.ua by Oleksandr Skoryk, known by the call sign "Onyx". He is a war veteran, having gone through "Azovstal" and experienced enemy captivity.

Skoryk is the Deputy Director of the municipal enterprise "Specialized Combinate", which provides funeral services. This position was created so that military burials in Kyiv would be handled specifically by a military individual.

Currently, "Onyx" oversees 27 cemeteries. According to him, for certain businessmen, the burial process has become a lucrative way to earn money, bringing them enormous profits.

The market for funeral services originated during Soviet Ukraine. And having started operating by the mid-90s, it continues to do so today.

"That is, there has been no state intervention to regulate this market and bring it to proper condition — neither at the legislative level nor on an initiative basis. This field has been left to its own devices," says "Onyx".

According to him, the market is very aggressive and completely monopolized.

"In every city, there is its own funeral mafia. Or its own ’queen’ of the funeral business, or its own ’king’, whom everyone knows. And they hold the overwhelmingly largest share of the market. Of course, Kyiv is no exception. In every clinical hospital, there is its own morgue. And in each hospital, at this morgue, the same private company is stationed. It provides funeral services, not letting any other players in," says "Onyx".

He says: private companies fight amongst themselves—competing for better locations, for every client, for greater influence in this or that medical institution. Officially, around 580 entities providing funeral services are registered in Kyiv. But only one of them has the right to be located near morgues on the territory of each clinical hospital.

"Why such selectivity, why did this happen? Well, probably not without a corruption component. Only "Peter the Great" operates in the city of Kyiv. In the conclusion of the Antimonopoly Committee about this company, it is stated that it violates the rights of all market participants, engages in unfair practices, and so on. But what is the result? There is none," says "Onyx".

Moreover, in Morgue No. 1 on Oranzhereyna Street in Kyiv, this company occupied one of the two body issuance halls since 2005. The respective lease agreement is signed until 2040.

"The issuance of bodies is conducted exclusively through one hall, and this morgue, I don’t know the year it was built, but it’s not just asking for minimal repair; it doesn’t meet any standards at all. The odor, which extends not only in the morgue but also in the vicinity within a 100-meter radius, is known to everyone. We have a situation where the body issuance hall is occupied by a private company, and all issuances take place through the other hall. And if even the question arises that tomorrow there will be a philanthropist ready to carry out repairs, install proper ventilation, and so on, there is no technical possibility. Because it will require closing the second hall, and the question arises, where will the bodies from the morgue be issued during the war," the military man explained.