The government transferred the arrested 26 regional gas companies to the management of Naftogaz

The government handed over the arrested 26 regional operators of gas distribution systems (regional gas companies) to Naftogaz Ukraine.

This is stated in the relevant resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The regional operators will be directly managed by the state enterprise Chornomornaftogaz (part of Naftogaz). It is noted that the decisions were made in order to "prevent the risk of emergencies in the energy sector."

On May 25, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv transferred these regional gas companies to the National Agency for Detection, Investigation and Management of Assets Obtained from Corruption and Other Crimes (ARMA). They are evidence in the criminal proceedings of a large-scale scheme of free transfer of gas distribution systems by the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry to private operators. The State Bureau of Investigation estimates that such activities caused the state losses amounting to 1.488 billion hryvnias.

According to open sources, there are more than 40 operators of gas distribution networks or so-called regional gas companies in Ukraine. About 70% of the countryʼs gas is distributed by oligarch Dmytro Firtashʼs Regional Gas Company.

• Earlier, the Civil Court of Cassation of the Supreme Court approved the final nationalization of the Zaporizhzhia Titanium and Magnesium Plant. Previously, the company was partially controlled by the Cypriot offshore company Tolexis Trading Limited, affiliated with businessman Dmytro Firtash.