“In 2025, the state -owned company Ukrzaliznytsia was at the epicenter of a number of high -profile scandals related to the theft of public funds. Exagular prices for purchases, doubtful tender procedures and bribes – these incidents not only caused significant financial losses to the enterprise, but also undermined the public’s confidence in one of the key infrastructure industries of Ukraine.”, – WRITE ON: ua.news
In 2025, the state -owned company Ukrzaliznytsia was at the epicenter of a number of high -profile scandals related to the theft of public funds. Exagual prices for purchases, questionable tender procedures and bribes – these incidents not only caused significant financial losses to the enterprise, but also undermined the public’s confidence in one of the key infrastructure industries of Ukraine.
We talk about 5 main scandals with theft at Ukrzaliznytsia in 2025, detailed schemes and punishment of the perpetrators.
Theft of almost 100 million on fuel oil and diesel
April 30 High Anti -Corruption Court announced The sentence in the case of theft of 98.2 million hryvnias on oil and diesel. The accused – 4 officials of the Center of the Liski Transport Service “Ukrzaliznytsya”.
The scheme took place in 2016. Then the UZ started an ambitious project “New Silk Road” aimed at cargo transit from and to Asia, one of the key directions of which was to become the Black Sea. Two ferries – “Shipka Heroes” and “Plewna Heroes”, designed for transportation of freight cars, were handed over to the Ukrzaliznytsia maritime.
In the same year, the UZ Branch-the center of the Liski transport service-conducted a tender for the purchase of a large amount of fuel and lubricants to serve these two ferries. The winner was the commercial company of LLC “Rock Terzium”. Under the terms of the contract concluded in July 2016, it was to put 6.743 thousand tons of fuel for a total amount of UAH 101.5 million. However, there was no real need for such a volume of diesel and fuel oil.
The company actually delivered the goods for UZ for only 3 million UAH, but from the CTS “Liski” received the full amount stipulated by the contract – UAH 101.5 million.
The National Anti -Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) exposed the scheme in 2019. The suspicion was first reported to seven persons, and later six other persons involved. Among the suspects were the heads and engineers of the Odessa branch of the Branch of the CTS “Liski” and the directors of two commercial enterprises. In 2020, the Supreme Anti -Corruption Court complained about interfering with the work of his judges who considered the case.
The former head of the Liski Branch and ex-chief engineer The same branch found the court guilty of misappropriation, misappropriation of property or seizure by abuse of office, committing a crime by a group of persons and official forgery. Them Appointed Punishment in the form of imprisonment for 9 years each, with deprivation of the right to occupy management positions at enterprises, institutions and organizations, regardless of ownership for 3 years, with confiscation of all their property and a fine of 4 250 UAH for them. Immediately after the sentence, they were taken into custody in the courtroom.
Former First Deputy Chief of the Odessa Branch “Lisky” and another Ex-chief engineer This branch was also found guilty of the same crimes. They were sentenced to 8 years imprisonment, with deprivation of the right to occupy management positions at enterprises, institutions and organizations, regardless of ownership for 3 years, with the confiscation of their entire property and a fine of 4 250 UAH for each. These defendants have a precautionary measure in the form of 24 -hour house arrest.
Case Shila and People’s Deputy Bondar: Theft of 240 million
On March 10, 2025, the case of theft of 240 million on public procurement of cable and transformers and transformers for Ukrzaliznytsia was brought to court. The National Anti -Corruption Bureau (NABU) is organized by the SBU employee and the former adviser to the Presidential Office of Ukraine Artem Shila, People’s Deputy Viktor Bondar and businessman Vladimir Kotlyar. All the key involved people are currently in the pre -trial detention center, but Artem Shilo spent only one day under arrest, and then collateral. Where he is now is unknown.
Photo: Artem Shilo
At least 16 people could have been involved in the sela-Bondar’s frauds-Ukrzaliznytsia employees, lawyers, accountants and false persons where companies and property were issued. Moreover, the names of the top Ukrainian officials: the head of the office of President Andriy Yermak and his deputy Oleg Tatarov, the Minister of Infrastructure Vladislav Krykliy and the former chairman of the board of Ukrzaliznytsia (2022 – 2023), and then the Minister of Strategic Industry, Alexander Kamyshin,
Photo: Victor Bondar
According to the prosecutor’s office, in 2019-2021, the People’s Deputy Viktor Bondar and businessman Stanislav Kotlyar organized a criminal group for theft of Ukrzaliznytsia funds through the sale of goods at inflated prices through affiliated firms. In the fall of 2021, the SBU employee Artem Shilo created his own group for the same purposes, attracting businessmen Oleg Melnik and Igor Butanov, as well as the UZ Onysimyuk Officer. Both groups in 2021 were united to commit crimes, where Shilo provided assistance in supply, in particular, and the bondar with a boiler transferred a rollback of 5-7% of the appropriated funds.
