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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
❗️ The Cabinet is rescuing Volynvuhillia from debts. ❓ But who will be held accountable for years of coal schemes by Vengryn?
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine proposes to introduce a moratorium on the forced collection of tax debts from five state enterprises, among them SE Volynvuhillia and SE Lvivvuhillia. Draft law No.16179 provides that the restrictions will apply during martial law and for six months after its end.
The Ministry of Energy explains the initiative by the need to preserve more than 10 thousand jobs, ensure miners’ wage payments, and support the operation of strategic enterprises.
And here, it would seem, everything is correct. Preserving jobs, supporting miners, and saving state enterprises is a necessary undertaking. Especially during war.
BUT! There is one big question: what should be done about those who for years have been profiting from those same state enterprises? Who is behind the numerous coal schemes that caused state mines to lose funds, accumulate debts, and end up in a critical financial condition?
And here it is worth recalling the well-known figure in the Lviv-Volyn coal basin, Andriy Vengryn — whom journalists have almost openly called the “overseer” of the coal industry.
For example, according to an investigation by the anti-corruption center Mezha, Vengryn is a former adviser to ex-Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn. Journalists claim that for years he exerted informal influence over coal flows, personnel appointments, enrichment and sale of coal through a network of associated persons and private companies.
The essence of the described schemes is fairly simple: coal from state mines was purchased by private intermediaries and then allegedly sent for enrichment. According to journalists, instead of proper enrichment the fuel could be mixed with rock and waste, increasing reported volumes and the product’s value. That coal was then sold to thermal power plants, including the state-owned Centrenergo, at significantly higher prices. Profits — to the intermediaries; financial problems and debts — to the state enterprises. That is the model described by journalistic investigations.
And this is far from the only story. I have previously reported multiple times about possible abuses at the Nadiya mine, where Vengryn’s nephew Andriy Petryk was involved. He and other officials were linked to a criminal proceeding concerning the theft of coal worth approximately 2,4 million UAH. Later, when posts were reshuffled at enterprises, names of people also linked to Vengryn’s circle reappeared.
Now let us return to Volynvuhillia. As early as June, the Ministry of Energy reported the results of an audit of the enterprise, which found suspicious transactions amounting to tens of millions of hryvnias. In particular, equipment on which 10,6 million UAH was spent was sold for 3,3 million UAH, and almost 37 million UAH was allocated for relocating equipment that was not used in production.
And now the state is trying to financially support an enterprise that has found itself in a difficult situation. Perhaps, together with rescuing state mines, it is finally time to address those who for years have appeared in investigations into the theft of state coal and multimillion schemes?
Because the situation is strange. When enterprises accumulate debts, the state looks for mechanisms to save them. But when journalists for years name specific surnames, describe schemes, and show related companies and personnel appointments — society still does not see an adequate response regarding the responsibility of the organizers of these alleged abuses…
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