An additional agreement was signed by the Asset Search and Management Agency (ARMA) with Chernomorneftegaz JSC for the management of 26 regional gas companies of the RGK group associated with Dmitry Firtash.
It is known that by the summer of 2022, RGK was the largest player in the gas distribution market. After the transition to Naftogaz, the state concern took control of more than 60% of the market.
The signing of the new agreement required the order of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 777-r dated August 20, which instructed ARMA to transfer the regional gas companies to the management of Chernomorneftegaz after the second arrest.
Based on the results of 2022, Chernomorneftegaz paid UAH 172 million to the state budget from asset management. ARMA considers the management and fulfillment of financial obligations to be effective. The manager guaranteed to pay more than UAH 500 million from the management of these assets in 2023, ARMA said.
The RGK group is associated with Dmitry Firtash; officially he is not a beneficiary of this company.
In May 2022, the Pechersky District Court arrested and transferred the corporate rights of 26 regional gas companies to the management of ARMA. The government then transferred these assets to Naftogaz. Reason for arrest: UAH 1.5 billion non-payment for using networks.
In the summer of 2022, ARMA entered into an agreement with Chernomorneftegaz (part of the Naftogaz group) to manage the corporate rights of gas distribution companies.
Let us recall the fact that on June 24, 2024, President Vladimir Zelensky enacted the decision of the National Security and Defense Council to extend sanctions against 390 individuals and 366 legal entities for another 10 years. In particular, the list includes businessman Dmitry Firtash. Group DF stated that it considers the decision of the National Security and Defense Council an attempt to put pressure on business.
The company calls the sanctions against Firtash “unfair” and is already challenging them in a Ukrainian court, and also plans to appeal to international courts.
