HACC Extends Investigation into Ex-Deputy Minister's Case

The High Anti-Corruption Court has extended until March 26 the pre-trial investigation into the case of suspicion of abuse of power by the advisor to the Minister of Energy, Maksym Nemchynov , former MP Volodymyr Vecherko , and former General Director of the state-owned enterprise Ukrvuhilya, Vitaliy Zyusko.

The motion is partially granted. The term of the pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings is extended to eight months, i.e. until March 26, 2025 inclusive.

We remind you that NABU and SAPO reported suspicions to former Deputy Minister of Energy Maksym Nemchynov and others.

According to the investigation, the coal market in Ukraine was limited due to military operations at the end of July 2022. In order to ensure a stable heating season in 2022/2023, the Cabinet of Ministers obliged the State Enterprise "Ukrvuhilya" to supply energy to certain electricity producers, in particular, the state-owned PJSC "Centrenergo".

Despite these restrictions, the beneficiary of a private company that had a contract with the state-owned enterprise "Ukrvuhillya", in collusion with the former deputy minister of energy, persuaded the director of "Ukrvuhillya" to sell coal to his company, which also had over 50 million UAH in debt to the state-owned enterprise. As a result, "Ukrvuhillya" supplied the private company with almost 24 thousand tons of raw materials, which it resold with a surplus of almost 20 million UAH.

At the same time, PJSC "Centrenergo" received 12.5 thousand tons of coal short and was forced to buy it back in October 2022 at a significantly higher price, overpaying almost UAH 12 million.

Previously, the High Anti-Corruption Court had already extended the pre-trial investigation into the case on suspicion of former Deputy Minister of Energy Maksym Nemchynov , former People's Deputy Volodymyr Vecherko, and former General Director of the state-owned enterprise Ukrvuhilya Vitaliy Zyusko in abuses.