Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) jointly with prosecutors of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) on August 15, 2017 notified the former deputy head of Ukrzaliznytsia, a director of one of the Ukrzaliznytsia's departments and a deputy director of one of the Ukrzaliznytsia's branches that they are suspected of abuse of office.

The press service of the NABU said on Wednesday that the persons are suspected of committing crimes under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (abuse of authority or office).

"The officials are suspected of abuse of office in collusion with a group of persons, and the State Administration of Railway Transport of Ukraine fell short of $10.2 million of revenue [UAH 97 million as of the date when the crime was committed]," the NABU said.

According to investigators, early 2014, the suspects using their job position and being members of the tariff commission of the State Administration of Railway Transport of Ukraine – a collegiate authority of Ukrzaliznytsia authorized to set beneficial rate for freight transportation – applied beneficial tariffs for freight transportation in favor of some shipping companies, having no grounds to do this.

"The officials decided that the tariffs will be beneficial if the carriers meet the guaranteed volumes of transportation. The carriers did not meet the condition, but they enjoyed the benefits," the NABU said.