NABU and SAPO say organized group seized 100,000 tonnes of Ukrnafta fuel worth over UAH 2.88 billion
Ukraine's anti-corruption bodies NABU and SAPO announced they had exposed an organized group suspected of diverting 100,000 tonnes of oil products from Ukrnafta, valued at more than UAH 2.88 billion. Suspicions were served in the first episode of what investigators describe as a multi-episode case, with the scheme running in 2017–2020. Four individuals have been notified of suspicion, and the investigation is being conducted with operational support from the SBU.
Key points
- NABU and SAPO say they exposed an organized group suspected of seizing 100,000 tonnes of Ukrnafta oil products worth over UAH 2.88 billion.
- Four people were served with suspicion in the first episode of the case; another suspect, a Ukrtatnafty deputy head who is a foreign citizen, was served via international cooperation.
- Named suspects include businessman Mykhailo Kiperman, former head of NPK-Halychyna board Bohdan Baradnyi, co-owner of Rozhniativnafta Yevhen Krychevskyi, and former Ukrnafta vice-president Felix Luniov.
- According to NABU, the scheme ran in 2017–2020 and involved fuel being transferred under commission contracts to a controlled company and then sold through affiliated wholesale and retail networks including Ukrnafta gas stations.
- Proceeds were allegedly routed, contrary to contract terms and law, to controlled companies — including foreign ones — using a network of offshore entities in Cyprus, Belize, St Kitts and Nevis, and the British Virgin Islands.
- NABU estimates the diverted fuel accounted for almost 20% of all fuel sold at Ukrnafta gas stations during the scheme's period.
- NABU detected a leak of case information and suspects an SBU officer from the unit providing operational support may be involved.
- NABU and SAPO are also verifying the circumstances of possible Ukrnafta asset seizures in later periods.
Why it matters
The alleged scheme involved roughly 100,000 tonnes of fuel from a strategic state-connected oil company, valued at over UAH 2.88 billion — one of the larger anti-corruption cases tied to Ukrnafta. Investigators say the diversion accounted for nearly 20% of all fuel sold at Ukrnafta gas stations during the period covered by the scheme. The case names a former Ukrnafta vice-president and other senior figures in the domestic oil sector, and required international legal cooperation for a foreign-citizen suspect, underscoring the cross-border dimensions of the alleged activity. Separately, NABU's detection of a possible leak by an SBU officer involved in operational support raises inter-agency friction alongside the case itself.
What happened
Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) said they had exposed an organized group suspected of seizing 100,000 tonnes of Ukrnafta oil products valued at over UAH 2.88 billion. Investigators described the case as multi-episode, with the first episode covering 2017–2020.
Four individuals were served with suspicion in the first episode: businessman Mykhailo Kiperman; former head of the NPK-Halychyna board Bohdan Baradnyi; co-owner of Rozhniativnafta Yevhen Krychevskyi; and former Ukrnafta vice-president Felix Luniov. A fifth figure, Ukrtatnafty deputy head for commercial matters Andrii Pinchuk — a citizen of another country — was served with suspicion through international cooperation.
According to NABU, the group moved fuel to a controlled company under commission contracts and then sold it through affiliated wholesale and retail networks, including Ukrnafta gas stations. Proceeds were allegedly not returned to Ukrnafta and were routed to controlled companies, including foreign ones, via offshore entities in Cyprus, Belize, St Kitts and Nevis, and the British Virgin Islands. NABU estimates the diverted volume amounted to almost 20% of all fuel sold at Ukrnafta gas stations during the scheme.
The investigation is being conducted with operational support from the SBU. NABU also said it had detected a leak of information about the case and suspects an SBU officer from the unit providing operational support may be involved. NABU and SAPO said they are also verifying possible seizures of Ukrnafta assets in later periods.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Both supplied Ukrainian outlets centre the country's anti-corruption bodies — NABU, SAPO — and the SBU as the actors driving the case, and treat the Ukrnafta fuel diversion as the core subject. Coverage names the alleged perpetrators and their roles, including a former Ukrnafta vice-president, a Ukrtatnafty deputy head, and owners of related oil companies, foregrounding accountability of named individuals tied to the domestic oil sector.
Where reporting differs
Article 20225 (NABU) credits the announcement to NABU alone and frames the fuel quantity at 100,000 tonnes. Article 20362 (NABU and SAPO) gives the same fuel quantity but adds a specific damages figure of UAH 2.9 billion and jointly attributes the exposure to NABU and SAPO.
Background
NABU and SAPO describe the scheme as multi-episode, with the 2017–2020 diversion as the first episode; further episodes in later periods are still being verified. Fuel was moved under commission contracts to a controlled company and then sold through affiliated wholesale and retail networks, including Ukrnafta gas stations; proceeds were routed, including to foreign accounts, through offshore entities in Cyprus, Belize, St Kitts and Nevis, and the British Virgin Islands. Ukrnafta is described as Ukraine's largest oil production company and also operates its own filling-station network; it expanded by taking over Glusco assets in 2024 and acquiring Shell's Ukrainian filling-station business in 2025. NABU's investigation is being conducted with operational support from the SBU.