DPSU Files Suspicion Against Former NAK Naftogaz Official for Abuse of Power and Financial Losses to the State
The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has officially announced that it has filed suspicion against a former high-ranking official of one of Ukraine’s largest energy companies, NAK Naftogaz.
According to investigators, this former manager, responsible for energy efficiency and asset management within the Naftogaz Group, is implicated in misconduct that resulted in significant financial damages to the company and the state as a whole.The investigation revealed that the suspect, abusing his official position, signed an lease agreement for an administrative building in Kyiv before the repairs in the premises were completed.
This decision was made without proper inspection of the condition of the property or approval from relevant authorities, leading to repairs continuing nearly three months after the lease contract was signed.
As a result, employees of Naftogaz could not move into the new office space even though rent payments had already been made.
These actions caused additional costs for the company and resulted in a financial loss to the state budget exceeding 26 million hryvnias.Furthermore, in another episode being investigated by NABU, a former Minister of Energy, Chernishov, is accused of organizing security and hiring domestic staff for Naftogaz, which also led to unnecessary expenses for the state.
The SBI states that the suspect’s actions qualify as abuse of official powers, and he could face up to six years in prison.Currently, the bureau has not disclosed the suspect’s name nor the exact period when the misconduct occurred.
However, they emphasized that the severity of the offense warrants strict accountability, and the investigation is ongoing.