The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs has opened a criminal investigation into abuse of office by officials of Dmytro Firtash's Ostchem group of companies, which resulted in the embezzlement of UAH 2,3 billion in public funds, Interfax-Ukraine reported, citing statements by Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.
Minister Avakov noted that officials of PJSC Azot, Rivneazot, as well as the Stirol concern and the Severodonetsk Azot Association, embezzled more than 2,3 billion hryvnias of public funds through abuse of office.
A criminal case has been opened in this case under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for embezzlement on an especially large scale. The case has now been transferred to the Prosecutor General's Office.
It was previously reported that Rivne Azot owes the state over 1,1 billion hryvnias, and Cherkasy Azot several hundred million hryvnias. The state-owned company Gaz Ukrainy, which is part of the Naftogaz Ukrainy national joint-stock company, has been unsuccessfully attempting to recover these funds from Dmytro Firtash's Ostchem group.
For its part, Ostchem's press service stated that the debts to Naftogaz Ukrainy entities were almost entirely incurred prior to the acquisition of these companies by Firtash's holding company. Therefore, any accusations against the current officials of the companies are, at the very least, incorrect.
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