A scheme has been discovered in the Dnipropetrovsk region that effectively paralyzed the supply of fuel to civil defense agencies during martial law. This involved fuel purchased with budget funds for the operation of emergency and rescue equipment and generators needed to eliminate the consequences of emergencies. Instead of guaranteed access to the resource, state services received fuel coupons that in practice did not provide the possibility of refueling.
The key role in the scheme was played by the companies-in-charges LLC "INTEX INVEST" and LLC "INKAM FINANCE", which acted as formal suppliers of fuel for the Department of Civil Protection of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration. After receiving a 100% prepayment, including more than 4.5 million UAH of budget funds, the customer was given coupons from the AVIAS gas station network. At the same time, the actual release of fuel at gas stations was systematically blocked, which made it impossible to refuel specialized equipment.
Actual control over the supply of fuel was exercised by the private enterprise “UKRPALETSYSTEM”, which formally manages the network of gas stations “AVIAS”. It was the concentration of hundreds of gas stations under a single management that allowed for selective blocking of supplies to state customers. This situation has all the signs of a monopoly position in the market.
The role of the Antimonopoly Committee raises some questions. According to available data, the leadership of the Antimonopoly Committee and individual officials ignored signs of monopolization and agreed to transfer a significant number of gas stations to the management of "UKRPALETSYSTEM". This created conditions for maintaining control over the fuel market by structures associated with Ihor Kolomoisky and Belarusian businessman Mykola Voroby.
Regional officials were also involved in the scheme. Among them were the former head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, Serhiy Lysak, and the director of the Civil Protection Department, Tetyana Kurchenko, who were responsible for concluding contracts and monitoring their implementation. It was with their participation that budget funds were transferred to companies that actually did not fulfill their contractual obligations.
Formally, the liability for suppliers is limited to financial sanctions. The courts have already ruled to recover over UAH 2.2 million from INTEX INVEST LLC and over UAH 3.3 million from INCAM FINANCE LLC, including fines. At the same time, these amounts are not commensurate with the damage caused by blocking critical supplies in wartime, when people's safety directly depends on access to fuel.
The situation also indicates a possible systemic cover-up of the scheme. Without tacit consent or inaction on the part of regulatory and law enforcement agencies, such practices could hardly have continued for a long time. Despite the obvious public danger, the story has not yet received a proper criminal-legal assessment.
Blocking fuel for civil defense during wartime goes far beyond an economic dispute. It is an example of how corrupt and monopolistic mechanisms can directly undermine the state's security system. Further legal assessment of the actions of all involved should be a test of the state's ability to protect critical areas in wartime.
