The state-owned railway monopoly Ukrzaliznytsia has been considered a loss-making enterprise in recent years. However, in developed countries, such companies are, without exaggeration, economic drivers, reports uainfo.org.
An interesting situation is emerging. While effectively bankrupt, UZ is purchasing rolling stock, fuel, spare parts, and even bed linen at two to three times, and sometimes five times, the price. Why? The answer is simple: the company is being managed by people who deliberately drive it into bankruptcy so they can later acquire Ukrzaliznytsia's assets for next to nothing. At reduced rates, UZ transports goods not only for Intertransgroup, but also for a number of other companies. During one of Ostapyuk's final stints at UZ, he decided to make money from freight transportation, adopting the scheme that had been in place under the Family.
All freight transportation transactions must be processed through an intermediary firm, where, in the interests of Ukrzaliznytsia's new overseers, each client must pay a certain kickback—usually 3% of the transaction amount. Currently, all contracts are processed through Nika-Trans, earning Blank and his team at least 150 million hryvnias monthly. Therefore, this "project" is no less profitable than Blank's Ukrainian Passenger Logistics Center, which allows it to pocket 5% of the cost of each ticket by reselling passenger tickets. Over the past 12 months, according to last year's figures, it has accumulated a meager 350 million hryvnias. In the fall, while inspecting Ukrzaliznytsia and its employees, law enforcement also uncovered cases of abuse favoring specific companies during tenders. Specifically, the report on identified abuses mentions a story about procurement conducted by UZ from Expozitsiya LLC. Law enforcement officials uncovered pitfalls in the relevant agreements thanks to the involvement of specialists from the Ministry of Economic Development. Law enforcement agencies are currently examining other tender agreements between Ukrzaliznytsia and Ukrzaliznychpostach. In particular, they are particularly scrutinizing tender agreements concluded by the state-owned enterprise with companies close to the management of UZ and Ukrzaliznychpostach. At issue are Nikateks-Trade LLC, from which the railway purchases textiles; Element-Oil LLC, which received the right to supply lubricants and diesel fuel; and Galnaftoinvest Company LLC, which is supposed to supply construction materials to the railway.
Maxim Blank
Now, after an operational and economic analysis, it has been established that in the first three months of this year alone, these companies received UAH 25 million from the state-owned enterprise Ukrzaliznytskyi Postach. Of this, approximately UAH 11,65 million was transferred to companies with signs of fictitiousness. Ultimately, however, law enforcement has yet to find convincing evidence of the Ukrainian Railways' management's involvement in these companies. Ostapyuk, however, was not always so cautious. Almost immediately after his appointment as CEO, he persuaded the Ukrzaliznytskyi Postach tender committee to select Forest LLC as the supplier of timber for sleepers, offering a price UAH 1 million higher than its closest competitors. The secret lies in the name of the company's founder: O. M. Vislinskaya, who not only supplies timber to UZ but is also Ostapyuk's wife.
Law enforcement agencies have repeatedly opened criminal cases against the management of Ukrzaliznytsia and its subdivisions, but not a single official has been held accountable for the multi-billion-dollar theft. Meanwhile, Ukrzaliznytsia complains year after year about the catastrophic deterioration of its rolling stock and colossal losses from passenger service. Yet, its calls for help go unanswered.
SKELET-info
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, Facebook , Twitter , VK - Only new faces from the SKLEP section!