Dmytro Firtash has launched a large-scale legal campaign to restore control over the gas distribution assets of JSC Lvivgaz and JSC Zakarpatgaz, which were transferred to the management of structures of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine in 2023. This concerns a part of the regional gas market that was previously part of the businessman's so-called gas empire.
Firtash's defense chose the tactic of attacking through anti-corruption agencies. The lawyers filed statements with the NABU, alleging the alleged artificial bankruptcy of enterprises and the illegal withdrawal of assets with the participation of officials of ARMA, Chornomornaftogaz, and NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine. The key argument was the estimate of 10 billion hryvnias - this is the amount by which, according to the defense, the value of the assets decreased after they were transferred to state control.
Initially, NABU refused to register the proceedings. However, the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court ordered detectives to begin a pre-trial investigation. This decision opens up the possibility of a legal review of the circumstances of the transfer of regional gas companies to the state and effectively transfers the political decision to de-oligarchize the energy sector to the level of criminal law assessment.
At the same time, details of the functioning of the gas business associated with Firtash are again emerging in the information space. According to investigations of previous years, JSC "Bank Alliance" was at the center of financial flows. Through the structures of LLC "Regional Gas Company" and LLC "YE Energy" transactions were carried out, which law enforcement agencies had previously classified as risky.
The essence of the scheme, described by the investigative authorities, consisted in the preliminary payment of gas by regional gas companies for volumes that actually existed only on paper. In particular, in 2021, the state suffered losses of over 4 billion hryvnias due to fictitious calculations related to the activities of Vinnytsiagaz, Lvivgaz, and Dnipropetrovskgaz. In addition, the budget received about 1.5 billion hryvnias less due to manipulations with protocols of disagreements, which blocked payment for the use of state networks.
Even after the seizure of the group's assets, the management associated with Firtash, according to critics, retained influence over some processes in the industry. There have been repeated public speculations about the loyalty of individual law enforcement officials and prosecutors to the gas structures.
Currently, the investigation, initiated by the decision of the Supreme Court of Justice, must establish whether there were grounds for accusations of artificial depreciation of assets and whether the procedure for their transfer complied with the law. Whether this will become a tool for regaining control over regional gas companies or confirm the legality of the state's actions will depend on the results of the investigation and the court's position.
