The National anti-corruption bureau of Ukraine (NABU) conducted a search in the apartment of the founder of the holding UFuture Vasily Khmelnitsky, the businessman himself said in the social network “Facebook”.
“Already in the office found out that I have “guests” from the NABU at home. Days of exemplary searches after nights of rocket attacks for Ukrainian businessmen have become a tradition. Unfortunately. This visit of law enforcement agencies to me concerns a case that has been under investigation for more than four years, and all these years I am in Kyiv, I am not hiding from anyone, and investigative experiments and interrogations have already been conducted more than once,” Khmelnitsky wrote.
The businessman specified that the case concerns a plot of land, which he and his partner bought at an open auction for the construction of a new modern school. Paid the full price (18.9 million UAH), received the rights of the owner.
“For us, 100% (it – IF) is a social project, not a business. It is access to quality school education that paves the way for real transformations and reforms in Ukraine in the long term. In the short term – Kiev through private investment gets the necessary infrastructure for the comfortable life of citizens, and the inhabitants of the residential complex – an additional advantage, “- wrote Khmelnitsky.
At the same time, the businessman stressed that the legality of the purchase of the land plot at the auction and the conclusion of the sale agreement is confirmed by the court.
“But the NABU believes that the price is too low”, – added Khmelnitsky.
According to him, in accordance with the urban planning documentation at this address can not be placed commercial or residential real estate – this explains the price of the contract.
As clarified to the agency “Interfax-Ukraine” in the press service of Khmelnitsky, in July 2018 state enterprise “MIA “Inform-Resources” held an open auction for the sale of real estate belonging to him at Kiev, Military passage, 8. The sale price was determined by an independent appraiser engaged by the seller and agreed by the State Property Fund of Ukraine. The plot was purchased by the company from the group – “Persestroy” LLC – for the construction of the second building of the innovative educational project of Novopechersk school.
“The legality of the purchase and the contract of sale was confirmed by the court. Yes, the tax service tried to invalidate the contract of sale, but the Commercial Court of Kyiv dismissed the claim. The decision was upheld by the court of appeal and is still in force. The Supreme Court refused to open proceedings on the tax appeal. NABU participated in the trial as a third party on the side of the plaintiff,” the press service of Khmelnytskyy reported.
It added that to implement the project of expanding the school, in addition to the acquisition of real estate, resources have already been spent on the development of several business models, the creation of a separate project team. Additionally hired teachers and methodologists, conducted an audit of the school, developed pre-project documentation.
“In addition, the management has taken steps to obtain a loan from the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank,” the press service noted.
The company added that information became known from open sources that the funds paid by Persevstroy LLC for the real estate had been embezzled, but the bona fide buyer had nothing to do with these actions.
As Khmelnitsky notes, it is necessary to stop the mass practice of “mask show” and intimidation of business in conditions of war. “All remaining entrepreneurs in the country, believe me, are 100% patriotic and ready for a civilized dialogue. In the last few months alone I have heard about dozens of such cases with show off searches of respected businessmen. Both the Ukrainian society and foreign investors are observing this negative trend. There is a sincere hope that the authorities are listening to the voice of business because it is only possible to defeat the external enemy and develop Ukraine’s economy by joining forces,” he believes.
Khmelnitsky assured that he is not going anywhere and is ready to answer all questions.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) conducted a search in the apartment of UFuture holding founder Vasyl Khmelnitsky, the businessman himself said on Facebook.
“Already in the office found out that I have guests from the NABU at home. Days of exemplary searches after nights of rocket attacks for Ukrainian businessmen have become a tradition. Unfortunately. This visit of law enforcement agencies to me concerns a case that has been under investigation for more than 4 years, and all these years I am in Kyiv, I am not hiding from anyone, and investigative experiments and interrogations have already been carried out repeatedly”, – wrote Khmelnitsky.
He said that the case concerns a plot of land, which Khmelnitsky together with a partner purchased for the construction of a new modern school at an open auction, paid the full price (18.9 million UAH) and received the rights of the owner.
“For us, it is 100% a social project, not a business. It is access to quality school education that paves the way for Ukraine’s real transformation and reforms in the long term. In the short term – Kiev at the expense of private investment gets the necessary infrastructure for comfortable life of citizens, and the inhabitants of the residential complex – an additional advantage,” he wrote.
The businessman stressed that the legality of the purchase of the land plot at the auction and the conclusion of the sale agreement is confirmed by the court.
“But the NABU believes that the price is too low”, – said Khmelnitsky.
According to the businessman, in accordance with the city planning documentation at this address can not be placed commercial or residential real estate, this explains the price of the contract.
Khmelnitsky noted that in war conditions it is necessary to stop the mass practice of “mask show” and intimidation of business. “All remaining entrepreneurs in the country, believe me, are 100% patriotic and ready for a civilized dialogue. In the last few months alone I have heard about dozens of such cases with show off searches of respected businessmen. Both the Ukrainian society and foreign investors are observing this negative trend. There is a sincere hope that the authorities are listening to the voice of business because it is only possible to defeat the external enemy and develop the Ukrainian economy by joining forces,” he said.
Khmelnytskyy said that he is not going anywhere and is ready to answer all questions.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) under the procedural guidance of prosecutors of the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution Office (SAP) states the exposure of a criminal organization led by the former chairman of the State Property Fund (SPF) of Ukraine, whose participants during 2019-2021 seized over 500 million UAH funds of JSC “Odessa Port Plant” (OPP) and JSC “United Mining and Chemical Company” (UMCP).
