In Ukraine, critical infrastructure may be coated with fire-retardant paint certified by a laboratory that appears to be nonexistent. This finding was reported by investigative journalists from “StopCor” during their inquiry into the matter.
The paint in question, Ammokote, is utilized in various strategic facilities. It is produced by “Kovlar Group,” a company operating in the fire safety sector that has collaborated with energy, transportation, and healthcare enterprises at the national level.
The owner of Kovlar Group, Konstantin Kalafat, is a businessman from Donetsk. Reports indicate that until 2023, he was active in the occupied city of Donetsk and is listed in the “Myrotvorets” database due to his travel to occupied territories in 2021 through checkpoints controlled by Russian forces.
Expert assessments regarding Ammokote have been issued over the years by a private firm known as “Test LLC.” Investigators discovered that this company has been absent from its registered address in Brovary for over a year. The firm’s director left the country in 2023, and the laboratory was evicted from its premises following a court ruling in January 2025.
Andriy Bondar, the head of the testing center, commented to “StopCor” that the company is supposedly in the process of relocating. He stated, “We are operating normally. However, due to the current power outages… you understand? We have moved, but we are still setting up there.”
Despite the laboratory’s absence, Kovlar Group placed an order with “Test” for testing protocols for Ammokote in June 2025. Similar orders were made in previous years, including 2016, 2018, and 2021. These documents have been used to obtain compliance certificates for the paint.
Journalists raised concerns about the implications of consistently receiving testing protocols from a single center, particularly in the absence of a physical laboratory. This raises questions about the independence and objectivity of the testing process. If the laboratory does not exist, who is verifying the fire resistance of these materials?
Moreover, there are concerns about whether these materials can withstand actual fires in real-world situations.
The “Certification Center for Materials and Products” stated that the testing center “Test” is accredited, and that oversight of such institutions is conducted by the National Accreditation Agency of Ukraine. “StopCor” has submitted an inquiry to the agency and is awaiting a response.
Investigators emphasize that if the reported facts are confirmed, this issue may extend beyond a private business conflict and could indicate a systemic problem in the oversight of fire safety within critical infrastructure. Given the ongoing conflict, this poses a potential threat to national security.
An investigation has revealed that a laboratory certifying fire-retardant materials in Ukraine may not exist, raising serious concerns about safety in critical infrastructure. The findings suggest potential systemic issues in fire safety oversight amid ongoing conflict.
Source: StopCor