Detectives from the Bureau of Economic Security (BES), together with employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), seized more than 16,000 tonnes of gasoline and diesel fuel following searches at oil depots in Odesa and Cherkasy regions.

"More than 3,000 tonnes of fuel with an estimated cost of almost UAH 144 million have already been seized. In addition, a petition has been prepared to seize 13,000 tonnes of petroleum products worth UAH 640 million. The estimated total cost of the seized fuel is almost UAH 800 million," BES reported on its website on Monday.

The seized oil products are blocked to avoid the possible illegal sale. The issue of further fuel transfer for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is being resolved.

"Thus, the SBU blocked the possibility of illegal sale of these petroleum products, which the former management of these companies illegally removed from Ukrnafta and Ukrtatnafta," the SBU said on its website.

During 2022, representatives of Ukrtatnafta shipped fuel to the addresses of affiliated companies without reflecting operations in tax reporting, the SBU said. Subsequently, filling stations under their control sold wholesale batches of petroleum products without paying excise tax.