Suspicion filed against former head of Ukraine's GTS Operator

The former general director of the company managing Ukraine's gas transmission system has become a suspect in a criminal case. According to law enforcement, he caused the state damage amounting to over 18 billion hryvnias. The suspect is currently abroad.

20 billion in profit that did not reach the budget

The investigation established that in 2021, the monopoly company responsible for gas transit through Ukraine and to EU countries earned 20 billion hryvnias in net profit. 

Under the law, 90% of this amount was to be transferred to the state budget as dividends. However, investigators found that the former head of the "GTS Operator" decided not to distribute the profit, resulting in significant financial losses for the state.

Dismissal and flight abroad

In September 2022, the company's supervisory board decided to dismiss the executive, citing unsatisfactory performance. Meanwhile, as noted by the police, the official provided false information in documents regarding his business trip to Vienna and soon left Ukraine.

Criminal case opened

The suspect has been charged in absentia under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• Part 2 of Article 367 (improper performance of official duties, causing grave consequences for state interests),
• Part 1 of Article 366 (official forgery, entering knowingly false data into official documents).

He faces up to five years of imprisonment for these crimes.

Who is behind the suspicion?

Law enforcement have not officially named the former director, but it is known that from the company's establishment in 2019 until September 2022, the position was held by Serhiy Makohon.