The Group and Bondar Groups include three episodes:
- Ovened prices for cable products (losses of UAH 140 million).
- Double price transformers (losses 99.9 million UAH) and connections with the Russian Federation. In 2022-2024, Ukrzaliznytsia purchased power transformers at a price twice as high as market. A company associated with a Belarusian businessman who had ties with Russia won.
- Legalization of UAH 155 million due to fictitious services and real estate. The proceeds were legalized through fictitious companies sela because of the purchase of elite real estate and the service of beauty salons. It is known that her lover sewed purchased elite real estate in Dubai for more than $ 4 million: a room in the Jumeirah Gate Tower 2 and 8 apartments in Belgravia III in the residential complex. Details – in our Investigation.
Stole 15 million on the humanitarian
On March 19, 2025, the case of abuse of humanitarian assistance to the population for UAH 15 million was brought to court.
The scheme was implemented in March 2022. Then the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Ukrzaliznytsia and a private company concluded a contract for the supply of chicken for distribution to the residents of the front and de -checked territories.
According to the investigation, the former head of the Kharkiv Ova apparatus colluded with the supplier firm and falsified documents for fictitious receipt of 235 tons of products. After that, Ukrzaliznytsia transferred more than 15 million UAH to the enterprise’s accounts for a actually unspoken goods.
The National Anti -Corruption Bureau exposed the fraud of the same year. Suspect: ex-headman of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Victoria Belyavtseva, Director of the supplier company and its deputy, as well as the director of the company regional management. On February 13, 2024, they were notified of suspicion under Part 5 of Art. 191, Part 4 of Art. 358 and Part 1 of Art. 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (appropriation, misappropriation of property or seizure by abuse of office, committed in a particularly large size or organized group, use of a deliberately forged document, official forgery).
It was only after the disclosure of information on the opening of criminal proceedings in December 2022.
Assigned 22 million on salaries
In March 2025, law enforcement officers exposed the theft of 22 million hryvnias in the scheme of accrual of payments for salaries. The incident occurred in the Vinnytsia region at the branch of Ukrzaliznytsia “Energoremtrans”. To the director and chief accountant of the branch reported About suspicion under Part 5 of Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. For this crime, the suspect is threatened with imprisonment for a term of 7 to 12 years with confiscation of property and deprivation of the right to occupy certain positions up to 3 years.
According to the investigation, in the spring of 2022, the heads of the branch organized an illegal scheme for payments to wages to employees who were not involved in the critical processes for the work of the railway, contrary to the decision of the Board of Ukrzaliznytsia on the restriction of such payments for the period of martial law.
The director and chief accountant forged the accounting documents on a monthly basis on the accrual of these surcharges without the obligatory approval by the payroll commission. Some of these funds were appropriated. For 2 years of such frauds, more than UAH 22 million was illegally paid to employees who were not eligible for these payments.
Solicitation of bribes
This year, two high -profile stories of extortion of bribes at Ukrzaliznytsia have shot down Ukraine. Both episodes concerned entrepreneurs.
In March, a case was sent against the chief engineer of one of the branches of Ukrzaliznytsia, whom blamed in solicitation of bribes. According to the investigation, he demanded $ 2,000 from the entrepreneur for the approval of the connection of his enterprise to the transformer substation located in the territory of the branch of Ukrzaliznytsia. He also hinted to the businessman on possible obstacles to signing a letter of reward without remuneration. The chief engineer was detained in Kiev during a bribe. The suspect faces imprisonment for a term of 5 to 10 years with confiscation of property and deprivation of the right to occupy certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to three years.
Another case occurred in Khmelnytskyi. In March, police She detained The head of the railway station, which demanded $ 10,000 for the businessman and pay for repair of his office as a bribe for continuing the contract for the storage, maintenance and use of 38 freight wagons. It was detained after receiving the stipulated amount of money and receipts for payment of repair. Investigators reported the detainee of suspicion under Part 3 of Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (acceptance of a proposal, promise or receipt of undue benefit by an official). The court chose the malefactor a preventive measure in the form of detention with the right to make a bail of 484 thousand hryvnias.