Top NABU cases in the energy sector: losses of over UAH 2 billion and new corruption schemes in the sector
11 November 2025 16:37
INFOGRAPHICS
Anti-corruption investigations in the energy sector remain one of the largest in terms of potential losses. According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), in 2024 and the first half of 2025 alone, more than UAH 2 billion of misappropriated funds and unlawful benefits were reported, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The most high-profile episodes concern state-owned companies such as Ukrenergo, Ukrgazvydobuvannya, and Kharkivoblenergo.
Illegal seizure of petroleum products and losses of UAH 967 million
The largest case of recent times is the episode related to the illegal seizure of oil products, which NABU estimates at UAH 967 million. The investigation has been ongoing since 2024 and covers a range of companies involved in the supply of fuel for the needs of the state energy sector.
The investigation found that in 2014, the court seized 97 thousand tons of oil products imported to Ukraine in violation of the law. One of the oil businessmen, who had the “necessary” connections in government and law enforcement agencies, together with a top official of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine, developed a scheme to seize the seized property and created a criminal organization for this purpose. They managed to transfer fuel and lubricants to a state-owned enterprise, where they appointed their controlled persons to senior positions. At the same time, the top official ensured control over the oil storage bases by the units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, whose actions were managed by members of the criminal organization.
Subsequently, the state-owned enterprise, under the pretext of “forced sale”, sold the raw materials in full at reduced prices to the company controlled by the organizer of the scheme. Partially received funds were transferred to the accounts of other controlled entities, while the state budget did not receive a single hryvnia. The total amount of losses incurred by the state as a result of the scheme is UAH 967 million.
Six people have been notified of suspicion:
- the former acting Head of the Presidential Administration, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, the head of one of the Verkhovna Rada committees, a co-organizer of the scheme
- an entrepreneur, co-organizer of the PA;
- ex-director of a state-owned enterprise;
- ex-deputy director of a state enterprise;
- manager of a state-owned enterprise;
- head of a private company.
This NABU case has already become one of the largest fuel episodes after 2022. Its results may become a test for a new anti-corruption policy in the public energy sector, where annual procurement exceeds UAH 200 billion.
Ukrenergo’s losses due to electricity purchases
The second largest episode concerns the procurement of electricity by Ukrenergo. The NABU estimates potential losses at UAH 716 million.
In March 2022, United Energy LLC, one of the largest traders at that time, according to the investigation, manipulated electricity from NPC Ukrenergo for more than UAH 716 million, and legalized the proceeds from its resale by transferring them to the accounts of a Swiss non-resident company. To disguise the origin of the money in Ukraine, a number of controlled companies were involved in the scheme; their accounts were subsequently seized.
This episode was a continuation of a broader review of Ukrenergo’s contracts that began after the introduction of a new procurement mechanism in 2023. At that time, anti-corruption authorities had already drawn attention to the risks of concentrating tenders in a narrow circle of companies.
Overpricing gas for Ukrgazvydobuvannya
Another high-profile NABU case is related to the overpricing of natural gas that Ukrgasvydobuvannya planned to purchase. The potential amount of losses is estimated at UAH 211 million.
On March 11, 2024, the NABU and the SAPO exposed a scheme of abuse worth more than UAH 200 million during the implementation of an agreement between Ukrgasvydobuvannya JSC and a private foreign company to increase gas production.
According to the investigation, in 2019-2020, Ukrgasvydobuvannya held a tender and entered into an agreement under which the contractor was to provide basic and increased production. The cost of basic production per 1 cubic meter was supposed to be 3-4 times lower than the “enhanced” production, and the volume of basic production was fixed. However, company officials changed the tender conditions: they artificially reduced the baseline production rate by 750 million cubic meters over the potential 15 years of the contract and stipulated that monthly baseline production figures are calculated from the actual volumes of 2020. At the same time, employees were prohibited from raising these volumes in 2020.
As a result, the share of “increased” production, which is paid at a much higher tariff, has artificially increased. For the period from October 2020 (transfer of fields to the contractor) to November 2023, Ukrgasvydobuvannya’s losses amounted to UAH 211 million.
The official responsible for the “successful” implementation of the project received a bonus of double his monthly salary, and after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, he left Ukraine and got a job as a business development manager at the winning company.
Market experts note that this case has become indicative: the government is striving to reduce energy imports, but domestic procurement is still a field for abuse.
Embezzlement of funds for equipment for Kharkivoblenergo
The case concerns the embezzlement of funds for the purchase of equipment for Kharkivoblenergo. The losses are estimated at UAH 132.5 million.
The investigation found that in 2021, the acting CEO of the company, together with the controller of several commercial supplier firms, created a corruption scheme. They also involved employees of Kharkivoblenergo.
From April to September 2021, the CEO of the company ensured that two of his companies won tenders for the supply of more than 11.9 thousand units of transformer equipment and 79.4 thousand meters and auxiliary devices. The prices for the equipment were inflated by UAH 132.5 million, with some components costing five times more than the market value.
The conspiracy also involved representatives of the Kharkiv Chamber of Commerce and Industry – the head of the department and a private appraiser – who helped prepare the deliberately inflated purchase price, which allowed the right companies to win the tender.
As a result of the partial fulfillment of the contract in 2021-2022, Kharkivoblenergo suffered losses of UAH 12.5 million. The scheme participants did not have time to misappropriate the remaining amount – about UAH 120 million – due to the beginning of martial law and the receipt of humanitarian aid from Ukrainian and international partners, including energy equipment. After the NABU conducted investigative actions in the company, the group members decided to wind down the scheme and not to continue the contract.
In August 2024, five people were served with suspicion notices: the acting chairman of the board of Kharkivoblenergo JSC (2020-2024), the head of the company’s material support department, the head of a department at the Kharkiv Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a private appraiser, and the head of a commercial enterprise involved in the scheme.
In 2023-2025, Kharkivoblenergo became one of the key targets of anti-corruption authorities, as the company receives significant funding to rebuild its infrastructure after the hostilities.
Scheme with the sale of electricity and withdrawal of funds abroad
Another episode of the NABU over the past year is a scheme involving the sale of electricity with the subsequent withdrawal of funds to Bulgaria. Preliminarily, it is about UAH 60 million.
According to the detectives, market participants created a number of fictitious companies to resell electricity in the domestic market and then transfer part of the profits to foreign counterparties.
The aggregate estimate of possible losses in five major cases exceeds UAH 2.08 billion. It should be noted that investigations in the energy sector have not only a criminal but also a systemic effect: after each high-profile case, state-owned companies revise their procurement and internal control procedures.
Experts emphasize that corruption risks in the energy sector are traditionally high due to the scale of state funding, procurement volumes and complexity of technical processes.
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