Where UAH 860 Million Went: Analyzing Spending on Telethons and TV Shows for Dom and The Gaze

At the end of October 2024, the European Commission criticized the United News telethon, questioning its objectivity and raising concerns about the feasibility of funding the project from the state budget.

The feasibility of these expenditures raises questions, both due to criticism from the European Commission and sociological data. According to a 2023 USAID-Internews study, while 86% of respondents are aware of the national telethon, only 47% watch it, and just one in three viewers trusts it.

How much was actually spent on telethons last year?

According to the search and analytical system 007, more than UAH 860 million was spent on producing two telethons and TV shows for the Dom and The Gaze from January 1 to December 31.

Compared to the previous year, expenses decreased. In 2023, the budget for these projects reached almost UAH 930 million, while in 2022, it was nearly UAH 400 million. 

According to the BI Prozorro Public Module, in 2024, the state-owned International Broadcasting Multimedia Platform of Ukraine carried out 356 procurement transactions with a total expected cost of UAH 975.7 million. The total value of current contracts is slightly lower at UAH 969.4 million. This amount refers to contracts concluded, not funds actually paid. It includes not only orders for the production of telethons and programs but also other services and procurement transactions for various goods, such as clothing, furniture, jewelry, diesel fuel, and documentary development services.

At the same time, the Parliamentary TV channel RADA conducted 46 tenders with a total expected cost of UAH 121.4 million and signed contracts for the same amount. 

Over UAH 840 million spent on telethons 

In 2024, UAH 843 million was spent on creating and broadcasting the United News and FreeDom telethons. Of that amount, UAH 699 million was allocated for the production of United News and UAH 144 million for FreeDom. In 2023, a total of UAH 842 million was spent on telethons.

The production of telethons was procured by two procuring entities:

• International Broadcasting Multimedia Platform of Ukraine managed by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy;
• Parliamentary TV channel RADA. 

Who receives the funds? 

The following TV channels received orders for the production of telethons: Inter, ICTV, 1+1, We-Ukraine, and Kinokit LLC.

We-Ukraine

We-Ukraine LLC received the largest amount, totaling UAH 190 million.  The company was responsible for creating and broadcasting the United News telethon #Uarazom.

The LLC joined the telethon at the end of 2022 after Rinat Akhmetov’s News Group Ukraine handed over its license to the state, and the part of the team moved to the newly created channel We-Ukraine, which they allegedly established themselves. The company’s beneficiary is Ihor Petrenko. According to Detector Media, he is the director of the Department of Internal Policy at the International Center for Policy Studies. Insider sources suggest that the channel may have been financed through Energoatom, but there is no evidence to support this claim.

SLM News LLC

Almost UAH 190 million was transferred to SLM News LLC (ICTV channel), owned by Viktor Pinchuk, for organizing both telethons. Of this amount, UAH 142 million was allocated for United News #Uarazom, and UAH 48 million for FreeDom. 

Inter TV Channel

Inter TV Channel PJSC, owned by oligarch Dmytro Firtash, received slightly less—UAH 170 million. Of that, UAH 122 million was spent on producing the United News #Uarazom, and UAH 48 million on FreeDom. 

TV Broadcasting Company Studio 1+1 LLC and 1+1 Production Foreign Enterprise

Another UAH 139 million was paid to TV Broadcasting Company Studio 1+1 LLC for the production and broadcast of the United News #UArazom marathon, while UAH 48 million was allocated to 1+1 Production Foreign Enterprise for the production of the FreeDom telethon.

According to information submitted by the company to the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting in December 2024, the ultimate beneficial owner of TV Broadcasting Company Studio 1+1 LLC is Valerii Kolomoiskyi. Among the significant stakeholders are Ihor Surkis and Yurii Kiperman, Kolomoiskyi’s long-time business partner. Oksana Marchenko also holds an 8% share, but according to the regulator, this is not considered a significant stake. The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, through the High Anti-Corruption Court, is seeking to confiscate Oksana Marchenko’s shares in the 1+1 group’s channels and transfer them to state ownership. Marchenko is the wife of former MP and traitor Viktor Medvedchuk. 1+1 Production Foreign Enterprise is 75% owned by the Cyprus-based Caddoa Limited, which also holds a stake in 1+1 Telethon (TV Broadcasting Company Studio 1+1 LLC). Additionally, the group’s management and staff hold shares, including Yaroslav Pakholchuk, who serves as the CEO of 1+1 Media.

Kinokit LLC

The Parliamentary Channel RADA is part of the United News telethon. However, it does not produce content itself but outsources it to Kinokit LLC, which cost UAH 105 million in 2024.

According to Bihus.Info, Kinokit LLC is linked to the former Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko. However, Tymoshenko denied that “he or his associates receive funds for producing television programs for the telethon.”

In December 2023, the Accounting Chamber presented a report on the audit of property and procurement transactions of the Verkhovna Rada for 2020–2023. The report highlighted that the RADA TV channel’s equipment is outdated and requires upgrading. As a result, the channel signed contracts with Kinokit LLC for the production of media content worth UAH 276 million. Some contracts could be awarded without competition due to the absence of model provisions for art competitions.

However, the Chesno Movement and the Office of the Verkhovna Rada noted that no violations were found during art competitions and that delays in publishing reports did not result in financial losses.

