Ukrnafta receives permission from anti-trust regulator to manage four gas companies
Photo: Ukrnaftoburinnya

Ukrnafta has received permission from the Antimonopoly Committee to manage the corporate rights of four seized gas companies, reported the press service of state company.

The companies in question are Ukrnaftoburinnya, East Europe Petroleum, Sakhalinske, and Sirius-1. All of these companies are engaged in production activities at the Sakhalin oil and gas condensate field and were arrested as part of criminal proceedings.

On April 5, 2023, it became known that the corporate rights of Sakhalinske LLC (beneficiaries are former MPs Ihor Kotvitskyi and Vitaliy Danilov), Sirius-1 LLC (beneficiary is former Ukrtatnafta top manager Pavlo Ovcharenko), and East Europe Petroleum LLC (formerly Golden Derrick, alleged beneficiary is Pavel Fuks) were seized.

On April 7, they were joined by PrJSC VK Ukrnaftoburinnya, affiliated with Ihor Kolomoisky, Vitaliy Khomutynnik and Pavel Fuks.

The investigation is checking the version of the conspiracy of several gas companies in the period 2000-2023, as a result of which the state de facto lost control over the Sakhalinske field, having previously spent more than UAH 1 billion ($27 million) on its development. Its deposits are estimated at at least 15 billion cubic meters of gas.

On May 23, 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers orders the transfer of the seized corporate rights to Ukrnafta.

On June 14, Ukrnafta signed agreements with the state Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) to manage the corporate rights of these companies.