Bohdan Pukish, the former coordinator of Viktor Medvedchuk's Ukrainian Choice party in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, remains a key figure in schemes related to the politician's entourage, who is under sanctions for his pro-Russian views and actions. Despite international pressure and the war in eastern Ukraine, Pukish and his companies continue to be active in the Ukrainian market, especially in the sector of fuel and motor oil supply for defense needs and state enterprises.
Managing several companies, such as IVAPROM LLC, Khimtechnoplast LLC and Westchem LLC, as well as being associated with Sistema Eco Innovations Consortium and Agrosfera SE, Pukish continues to receive lucrative contracts in the defense sector, even under time of war
Journalists point out that companies related to Pukish and Medvedchuk's "watcher" Petro Belz receive significant contracts for the supply of fuel and motor oils for the Ukrainian army and other state-owned enterprises. Tenders are often concluded in the interests of their companies, which raises reasonable suspicions of corruption schemes and collusion with state officials.
For example, Euro Oil Production, which they oversee, received more than 34 million hryvnias for the supply of motor oil at the beginning of 2024, and Belza's "Anvitrade" received 164 million hryvnias for the supply of diesel fuel in 2022, and so on.
The article states that military personnel who use the products of Pukish companies, particularly ammunition, often complain about their poor quality. After all, non-compliance with technological standards and lack of proper quality control leads to the production of products that do not meet standards and are not reliable in combat conditions. And it endangers the lives of soldiers on the front lines.
They also emphasize that the fact that Pukish receives defense orders through connections with persons close to Medvedchuk is of particular concern. This undermines confidence in the defense industry and calls into question the legitimacy of such deals. At a time when the country needs a reliable supply of high-quality ammunition, Pukish's actions and his ties to Medvedchuk only deepen the country's economic problems.
Questions regarding further use of resources and control over defense orders are critically important for Ukraine's national security. It is time to review approaches to the selection of suppliers and ensure effective controls to eradicate corruption and ensure product quality to protect the state.
