Oligarch Firtash was suspected by the SSU and the Economic Security Bureau of committing a crime: details of the scheme

Ukrainian oligarch Dmitry Firtash has received a notice of suspicion. On 15 May, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Economic Security Bureau handed over suspicions to Firtash himself and eight top managers of his companies.

In the morning, the heads of the oligarch's companies (RGK, Her Energy) and regional gas companies have been searched. This is reported by OBOZREVATEL with reference to its sources in law-enforcement agencies.

Law enforcers exposed a scheme according to which Firtash's subordinate structures bought fuel from his own company, but actually received 30 percent of the volume. The artificial deficit was covered at the expense of state-owned gas, while the money ended up in Firtash's pockets. According to our sources, over the past seven years, this scheme has inflicted 18bn hryvnyas on the country's budget.

How did the scheme work?

Firtash and the top management of the companies he controls were involved in the organization of the deal. Among them are executives of the Regional Gas Company (RGC), which actually manages 20 municipal and regional gas pipelines, which accounts for 70 percent of all gas distribution networks in Ukraine, according to the press service of the SSU.

Thus, during 2021 alone, the unlawful activities of the defendants caused more than 4.2 billion UAH in damage to the state. The total amount of damage, according to preliminary estimates, during 2016-2022 could amount to more than 18 billion UAH.

Officials of Firtash's regional gas companies embezzled more than 70% of the funds that were supposed to be used to purchase gas. In fact, we are talking about embezzling money to ordinary Ukrainians who were paying utility bills.

The deficit formed due to this manipulation was covered at the expense of blue fuel, which was in state ownership - regional gas companies simply took the "under-received" fuel from the gas transportation system of Ukraine.

The SSU also published a rehash of Firtash's conversations with the head of RGK, Oleksiy Tyutyunyk. Get access to the materials below.

OBOZREVATEL previously reported that the management of a group of companies associated with a well-known oligarch in Ukraine were exposed in tax evasion of more than 108 million UAH, criminal proceedings were initiated. We may be talking about Firtash and the enterprises "Azot", "Severodonetsk Azot Association" and "Rivneazot".

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