Ukrainian SBU Security Service agents and Kyiv prosecutors are conducting searches of the main office of the State Reserve Agency and state-owned Zlatodar (Cherkasy region) as well as Khlibna Baza No. 85 (Kharkiv region) in connection with an investigation into grain transfers, State Reserve Agency head Vadym Mosiychuk has said.

"The searches are based on the ruling of Kyiv's Pechersky District Court on seizing documents involving the transfer of grain from the state reserve in Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions. The main reason is the destruction of the State Reserve, also known as the 'hornets' nest," Mosiychuk said on his Facebook page on Tuesday.

According to Mosiychuk, First Deputy Prime Ministry for Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv on April 17, 2018, signed a decision on surprise checks of the State Reserve, on the protection of state secrets resulting from a SBU check.

"We officially declare ourselves open for an objective investigation and are providing all necessary documentation," Mosiychuk said.

Simultaneously, the State Reserve Agency appealed to the Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), Cabinet of Ministers and parliament deputies to interfere in the situation and take under control the criminal case to not allow violations of acting legislation.

Mosiychuk said the criminal case was opened pursuant to the possible storage of poor quality Lithuanian diesel fuel by the State Reserve Agency. However, he said the purchase of this fuel did not take place, state interests were not harmed and state funds were not used. Prosecutors meanwhile were investigating whether State Reserve Agency employees tampered with 18,000 tonnes of diesel fuel supplied in 2015 by WOG Aero Jet Ltd. for long-term storage with the State Reserve Agency. The quality of the diesel fuel was checked and fully complied with specifications. No evidence of criminal activity was found.