The debt of clients of public joint-stock company Ukrtransgaz for natural gas balancing services grew 2.8-fold or UAH 13 billion in 2017, to UAH 20.1 billion, the press service of Ukrtransgaz has reported.

"Among the largest debtors are PJSC Kharkivmiskgaz with UAH 2.74 billion and PJSC Donetskoblgaz with UAH 2.38 billion of debt. Some UAH 16.67 billion (82%) in the total debt structure was accumulated in the networks of gas distribution system operators (GDS) due to the unauthorized gas pumping for industrial and technological needs of these operators and enterprises producing heat energy," the company said.

Ukrtransgaz said that the General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine is conducting a pretrial investigation on suspicion of officials of GDS operators of embezzlement of the funds of Ukrtransgaz on a particularly large scale.

"Regional gas supply companies and their sales subsidiaries are growing rich thanks to nonpayment not only to Naftogaz, but also to Ukrtransgaz,. UAH 20 billion from one company, UAH 20 billion from another, and it is possible to make a decent living for the main shareholder in Austria. Required intermediaries? Effective network operators?" the press service of national joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy said on its Facebook page, commenting on the information.