The main investigation department of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine is investigating criminal proceedings on cases of property appropriation and plunder, under which the central and Kyiv branches of Ukrsotsbank have been searched.

The public relations department of the ministry told Interfax-Ukraine that the criminal proceedings are being conducted under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code (property misappropriation, embezzlement or taking through abuse of office, carried out on a large scale or by an organized group).

The searches, which were conducted in the central and Kyiv branches of the bank on Friday, were authorized by the courts, said the Interior Ministry. The police also explained that the criminal proceedings are factual, there are no specific suspects or accused persons.

As reported, the search at Ukrsotsbank started on September 20 at 1030 under the ruling of Leninsky District Court of Donetsk.

Ukrsotsbank was founded in 1990. UniCredit Bank Austria AG on April 2013 owned 49.9663% of the bank shares directly and 48.3958% through PJSC Ferrotrade International.

According to the National Bank of Ukraine, on April 1, 2013 in terms of total assets Ukrsotsbank ranked sixth (UAH 39.42 billion) among 175 banks operating in Ukraine.