Security Service of Ukraine and Prosecutor General’s Office Conducting a Search in Ukrgazvydobuvannia — Source

A source told Ekonomichna Pravda that the Security Service of Ukraine, Prosecutor General’s Office, and officers from Alpha Special Group are conducting a search and seizure of documents at the state-owned company Ukrgazvydobuvannia.

According to the source, seizure of documents and the searches are conducted in relation to the new team at the company that was working on public procurement.

In his comment to Ekonomichna Pravda, Oleh Prokhorenko, the head of Ukrgazvydobyvannia (UGV) did not deny this report.

The SSU press service states that "the case is under investigation at the Prosecutor General’s Office, and the Security Service of Ukraine performs certain related tasks. For instance, today the SSU is carrying out investigative actions to implement the court’s decision. More detailed information is available from the Prosecutor General’s Office."

An official at the Prosecutor General’s Office told Ukrayinska Pravda they are not giving comments on this case yet.

In February 2016 the Prosecutor General’s Office conducted searches in four branches of PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia.

Prokhorenko earlier published information about fraudulent schemes that were in action under the former management of the company.

"In May 2015, ₴373 million was put in a savings account at the Bank for Investments and Savings. In the month previous to my appointment, questionable procurement for a total amount of ₴100 million was carried out," Prokhorenko said.

Sergii Leshchenko, an MP from Petro Poroshenko Bloc, stated on his blog that before the new management was appointed Ukrgazvydobuvannia was under the control of the People’s Will [Ukr: Volia Narodu] parliamentary group. He also claimed that in his opinion the searches were the result of coalition bargaining at Verkhovna Rada and a sign that People’s Will group was trying to regain control over UGV, in exchange for their votes.

In addition, PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia recently went to court to terminate almost all joint activity agreements on gas extraction.

Source: Ukrayinska Pravda