Ukraine’s Supreme Anti-Corruption Court seizes part of Samara-Western Direction oil product pipeline

<p> MINSK, Feb 24 - PrimePress. The Supreme Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine has seized a part of the Samara-Western Direction oil product pipeline, which had previously been ordered to be returned to Ukrainian ownership, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) reported on February 24, 2021. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Infrastructure, buildings and facilities located in Ukraine are arrested on the basis of evidence collected by Ukrainian law enforcers. The assets will be transferred to the National Agency of Ukraine for Finding, Tracing and Management of Assets Derived from Corruption and Other Crimes, reads the report. </p> <p>   </p> <p> The SSU and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau are taking measures to transfer the entire oil product pipeline under the control of Ukrtransnafta state enterprise for preservation. The value of the transferred property is estimated at 200 million hryvnias (around $7.15 million). </p> <p>   </p> <p> Earlier, the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine decided on the need to return to the state ownership of the Ukrainian section of the Samara-Western Direction oil pipeline, which is operated by Prikarpat-Zapadtrans LLC and through which diesel fuel is transported from Russia and Belarus to Ukraine and transited to Europe. According to National Security and Defence Council Secretary Alexei Danilov, the pipeline was illegally handed over to foreign companies owned by Ukrainian nationals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on February 20, 2021, which enacted the Council’s decision to return this section of the Samara-Western Direction pipeline to Ukrainian ownership. </p> <p>   </p> <p> As previously reported, a 51% stake in the authorized capital of Prikarpat-Zapadtrans LLC was sold in April 2019 to Neftebitumny Zavod, the ultimate beneficiary of which is Belarusian businessman Nikolai Vorobei. In September 2019, Belarusian Oil Company CJSC (BelOil, special exporter of Belarusian oil products) and Prykarpat-Zapadtrans, the operator of the oil product pipeline, made a trial delivery of diesel fuel from Mozyr to Novograd-Volynsky (Ukraine). </p> <p>   </p> <p> Prikarpat-Zapadtrans Ltd. operates a 1,100 km section of Samara-Western Direction oil product pipeline, which transports diesel fuel from Russia and Belarus both for Ukraine’s domestic needs and for transit to Europe, particularly to Hungary. The design capacity of the main is 3.5 million tonnes per year. End </p>

2021-02-25

Primepress