02.07.2024 Investigations

Should Ukrainians pay 3 thousand dollars to the state? What is happening to Ukraine’s energy sector?

Україна потребує близько 300 млн євро на відновлення енергетики після обстрілів РФ — Війна в Україні

Each apartment has to buy equipment worth $3-4 thousand,” noted Svyatoslav Pavliuk. The man explained the situation as follows: “You have been underpaying for electricity for all the past years. Consider that you have been saving money in the bank and now you need to pay for a new energy supply system in one go. I know that you don’t have it (money), but you have eaten it up.”

Are these words of the director of the Association of Energy Efficient Cities of Ukraine a media signal for another rise in the cost of electricity for Ukrainians? After all, it seems to be a well-established trend that price increases are preceded by an extensive media campaign by the authorities to test the public’s reaction to such changes.

Кожна квартира має купити обладнання на $3-4 тисячі: я знаю, що їх немає, але ви

Similarly, there are more and more publications about tariff increases online that have the media traces of one of the richest oligarchs in Ukraine and the world, Renat Akhmetov. The latter spares no expense on advertising and self-promotion, with articles with a flavor of the latter being published almost weekly in the country’s largest media outlets. It is worth reminding that Akhmetov is the owner of the DTEK energy company, which means that all changes definitely affect the businessman’s wallet.

And while Ukraine’s energy sector is in a difficult stage of recovery, some companies seem to have found the same vein of income.

For example, Kharkivoblenergo, which has already been involved in the NABU investigation into the possible misappropriation of funds in particularly large amounts during procurement at inflated prices, continues to profit from the war. For example, last year, the company purchased 20 types of cables and wires at a price one-third higher than the market price. The total cost was UAH 88 million, so you can calculate the profit yourself.

If all the goods in this tender had been ordered at market prices, they could have spent UAH 13 million, or 15% less than the price of the agreement with the winner!

At the time, Pivdenkabel received the order from Kharkivoblenergo without competition, as no one else came to the tender. To participate in the bidding process, it was necessary to submit three fully executed similar contracts and have an annual income (revenue) for the previous reporting period of at least 30% of the expected value.

Later, Kharkivoblenergo JSC published a new tender, this time for emergency repair works. The winner of the tender (which did not take place) was PSK Energobud LLC, which received UAH 19 million.

It should be noted that this is not the first time Energobud has cooperated with Kharkivoblenergo. Over the years, the parties have signed agreements totaling more than UAH 151 million. By the way, during Yanukovych’s presidency, the winning company actively won tenders from energy companies. Is it a coincidence?

Based on our materials, law enforcement agencies initiated criminal proceedings in this regard, in particular TU of the State Bureau of Investigation in Poltava – No. 62024170020002692 under Part 1 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, Pechersk District Prosecutor’s Office in Kyiv – No. 42024102060000074 under Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code. But does this amount to a real counteraction to profiteering from Ukraine’s energy sector in wartime?

In addition, let’s not forget about VS Energy, which has Russian-Ukrainian roots (the only Ukrainian owner among Russians is Mikhail Spector) and still owns stakes in the following regional power distribution companies: 99.99% of shares in Khersonoblenergo, 98.7% in Chernivtsioblenergo, 21.25% in Kirovohradoblenergo, 9.91% in Rivneoblenergo (another 83.3% is owned through Silk Road Trading and Washington Holdings), and 19.98% in Zhytomyroblenergo.

Once again, the question arises: how do people close to the aggressor country and Putin personally still have influence over Ukraine’s critical infrastructure on the third year of the war?

Did you witness a crime?

Let us know about it. We will help protect the violated rights!

Share the post:

Last news