“At the same time, the amount of unlawful benefit received by members of the criminal organization for the entire period of control of JSC “OPZ” is more than 2 billion UAH,” the NABU reported on its website on Wednesday.
In the message there is no direct reference to the name of the head of the IGF, except “DS” or “Dima”. Meanwhile, at the time in question, the Fund was headed by Dmytro Sennichenko, who in 2019-2020 three times surrendered to the NABU who offered him bribes, including $5 million for the appointment of OPZ director.
As the NABU now claims, the criminal organization led by Sennichenko also included a person close to him (co-organizer), an adviser to the head of the IGF, two acting OPZ director, the acting head of the OGHK, two owners of LLC – the winner of the auction for toll processing at the OPZ and two more individuals.
The report indicates that the OPZ’s acting director and an adviser to the head of the State Property Fund have been detained. Seven persons – the former head of the SPF, a person close to him, the acting director of the OPZ, the acting head of the OGCC, two LLC owners and one individual – were notified of the suspicion in accordance with Article 135, Article 278 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (in writing), while one more person was personally detained.
As reported, the OPZ has been idle since late April 2018. The company called work on give-and-take conditions the only possible option for the resumption of its work in conditions of failed attempts at privatization and accumulated debt for gas to Naftogaz of Ukraine, which exceeds 1.5 billion UAH.
In August 2019, the plant resumed work under the contract signed with Agro Gas Trading LLC (Kiev, “ATG”) under the tolling scheme until December 1, 2019.
In September 2019, Dmitry Sennichenko was appointed head of the GPF instead of Vitaly Trubarov, who reported on December 11 that the updated composition of the new leadership of the GPF board of directors agreed with the davalter to increase the price for processing.
In mid-December, it was announced that the OPZ’s board of directors had agreed to a supplementary agreement with AGT to the tolling agreement for the period from January 1 to April 30, 2020.
At the end of January, 2020 OPZ announced a tender for the selection of a supplier of 50-60 million cubic meters of gas per month on give-and-take terms for the work of the enterprise in May-December the same year. The minimum bid price was $37 per ton of ammonia and $48 per ton of urea (excluding VAT).
At the end of February 2020 First Deputy Director of OPZ Mykola Shchurikov said that the company accepted bids from eight companies to participate in the tender for the selection of a partner for toll processing of gas into mineral fertilizers during May-December 2020: IBE Trade (USA), Basis Trade AG, MADDOX SA (both Switzerland) and Ukrainian Agro Gas Trading LLC, Trading House Socar Ukraine LLC, Tech Prom Gas LLC, Ukrnaftoburnia JSC and Yug Gas LLC.
In early March, Shchurikov said that Ukrnaftoburinnya (UNB), owned by Igor Kolomoysky and Vitaliy Khomutynnyk, offered the best price conditions in the final stage of the tender: $77 for processing a ton of urea and $39.5 for processing ammonia.
On March 10, when the results were officially announced, the OPZ National Assembly cancelled the tender for the selection of the investor. The SPF stated that the reason for the cancellation was “an overpriced, economically unreasonable proposal” by UNB, which, in the opinion of the agency, is unprofitable for the mining company.
The OPF Board of Directors stated that it saw in such actions of the “UNB” owners “an aspiration to gain leverage to manage the plant and take it under their control, which will result in the return of corrupt schemes at the plant, reducing its market value and creating the preconditions for the transfer of the OPF into private hands for next to nothing.
NABU, SENNICHENKO, ОГХК, ОПЗ
The Cabinet of Ministers has appointed Semyon Kryvonos, head of the State Architecture and Urban Planning Inspectorate, as director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU).
The decision was made at an extraordinary government meeting on Monday.
In addition to Kryvonos, the meeting considered the candidates Sergei Gupyak and Roman Osypchuk, who were also transferred to the government on the results of the tender.
“Having received all the necessary materials of the selection committee, the government has carefully studied these materials for each candidate and has made a personal acquaintance with each candidate in equal conditions,” said Prime Minister Denis Shmygal.
At the same time he stressed that with the specified appointment Ukraine had fulfilled all seven recommendations put forward when the country received the status of EU candidate as well as fully established anti-corruption infrastructure.
According to government decree No 192 of March 6, Kryvonos was appointed NABU director for a seven-year term.
The commission for the competition for the position of director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) will determine three finalists for the selection on March 4.
“On March 4, 2023, a meeting of the commission on holding a competition for the position of director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau … The meeting will consider the determination of three selected candidates,” reads the announcement on the government website.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has put Mikhail Volynets, a Verkhovna Rada MP of the ninth convocation and leader of the Independent Union of Mineworkers of Ukraine, on the wanted list for allegedly entering false information in the 2020 e-declaration for almost 1.79 million UAH.
“The NABU is looking for Volynets Mikhail Yakovlevich, suspected of committing a criminal offense under part 1 of Article 366-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine,” reported in the Telegram channel NABU on Thursday.
As reported, the NABU and the SAP informed Volynets of the suspicion under Part 1 of Article 366-2 of the Criminal Code (as amended until July 21, 2021), November 17. “In the declaration for 2020 people’s deputy did not indicate 2 luxury cars, which he used and which by right of ownership belonged to his close relatives, as well as the income of his civil wife in the amount of almost 95 thousand UAH. In total, the amount of undeclared property is more than 786 times higher than the subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons, “- stated in the message.
The SAP notes that the pre-trial investigation was launched by the prosecutor-general on the report of the SAP prosecutors due to the discovery of relevant information during a journalistic investigation. Later, as the prosecutor’s office stressed, this information was confirmed by the materials of the NAPC check and the results of the investigation by NABU detectives.
