Kyiv institute caught assisting Russia repair its oil refineries – SBU Report

Source: Security Service of Ukraine 

The Security Service of Ukraine, SBU,  has exposed the managers of a major Kyiv-based oil research and design institute for aiding Russia in restoring its oil refineries affter Ukrainian drone strikes.

Among those detained are the chairman of the board, two department heads, the chief engineer, and one additional engineer from the institute.

Investigators revealed that the suspects were helping Russia repair oil refineries that had been significantly damaged by Ukrainian attacks. At the request of Russian officials, they prepared project documentation for the reconstruction of three major refineries.

The total value of the contracts with Russia was nearly half a billion hryvnias (approximately $13.5 million USD). This included remote support from the institute’s project team for the technological processes involved in repairing and fine-tuning the damaged facilities in Russia.

During searches of the offices and homes of the suspects in Kyiv, Lviv, and Kharkiv, authorities seized mobile phones, computer systems, laptops, flash drives, and handwritten notes containing evidence of their collaboration with the aggressor state.

Based on the evidence, SBU investigators have charged five senior staff members with aiding the aggressor state under Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Four of the individuals are currently in custody, with the investigation ongoing. If convicted, they face up to 12 years in prison and asset confiscation.