ESBU intensifies efforts to combat the shadow fuel market and urges citizens to report illegal activities

 The Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine is open to cooperation with the public. Information from citizens, businesses, and journalists serves as the starting point for analytical work and the subsequent recording of offenses. The ESBU has launched the StopShadowBot Telegram bot, through which individuals can report known instances of illegal activity in the fuel market. All received messages are processed. This was stated by Pavlo Buzdyhan, Deputy Director of the ESBU, during the "United News" (Yedyni Novyny) telethon on the Inter TV channel.

According to him, the fuel market has a significant impact on the country's economy, as it dictates the costs of transportation, food products, and services. For a long time, a portion of this market operated in the «shadows». This includes illegal gas stations, underground production, and the sale of fuel without paying excise taxes and VAT. These practices resulted in budget losses and created an uneven playing field for legal businesses.

Pavlo Buzdyhan noted that the ESBU has changed its operational approach. The Bureau is no longer limited to recording individual violations. Detectives now analyze the complete scheme: the origin of the fuel, its transportation, storage, and the movement of funds. This approach allows for the total shutdown of illegal networks.

In 2025, ESBU detectives seized fuel and equipment from illegal circulation worth more than UAH 250 million. This is nearly triple the amount recorded the previous year. Throughout the year, 76 illegal gas stations were dismantled, with an additional 22 facilities removed in January 2026 alone. The dismantling process ensures that these operations cannot be resumed.

According to the Deputy Director of the ESBU, the results of de-shadowing the fuel market are already evident. In 2025, legal sales revenues for operators rose from UAH 380.41 billion in 2024 to UAH 403.47 billion in 2025—an increase of UAH 23.06 billion. Growth in fuel sales volume was also recorded in the fourth quarter. This indicates that a portion of the market has returned to legal circulation, contributing to increased tax revenues.

He emphasized that for citizens, this translates to high-quality and safe fuel, while for the state, it provides additional resources for defense, healthcare, and social programs.

Combating the illegal circulation of fuel has been designated as one of the ESBU’s top priorities for 2026. Within the first half of the year, the Bureau plans to completely shut down the operations of all illegal gas stations.