13.01.2025 Investigations Money laundering Tenders

Schemes in the energy sector during the war. Ukraine is again in gas dependence on Russia

Недопустимо поведение и коррупция: почему депутаты инициируют отставку министра энергетики

When every penny of the state budget should be spent on strengthening defense capabilities and rebuilding destroyed infrastructure, large-scale corruption by high-ranking officials not only destroys the economy but also threatens national security.

How does the scheme work?

Let’s start with the simplest: public tenders. Tenders are held through the company GTS Operator of Ukraine, which is on paper a state-owned entity, and usually won by private companies associated with it. One such company is KB Teploenergoavtomatika, which is controlled by suspects such as Oleksandr Protsenko and Tetiana Beletska. These persons are only formal owners of the company, the real controller is Viktor Braginsky (former head of the Kyiv Metro), who helps organize money laundering schemes.

The uniqueness of this scheme lies in the fact that tenders are specially written so that KB Teploenergoavtomatika can easily win contracts for construction or procurement worth billions of hryvnias. And when the money gets to the company, it is distributed among the members of the criminal group – from government officials to businessmen who serve the scheme.

The funds are withdrawn through affiliated companies, fake individual entrepreneurs and offshore companies, which allows legalizing the illegally obtained benefits.

By using fictitious contracts, inflated prices and other fraudulent methods, members of an organized criminal group create the illusion of normal business activities, which allows them to avoid inspections and hide their tracks.

What amounts are subject to embezzlement?

KB Teploenergoavtomatika has entered into several large-scale agreements with GTS Operator of Ukraine LLC, where the amounts reach billions of hryvnias:

  1. Reconstruction of a compressor station for UAH 1.18 billion.
  2. New construction of gas turbine units for UAH 174.4 million.

These tenders were not just “won” by the company, but were created to ensure that the funds were freely transferred to the organizers of this scheme. And all this is done under the cover of public officials who have access to the state budget.

The most interesting thing is that all these frauds are carried out under the cover of state control bodies, such as the State Tax Service and the State Audit Service, which, instead of stopping the theft, help to cover up these schemes.

Abuse of office and collusion with criminal groups allows the group members to carry out their schemes with impunity. As a result, public funds end up in private pockets, while real suppliers of goods and services are left without money.

As a result of such criminal schemes, Ukraine loses billions of hryvnias from the budget, which are not used to develop infrastructure or improve the welfare of citizens, but to enrich private individuals with access to key government positions.

Despite numerous investigations and lawsuits, this organized criminal group continues to operate today, hiding behind high positions and political connections. The system allows them to manipulate public procurement, avoid any punishment and continue to take money from every Ukrainian. After all, all schemes are covered up at the highest level.

Key players: who is behind the scheme?

Political level

  • Denys Shmyhal is the Prime Minister of Ukraine. As the head of the government, Shmyhal heads the executive branch, ensuring the implementation of state policy in the energy sector.
  • Herman Halushchenko – Minister of Energy of Ukraine, who is suspected of facilitating the illegal use of funds allocated for energy infrastructure.

Executive level

  • Dmytro Lypa – Director of the Ukrainian GTS Operator LLC. According to the documents, his actions facilitated the conclusion of lucrative tenders with related entities, including Teploenergoavtomatika Design Bureau LLC.
  • Rostyslav Shurma, former Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, according to the investigation, influenced the appointment of Lippa and blocked the formation.

We have sent the relevant materials to law enforcement agencies, so we are waiting for a response.

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