Position: Minister of Infrastructure.
Sphere of corruption: state property.
Region of corruption activity : Kyiv.
Qualification: Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - abuse of power or official position, that is, intentional, with the aim of obtaining any unlawful benefit for oneself or another individual or legal entity, use by an official of power or official position contrary to the interests of the service, if it caused significant harm to the legally protected rights, freedoms and interests of individual citizens or state or public interests, or the interests of legal entities, - if it caused grave consequences, - is punishable by imprisonment for a term of three to six years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to three years, with a fine of five hundred to one thousand non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens.
Status: March 25, 2024 The HIgh Anti-Corruption Court limited the time limit for familiarization with the investigation materials until July 23, 2024. On this day, the prosecutor's office will submit to the court an indictment against former Minister of Infrastructure Andriy Pyvovarsky and his former deputy Volodymyr Shulmeister for the misuse of more than $30 million.
Case story: On March 16, 2023, the HIgh Anti-Corruption Court chose a preventive measure for former Minister of Infrastructure Andriy Pyvovarsky - bail in the amount of UAH 9.997 million.
On February 22, 2023, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office informed the former Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine and his former first deputy about the suspicion.
According to the investigation, in July 2015, the then minister, together with his deputy (at that time also the head of the Tariff Council of the Ministry of Infrastructure), ensured the adoption of an order according to which private companies, together with the SE "USPA", began to collect ship dues from vessels in the seaport "Pivdenny" (in a 50:50 ratio). While by law, the collection of such a fee is the exclusive prerogative of the SE as a user of the port's water area, which belongs to the state. The investigation established that the order was adopted without proper economic justification and contrary to the comments of the Department of Economics and Finance of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the SE "USPA".
NABU detectives began investigating abuses at the Ministry of Infrastructure in the fall of 2019, for which they requested materials from the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police when they tried to close the relevant proceedings. Since then, NABU has repeatedly appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Infrastructure, and the State Enterprise "USPA" to stop the illegal scheme. However, the agencies did not listen to NABU's arguments, did not cancel the illegal order, and did not file lawsuits to return the amounts of ship dues received by private companies without grounds
In March 2023, the former minister, suspected of abuse of power and official position, was granted bail in the amount of UAH 9.997 million, although prosecutors requested a bail of UAH 20 million.
In February 2025, the HIgh Anti-Corruption Court scheduled for consideration a case accusing former Minister of Infrastructure Andriy Pyvovarsky and his former deputy Volodymyr Shulmeystr of causing more than $49 million in damages.
To schedule a trial in open court on the basis of the indictment in criminal proceedings on charges of (Pyvovarsky – ed.) committing a criminal offense under Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and (Shulmeystra – ed.) committing a criminal offense under Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine
Persons potentially involved in Andriy Pyvovarsky's schemes: Volodymyr Shulmeister - First Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine (from December 2014 to December 2015) - bail in the amount of 4 million hryvnias.
Scandals : On March 2, 2015, the State Enterprise "Ukrzaliznychpostach" concluded an agreement with LLC "Vog Aero Jet" for the supply of diesel fuel in the amount of UAH 2.40 billion at UAH 23,970/t. This was reported in the "Bulletin of State Procurement".
This concerns the supply of 100,000 tons of diesel fuel. At the time of acceptance on February 19, the tender price was lower than market prices, which were at the level of 25 thousand UAH/t. However, now wholesale prices for diesel fuel are already significantly lower. According to OilNews, due to the strengthening of the hryvnia, the price of diesel fuel dropped to 23,200 UAH/t, and the Russian resource in the Kharkiv region - to 22,000 UAH/t.
In addition to the winning company, three more participants took part in the auction - MPP "VK Impex", LLC "Ukroylprodukt" and SE "Ukrtransnaftoprodukt".
Small operators could not participate in the tender of "Ukrzaliznychpostach", since the railway workers divided the entire purchase into five large lots of 20 thousand tons each. Only large importers can supply such volumes. Also, those wishing to participate in the tender had to provide a competitive bidding offer security in the amount of UAH 10.70 million. for each of the five lots. Therefore, to participate in the bidding for all lots, the company had to allocate UAH 53.5 million.
The company "Vog Aero Jet" is part of the fuel group "Continuum" of the People's Deputy Igor Yeremeyev. The Dutch company "West Oil Group Holding B.V." is officially registered as the ultimate owner. The owner of "VK Impex" is Mykola Golanov, known as the head of the technical operation department of the gas station of the same group "Continuum". "Impex" is registered in Lutsk at the same address with a number of companies - with the local branch of "Golden Equator" of Yeremeyev and LLC "Delta West Oil Group". Currently, the owner of the latter company is the aforementioned Dutch company "West Oil Group Holding B.V." And the first founders were Yeremeyev's partners in "Continuum" Stepan Ivakhiv and Serhiy Koretsky.
Recall that Ukrzaliznytsia broadcast the bidding for this tender online. Despite this, the winner of this tender, like last year, was “Vog Aero Jet”. According to “VDZ”, the company began winning tenders in December 2013 and has already received state orders for UAH 6.5 billion. Most of the amount fell on the last and last year’s fuel tender of “Ukrzaliznychpostach”, which was held with the “native” company “Ukrpostach-Naftotrade”.
The new Minister of Infrastructure, Andriy Pyvovarsky, previously worked in Igor Yeremeyev's fuel group as the CEO of Continuum.
Persons who should have responded to Andriy Pyvovarsky's corruption schemes: In the case of Andriy Pyvovarsky, law enforcement agencies and the prosecutor's office worked well.
Assets: Apartments in Kyiv 108 and 72 sq m, Audi Q7 and Peugeot 206 cars and Yamaha FZR (GX 1800-H) jet ski, $50,000 in cash and $63,837 in an American bank, Andriy Pyvovarsky loves expensive times, and his wife loves precious things.
Sources:
Unified State Register of Declarations
SAPO to refer case of ex-Minister of Infrastructure Pyvovarskyi to court in July
Former Minister of Infrastructure Pyvovarskyi was informed of suspicion