Global strike against ‘internal enemy’ or day of numerous searches and suspicion notices in Ukraine

Searches in the house of Ihor Kolomoiskyi

On Wednesday morning, the Ukrainian media were stirred by the news that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Bureau of Economic Security were conducting a search of billionaire Ihor Kolomoiskyi's house in the case of misappropriation of UAH 40 billion by the former top management of Ukrnafta and Ukrtatnafta. The SBU said it had uncovered large-scale schemes of misappropriation of UAH 40 billion by the former management of Ukrnafta and Ukrtatnafta. It was established that the illegal mechanisms were combined with tax evasion and money laundering.

Searches of Avakov's office and officials related to the purchase of French helicopters

Law enforcement officers also searched the home of former Interior Minister Arsen Avakov in connection with the helicopter crash with the Interior Ministry leadership in Brovary. It is noted that representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine and the State Bureau of Investigation were checking contracts with Airbus Helicopter: it was the company that ordered H-225, H-145 and H-125 helicopters for the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Other top officials related to this procurement were also searched.

Searches in Kyiv tax office and dismissal of the State Customs Service leadership

Also on February 1, investigators from the State Bureau of Investigation came to the Kyiv tax office with searches. The searches were being conducted at the home of Oksana Datii, the acting head of the Kyiv City Tax Inspectorate, in connection with the VAT fraud case. According to intelligence, she was implementing schemes through her proxies to artificially inflate gross expenses by some companies, conduct business without registering as a sole proprietor, and submit false information about income. According to expert estimates, more than UAH 15 billion was involved in the shadow economy.

“In another episode, the leadership of the Kyiv City State Tax Service was involved in schemes to illegally obtain VAT refunds, which resulted in more than UAH 30 billion in shadow turnover. The tax officials "do not notice" these schemes, support their existence or directly participate in them for systematic receipt of payment for their 'services'” the SBI reported.

Later, it became known that the Cabinet of Ministers dismissed the leadership of the State Customs Service - acting head of the customs service Viacheslav Demchenko and his deputies Oleksandr Shchutskyi and Ruslan Cherkaskyi. 

Notice of suspicion to former Energy Minister Ihor Nasalyk

The State Bureau of Investigation has served a notice of suspicion to the former head of the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine, Ihor Nasalyk. According to the source, Nasalyk is suspected of signing agreements worth UAH 1.5 billion in favor of companies affiliated with oligarch Dmytro Firtash that were unprofitable for the state. Nasalyk served as Ukraine's Minister of Energy and Coal Industry from April 2016 to 2019.

Notices of suspicion to top officials of the Defense Ministry

The Prosecutor General's Office has served three suspicion notices on three people involved in a scandal involving the purchase of food for soldiers at inflated prices. Among them are two top officials of the Defense Ministry. According to media sources, the suspects are Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, former deputy director of the Defense Ministry's public procurement department, Viacheslav Shapovalov, former deputy defense minister, and Volodymyr Tereshchenko, former deputy director of the state-owned Promoboronexport.

Notice of suspicion to Reznikov's ex-deputy

The dismissed Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine, who was responsible for logistics of the Armed Forces, was served with a notice of suspicion by the SBI of involvement in the procurement of overpriced food and low-quality ammunition.

The investigation established that the offender lobbied for the conclusion of contracts for the supply of food for Ukrainian military personnel at inflated prices and the purchase of bulletproof vests, helmets, clothing, and other items for the Ukrainian Armed Forces of poor quality for a total amount of over UAH 1 billion.

Ex-head of Defense Ministry Department exposed for embezzlement of over UAH 100 million

The SBU has served a notice of suspicion to the former director of the Defense Ministry's public procurement department: he is accused of embezzling UAH 100 million and purchasing nearly 3,000 bulletproof vests that do not meet the requirements of protection. Law enforcers exposed the former head of the department on embezzlement of more than UAH 100 million of public funds.

Searches in Kyiv construction companies regarding money laundering scheme of Medvedchuk and Kozak

The Security Service of Ukraine conducted searches in Kyiv construction companies linked to Medvedchuk and Kozak, including those controlled by MP Vadym Stolar.

The SBU reported that it was eliminating illegal schemes and channels of legalization of financial assets used by the criminals. It also refers to the purchase of corporate rights of Ukrainian developers by various offshore companies and banks of the Russian Federation, and the use of money from the sale of real estate for the war against our country.

Law enforcement officers conducted searches in the homes and offices of the officials to obtain additional evidence of the crime.

Subsequently, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Malyuk, announced a “global strike against the internal enemy.”

Ex-president of Motor Sich Boguslayev is also found to have financed DNR terrorists

Vyacheslav Boguslayev, former president of Motor Sich, was charged with a new suspicion of facilitating the activities of the DNR terrorist organization. According to the investigation, in December 2017, Bohuslayev organized the economic activities of a separate unit - the Snizhne Machine-Building Plant of Motor Sich PJSC in the temporarily occupied territory in Snizhne, Donetsk region, and paid so-called taxes and customs duties to the DNR terrorists, thus helping the occupying forces in their military operations against Ukraine.