Ukraine in global search of Gazprom's foreign assets; seizure in Ukraine launched

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs tasked the country's diplomatic missions to conduct a thorough analysis of assets owned by the Russian energy monopoly, Gazprom.

"We have already instructed our diplomatic missions to conduct a thorough analysis: to apply to all registries, all open databases, in order to find out where and what Gazprom owns," Deputy Foreign Minister Olena Zerkal said on air of TV Channel 5 Wednesday.

Read alsoGazprom's attempt to expose Ukraine as an unreliable partner fails - U.S. State Department"Naftogaz is also working with legal agents specializing in arrest and seizure of assets," she added.

Ukraine has begun the process of seizing foreign assets of the Russian energy giant for its violation of the Ukrainian anti-trust legislation.

The Ministry of Justice has launched executive proceedings based on a court decision to recover from the Gazprom almost UAH 172 billion, the Cabinet of Ministers wrote on its website.

"In this case, the listing and seizure of assets belonging to Gazprom have begun in Ukraine," the report said.

In particular, seizure applies to the property of Gazprom Sbyt Ukraine and International Consortium for Management and Development of Ukrainian Gas Transmission System, as well as securities of JSC YuzhNIIgiprogaz Institute and JSC Gaztransit. These companies' shares shall be sold at public auctions.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says he is convinced Ukraine will "get everything to a penny" from Gazprom in accordance with a Stockholm arbitration court ruling.

Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman instructed the Justice Ministry to coordinate actions with the Naftogaz leadership on the possible seizure of Gazprom's assets worldwide in the event of the Russian company's failure to comply with the rulings of the Stockholm Arbitration

As reported earlier, Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom has lost a lawsuit with NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine in the Stockholm Arbitration, which ruled Gazprom should pay $2.56 billion to the Ukrainian company.