Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
VAKS ordered NABU to investigate possible diversion of 140 million hryvnias from state ports in favor of UDP
The High Anti-Corruption Court ordered NABU to enter information into the Unified Register of Pretrial Investigations about the possible diversion of 140 million UAH of working capital from state ports in favor of Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company. The funds in question, according to the complaint, may have been transferred for 36 months without payment for use.
The investigating judge partially granted the complaint about NABU’s inaction regarding the statement dated 5 October 2026. Previously the bureau had not entered the relevant information into the URPI. At the same time, the court denied the part of the claim seeking to recognize NABU’s inaction as unlawful.
According to the complainant, the decision to transfer the funds was formalized by a meeting protocol dated 19 June 2026, number 182/46/30-26, which was held and approved by the deputy minister of community and territory development. The complaint concerns the possible involvement of 140 million UAH of working capital from two state enterprises — the seaport of Pivdennyi and the Administration of Seaports of Ukraine — in favor of PJSC Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company (UDP). The complainant also asked to verify possible concealment by UDP officials of the actual volume of fleet operations and revenues.
The court concluded that the circumstances described may contain signs of crimes provided for in part 2 of Art. 364 and part 5 of Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Therefore, the information must be entered into the register and the circumstances verified as part of a pretrial investigation. This decision does not mean that the fact of a crime has already been established.
At the end of June 2026 the Trade Union of Seafarers of Ukraine reported agreement on an interest-free repayable financial assistance to UDP in the amount of 100 million UAH from the port of Pivdennyi. According to the union, the funds were to be used to repay wage arrears to seafarers that had been accumulating since September 2025. At that time the union stated that the ministry had already agreed to the decision, but there was no official confirmation from the ministry or the port.
The amounts and sources of funds differ in the two reports: the statement mentioned in the court decision refers to 140 million UAH from two state enterprises, while the union reported 100 million UAH from the port of Pivdennyi. According to the complainant, these discrepancies require verification.
The situation unfolds against the background of UDP’s financial difficulties. In 2023 the company earned 719 million UAH in profit and paid over 140 million UAH in taxes and dividends. However, in 2024–2025 its financial indicators deteriorated: revenue fell, losses increased, and market share, according to the data cited, dropped from over 10% to less than 1%.
UDP Supervisory Board Chair Benoît Plesca previously publicly alleged possible asset theft, the absence of an audit for 5 years, and proposals to sell vessels as scrap. The company also has wage arrears to seafarers and is preparing to sell a significant number of ships and watercraft. Earlier NABU investigated a case of possible misappropriation of 32 lighters and vessels totaling over 80 million UAH; that case was referred to court.
It is noteworthy that the protocol dated 19 June 2026 was approved by the deputy minister. At that time the Danube region, ports, and UDP portfolio was handled by Andriy Kashuba — a former top manager of the Administration of Seaports of Ukraine and a member of UDP’s supervisory board. On 13 October 2026 the Cabinet of Ministers dismissed Kashuba at his own request. The mere fact of his dismissal does not indicate his involvement in any alleged violations.
Now NABU must comply with the court’s ruling to enter the information into the URPI. The circumstances of the possible use of state enterprise funds, as well as the actions of officials, must be verified within the investigation.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "ВАКС зобов’язав НАБУ розслідувати можливе відволікання 140 мільйонів гривень державних портів на користь УДП". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: ANTIKOR.