Kolomoiskyi accuses Zelenskyy and the President’s Office of raider seizure of "Ukrnafta"

Kolomoiskyi accuses Zelenskyy and the President’s Office of raider seizure of "Ukrnafta"

Ihor Kolomoyskyi, while being in detention, for the first time voiced direct accusations against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The oligarch claimed that his imprisonment is an attempt to prevent him from challenging the alienation of shares of "Ukrnafta" and "Ukrtatnafta", which came under state control at the end of 2022. It should be reminded that Kolomoyskyi and his partners owned 41% of "Ukrnafta" shares.

According to Kolomoyskyi, the decision to transfer the shares of these companies was formalized as a temporary alienation for martial law needs, but in reality, it aimed to establish control over the enterprises by the President’s Office. He claims that "military needs" were just a cover for a raider takeover.

"Freudian Slip" of the President

Kolomoyskyi reminded that in his speech in the Verkhovna Rada, Zelenskyy stated that "Ukrnafta" underwent nationalization. According to the oligarch, this contradicts the official documents, which indicate a temporary alienation of shares.

He also mentioned that back in summer 2022, he was approached by the Deputy Head of the President’s Office, Rostyslav Shurma, with a proposal to transfer the shares. Shurma, according to Kolomoyskyi, acted on behalf of Zelenskyy and the head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak.

Corruption after "Nationalization"

The oligarch claims that after the company was transferred to the state, its management came under the control of individuals connected with the President’s Office. Formally, these people were representatives of the Ministry of Defence, but in fact, they had no relation to the military. Kolomoyskyi calls this the transformation of "Ukrnafta" into a source of corrupt income for government representatives.

Attempts to Address NABU

Kolomoyskyi reported that back in September, he filed a statement with NABU regarding these events, but the bureau’s detectives initially refused to open criminal proceedings. Only through court, he managed to initiate a case, but only for one of the episodes.

Kolomoyskyi demands that NABU execute the court’s decision and investigate all the circumstances he described in his statements.

This situation underscores the tension between the oligarch and the government, which is trying to distance itself from Kolomoyskyi after his role in financing Zelenskyy’s presidential campaign in 2019.