Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine together with the SSU exposed a large-scale scheme of theft of blue fuel from the gas transportation system of Ukraine.

The under-sanctioned oligarch Dmytro Firtash and the top management of the enterprises controlled by him are involved in the organization of the scheme. Among them are the managers of the "Regional Gas Company" (RGK), which covers 70% of all gas distribution networks of Ukraine through 20 city and regional gas companies.

In 2021 the illegal activities of the defendants caused the state losses of more than UAH 4.2 billion. This is confirmed by forensic economic expertise. At the same time, according to preliminary estimates the total amount of damage for 2016-2022 may exceed UAH 18 billion.

Evidence was obtained of Firtash's instructions to company executives, communication between them, mechanisms for withdrawing funds and attempts to conceal traces of illegal activities.

According to the investigation, officials of Firtash's regional gas companies embezzled the lion's share of the funds that were supposed to be used for the purchase of natural gas. In fact, this is a case of embezzlement of money from ordinary Ukrainians who paid utility bills.

RGC transferred the tariff funds received from subscribers to the oligarch's controlled company YE Energy, allegedly as an advance payment for gas supplies but in fact almost no supplies were made. The money was then transferred to controlled companies and misappropriated.

To cover the deficit RGC through the regional gas companies under its control, unauthorizedly withdrew gas from the network of the state-owned company TCO Operator of Ukraine in a much larger volume than it paid for.

In fact the group carried out an unauthorized withdrawal of natural gas that was in the gas transportation system and belonged to the state.

In the framework of the criminal proceedings, the detectives of the ESBU together with the SSU under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor general's office conducted searches in the offices and residences of the organizers of the criminal scheme.

Nine persons involved - Firtash, three heads of RGC and five heads of regional gas companies were notified of suspicion under part 3 of Article 27, part 5 of Article 191 and part 3 of Article 27, part 3 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (appropriation, embezzlement of property or taking possession of it by abuse of official position, committed on a particularly large scale by an organized group, legalization (laundering) of property obtained through criminal means).

Of these five persons were served suspicion notices in absentia as they are hiding abroad. The issue of putting them on the international wanted list is currently being decided. As reported, ESBU and SSU recently searched the offices of 16 regional gas companies across the country.