KYIV. Sept 15 (Interfax-Ukraine, Energoreforma) – The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have notified four suspects of suspicion in a scheme to steal petroleum products from Ukrnafta, carried out before the company's nationalization in 2022.
"According to the investigation, leaders of a business group developed and implemented a scheme to seize 100,000 tonnes of petroleum products worth more than UAH 2.88 billion," NABU said on Telegram.
NABU and SAPO notified businessman Mykhailo Kiperman, former NPK-Halychyna board chairman Bohdan Baradny, Rozhniativnafta LLC co-owner Yevhen Krychevsky, and former Ukrnafta Vice President Felix Lunyov of suspicion, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said on Telegram.
Sources at anti-corruption bodies confirmed to Interfax-Ukraine that Kiperman was notified of suspicion. NABU said the criminal scheme was carried out, in particular, in 2017-2020, and according to open sources, Lunyov held the post of Ukrnafta vice president for processing and trade at the time.
Those involved in the scheme, according to NABU, include: a top-level organizer, one of the leaders of a well-known business group that effectively controlled Ukraine's oil sector; a lower-level organizer, a shareholder in a number of companies controlled by the business group, responsible for coordinating the actions of those carrying out the scheme and concealing the criminal activity; and the board chairman and deputy board chairman for commercial affairs of joint-stock companies controlled by the business group.
A written notice of suspicion has been drawn up for the former Ukrnafta vice president, who is a foreign national, and the documents have been sent abroad for delivery as part of international cooperation, according to NABU.
Under the scheme described in the investigation materials, petroleum products were first transferred to a controlled company through commission agreements, after which part of them were shifted to other related firms for retail and wholesale sale through a network of gas stations. Proceeds from the sales were transferred to controlled companies, including abroad.
At a certain stage of the investigation, NABU detectives discovered leaks of classified information, including details of planned investigative and procedural actions, which were being passed to a person trusted by the scheme's organizers, according to NABU.
NABU suspects a senior SBU official, whose unit was involved in supporting the criminal proceedings, may have been involved in the leak.
Ukrnafta is Ukraine's largest oil production company, carrying out a full production cycle including exploration, oil and gas extraction, oilfield service provision, and management of Ukraine's largest network of gas stations under the UKRNAFTA brand.
The company's balance sheet includes more than 1,106 oil wells and 131 gas wells.
Ukrnafta's shareholders are Naftogaz of Ukraine and Ukraine's Defense Ministry. The company has been under state management since 2022 and is undergoing a large-scale business transformation.
The UKRNAFTA gas station network is Ukraine's largest, with nearly 700 stations, and ranks among the top three by fuel sales volume. The UKRNAFTA brand has consolidated networks that previously operated under the Glusco, Shell and U.Go brands.
