Law enforcers raid Ukrzaliznytsia offices in Kyiv, Vinnytsia

The Ministry of INternal Affairs of Ukraine says law enforcers are searching premises of the Ukrainian national railways company PJSC Ukrzaliznytsia in the cities of Vinnytsia and Kyiv.

The Ministry adds that, together with the SBU Security Service they exposed a corruption scheme that incurred almost UAH 12 million (US$439,239) in losses to the state.

The Ukrzaliznytsia branch in 2019-2020 allocated over 60 million (US$2.2 million) for the purchase of materials to repair passenger rolling stock. Organizers behind the scheme have won the bidding and received the money.

Forensic examination

"Examinations conducted as part of the probe established the real value of inventory and showed an unjustified overstatement of prices, which caused damage to the state in the amount of almost UAH 12 million," the report said.

Read alsoUkraine's government approves Ukrzaliznytsia's 2020 financial planCriminal proceedings have been opened under Part 5 of Article 191 the Criminal code of Ukraine (misappropriation, embezzlement or conversion or property by malversation).

Earlier searches

• Law enforcers on July 21, 2020, raided Ukrzaliznytsia's facilities as part of a pretrial investigation into possible abuse of office and tax evasion.
• On May 22, 2020, the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) searched premises of Ukrzaliznytsia officials and representatives of private companies in a case of abuse in the procurement of software for the electronic purchase of tickets for the Kyiv-Boryspil rail service.