On the parliamentary TV channel’s website, there is an announcement about the art competition for creating content for United News, along with its results. However, we could not find any information about other participants, their projects, or the scores they received.

Twice, UAH 97.8 thousand was transferred to Individual Entrepreneur Yevhenii Mykhailov—once for renting and providing technical support for LED screens used in the FreeDom telethon, and once for the provision and technical support of equipment for a special broadcast. The latter service likely pertained to the special telethon The Global Peace Summit, which was held in Switzerland.

Entertainment shows for Dom TV Channel

UAH 17.6 million was paid for ten TV shows for the Dom TV channel, ordered by the International Broadcasting Multimedia Platform of Ukraine. This is less than half of the UAH 41 million spent from the state budget on Dom show production in 2023.

*The contractor was mistakenly overpaid. According to the procuring entity, the excess funds were returned, but no corresponding transaction is recorded on 007.

Among the main expenses was the production of the Morning at Home show, hosted by Liliia Rebryk, Iryna Khomenko, and Kostiantyn Oktiabrskyi, which cost UAH 11.3 million. This show was created with the participation of Overkat Studio LLC and four individual entrepreneurs: Vasyl Dimitrov, Serhii Storozhev, Svitlana Horoshkova, and Anna Levashkina. The cost of this show has slightly decreased compared to 2023, when it cost UAH 12 million.

The Morning at Home project was launched in 2021. Its YouTube channel now has 30.6 thousand subscribers and over 15 million views.

Sun Films was founded in 2021 in Kyiv. Its head is Serhii Storozhev, a director of TV shows and films. His works include the TV series When We Are Home, Worst Friend, and Fate Game, as well as the films My Sweet Home, Dedication to Eve, and the documentary Steel Birds.

The show Sea of Hands brought nearly UAH 1 million to individual entrepreneurs Oleksandr Darovanets and Taras Balan. The new host of the quiz show Sea of Hands: Battle of Schools is YouTube blogger Maksym Uzol. In each episode, two teams from different schools compete to answer questions from the multitest and school curriculum. The participants’ goal is to win for their school by demonstrating knowledge, logic, and teamwork as quickly, as possible.

The International Broadcasting Multimedia Platform of Ukraine transferred UAH 977.4 thousand to Tik-Tak LLC and individual entrepreneurs Dmytro Onishchenko and Maksym Kotenko for the production of the Muz_Trend show. This program explores the current state of the Ukrainian music industry, the impact of the war, generational shifts, the rise of new artists, and significant trends in Ukrainian show business. The show is hosted by Slava Diomin. Last year, the show was called Muz_Oborona and received UAH 850.3 thousand in funding.

Interestingly, in February, the International Multimedia Platform ordered music equipment rental services from Tik-Tak LLC for UAH 375.8 thousand. At the end of the year, the procuring entity and the contractor signed an additional agreement to reduce the contract amount to UAH 93.9 thousand. However, according to the search and analytical system 007, UAH 244.3 thousand was actually paid under this agreement. In response to the request, the Multimedia Platform stated that during the reconciliation of indicators, one of the acceptance reports was canceled, and the contractor allegedly returned the mistakenly transferred UAH 150.3 thousand. However, according to 007, no such transaction is recorded.

The Gaze

In June 2023, the Multimedia Platform launched the English-language media platform The Gaze, aimed at introducing Ukraine to foreign audiences. At that time, UAH 43.6 million was spent on content creation. 

In 2024, expenses for maintaining the platform significantly decreased to UAH 3.3 million. The funds were used to produce four projects: Foreigners Help Ukraine, AI Prompt: Ukraine, War-Born Art, and Economy of War.

The Multimedia Platform paid nearly UAH 1.7 million to individual entrepreneur Dmytro Kysilevych for the production of two shows. For AI Prompt:Ukraine, they allocated over UAH 1 million, covering 30 episodes at UAH 33,500 each and 60 video shorts and reels at UAH 750 each. Another UAH 600,000 was spent on producing Economy of War, which included 20 episodes at UAH 28,500 each and 40 video shorts and reels at UAH 750 each.

Yatsenko Maksym was paid slightly less, receiving UAH 1.6 million from the Multimedia Platform. Yatsenko produced Foreigners Help Ukraine (20 episodes at UAH 50,000 each, Arabic and Spanish adaptations at UAH 1,750 per episode + 40 video shorts at UAH 750 each) and War-Born Art (12 episodes at UAH 40,000 each, Arabic and Spanish adaptations at UAH 1,750 per episode + 24 video shorts and reels at UAH 750 each).

Maksym Yatsenko has taken on various roles throughout his life. According to NGL.media, in 2019, he distributed materials for the Affordable Medicine campaign on Facebook. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Yatsenko sold disinfection equipment to hospitals, later expanding to masks and protective scrubs. In addition, he conducted sociological research for the State Enterprise “Center for the Protection of the Information Space of Ukraine,” which is subordinated to the Ministry of Culture. In 2022, Yatsenko primarily provided taxi services, but by 2024, he had begun collaborating with the Multimedia Platform.

As for the success of The Gaze, at the beginning of 2025, its YouTube channel had approximately 37.6 thousand subscribers and had posted over 3.3 thousand videos, which amassed a total of 8.4 million views. However, most episodes have not gained significant popularity, with the majority receiving only a few hundred views. 

This material is funded by the European Union. Its content is the sole responsibility of Transparency International Ukraine and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.