Two-year delay turns large Priangarye school into long-term build

The construction of one of the largest schools in the western part of Irkutsk region, which was supposed to be built in Tayshet, has been delayed by two years, with the cost of work increasing by one and a half times during this period. This report covers what is known about the project, why it has not been possible to complete it on time, and the role of the Irkutsk region«s budget deficit.

Plans to build the city«s largest school became known in 2022. It was intended to be constructed as part of the »Minipolis« residential microdistrict—a residential quarter for workers of RUSAL (United Company RUSAL) enterprises in Tayshet.

In 2022, it was reported that Irkutsk region would receive nearly a billion rubles (approximately $11 million at current rates) from the federal budget as an infrastructure loan, with the total cost of work then estimated at 2.34 billion rubles (around $26 million). The contract included not only construction but also the design of the facility itself.

The school building is to be four stories high, including one basement level, and will consist of seven blocks in total. One block is planned to house a swimming pool, along with a canteen with a dining hall for 650 seats and a buffet, a universal sports hall, a library with a reading room for 125 seats, and a medical unit.

As reported by our colleagues from the publication «Tayshet24», for school-wide events, concerts, and rehearsals, the school was to be equipped with a 426-seat auditorium with a stage, dressing rooms, and utility rooms. A video projector and sound equipment are planned for installation there.

The initial completion date for the educational facility was set for the end of 2024. Judging by publications on the city portal, work was very active for some time.

However, the facility could not be delivered by the stated deadline. Completion was pushed back: in 2024, the region«s construction minister Alexander Galkin reported plans to finish construction in 2025, and in August 2025, the deputy head of the same department Yevgeny Vetrov named a new date—2026.

The press service of the Irkutsk region government told the «IrCity» editorial board in response to a request that the delay is due to a «significant slowdown in construction work», which, in turn, was caused by «delayed timely financing of the work being performed».

«The first tranche of treasury infrastructure loan funds arrived on May 30, 2025,» it is noted in the response to the request. Construction began back in 2023.

Over the past two years, the contract cost has increased by one and a half times: at the time of signing, it was 2.34 billion rubles (approximately $26 million), later the costs for the facility rose to almost 3.5 billion rubles (around $39 million). At the same time, regional authorities state that most of the funds for construction (2.3 billion rubles, about $26 million) were allocated from the federal budget. The region added another 1.2 billion rubles (roughly $13 million).

The Ministry of Construction of the Priangarye region expects that work will be completed by the end of November 2026. Currently, the facility«s readiness is estimated at 50.5%. In August, regional authorities stated that construction and installation work continued there, with formwork installation, wall reinforcement and plastering, ventilation system and electrical cable laying, and brick ventilation shaft laying ongoing in various blocks.

The work is being carried out by the company «Novo-Stroy», registered in Irkutsk. It regularly participates in public procurement, in particular, in 2025 it won contracts for the major renovation of school No. 67 in Novo-Lenino and the construction of a wedding palace in Angarsk (this facility was started by a company from St. Petersburg but abandoned it at the foundation laying stage).

Its director and co-founder is Valery Ilchenko, and he is no longer associated with other legal entities today. The company has two more owners—Vladimir Vakulin and Vladimir Bolshikhshapok (they are probably brothers). They have no relation to other legal entities.

Novo-Stroy«s revenue in 2024 was almost 940 million rubles (about $10.4 million), net profit—2.9 million rubles (approximately $32,000).

Problems with the construction of schools and other social institutions are not only in Tayshet. Due to a difficult financial situation at the end of 2025, the issue of «major conservation of facilities» that had already begun construction was discussed. The budget of Priangarye for 2026 was adopted with great difficulty.

We also reported on the largest unfinished constructions in Irkutsk region in recent years.