Corruption during the war: Carpathian businessmen Petr Belz and Bohdan Pukish threaten the national security of Ukraine
Despite the full-scale war and the active efforts of the Ukrainian state to fight collaborators, some businessmen associated with Russian influence continue to quietly earn millions of hryvnia for their own benefit, as well as for the benefit of individuals such as Viktor Medvedchuk, who is Putin’s godfather.
We are talking about Petr Belz and Bogdan Pukiš, two key figures who remain at large and continue their activities, despite the fact that their crimes became known several months ago thanks to investigative journalism. However, there is still no reaction from law enforcement.
Why do these people go unpunished? The reason lies in corruption schemes and close ties that have not yet been completely broken, even during the war. This situation is a painful reminder that the fight against corruption in Ukraine remains a complex and unsolved task, especially when it comes to powerful individuals.
Petr Belz: well-connected businessman
Petr Belz is a well-known businessman from Ivano-Frankivsk and the owner of the oil company Wexler Group, which in 2020 entered the top 100 largest private companies in Ukraine, ranking 52nd according to Forbes. However, his success cannot be explained only by his business skills and his raider policy of acquiring assets. To a large extent, his achievements are associated with the support of Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Russian politician in Ukraine suspected of treason and connections with Russian intelligence services.
One of the key components of Belz’s business empire was his role as general director of the Anvitrade company, which controlled the Samara-Western direction oil pipeline. This strategic facility ensured the supply of petroleum products from Russia to Ukraine. This was supervised by Israeli businessman Nissan Moiseev, who is closely associated with Belz and Medvedchuk.
In 2016, journalists recorded the arrival of Belz, Moiseev and Medvedchuk in Kyiv from Moscow on a private plane, which only emphasizes their close ties.
Today, companies controlled by Medvedchuk through Belza continue to supply fuel and technical oils to the Ukrainian Defense Forces and strategic enterprises. This causes serious concern, because such contracts can serve as a source of corruption schemes and overpayments, which deepens Ukraine’s economic problems.
Worst of all, the funds received through these contracts could be used to support Russian military aggression against Ukraine. Cooperation with such companies undermines national security, since these companies, having close ties to Medvedchuk, influence the financial and energy security of the country.
Fuel supplies and corrupt tenders
Journalistic investigations indicate that companies associated with Petr Belz continue to receive large government contracts for the supply of fuel and motor oils, including for the needs of the Ukrainian army. For example, at the beginning of 2024, the Euro Oil Production company received a contract worth more than UAH 34 million for the supply of motor oil. Such contracts raise suspicions of corruption, since questions of product quality and transparency of tender conditions remain open.
Another egregious situation was the conclusion of an agreement between the state-owned Ukrgasvydobuvannya and the Anvitrade company in the amount of UAH 164 million in December 2022. The reason for the scandal was that the agreement was concluded without tendering. Before the big war, in 2020-2021, Anvitrade generally won tenders due to the ability to buy cheap fuel from Russia and Belarus, which allowed Belz to dump prices and defeat competitors.
There is another ally of Medvedchuk and Belz in these schemes - Bogdan Pukish. He was previously the coordinator of Medvedchuk’s Ukrainian Choice party in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Today Pukish manages several companies, including LLC IVAPROM, LLC Firm Khimtekhnoplast and private enterprise Vestkhim. And according to media reports, despite criminal proceedings for embezzlement of property, Bogdan Pukish, thanks to the support of Belz, continues to receive lucrative contracts, including for defense orders. However, the quality of the products that Pukish produces raises serious questions.
In particular, the military reports that the ammunition supplied by Pukish often does not meet technical requirements, which puts the lives of Ukrainian soldiers on the front line at risk. This is further proof that corruption not only undermines the Ukrainian economy, but also directly threatens the lives of the Ukrainian military.
Inaction of law enforcement officers: a threat to national security
Despite numerous journalistic investigations and revelations of corruption on the part of Belz and Pukish, law enforcement officers do not take any action. The public has repeatedly made calls to investigate their activities, but there has been no response. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Petr Belz is an authoritative figure in the region. It is known that he has significant political and business connections, which allows him to influence the decisions of law enforcement agencies. There is a possibility that these connections are supported by significant financial resources, with which he can motivate law enforcement officers to “turn a blind eye” to their illegal activities, creating an environment where corruption is systemic and allows figures like Belz and Pukis to continue their deeds with impunity.
This only confirms that corruption is so deeply rooted that even in wartime, law enforcement agencies ignore blatant facts of criminal activity.
Wrong choice: was Venislavsky a victim of deception?
Also, according to journalists’ sources in law enforcement agencies, Ukrainian People’s Deputy Fyodor Venislavsky may be involved in slowing down any criminal investigations against Belz and Pukish. Venislavsky is a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, and from 2019 to 2023 he was the representative of the President of Ukraine in the Constitutional Court.
There is reason to believe that Venislavsky was misled about the actions of Belz and Pukish or did not fully understand their activities. After all, it is difficult to imagine that a deputy directly related to defense projects could consciously support individuals whose actions work against the interests of the Ukrainian army.
Corruption as a threat to Ukraine's security
Without decisive action on the part of the state, businessmen like Petr Belz and Bogdan Pukis, or hundreds, and maybe thousands of others like them, will continue to operate, undermining national security from within. Corruption schemes, manipulation of government contracts and unscrupulous activities that endanger the lives of Ukrainian military personnel are direct threats to the country.
At the same time, businessmen, law enforcement officers, and politicians must understand that sooner or later they will have to answer for their actions. After the end of the war, thousands of military personnel will return home, and if they understand that because of such merchants in the rear as Belz and Pukish, corrupt security forces and officials, they lost their brothers-in-arms at the front, something irreparable may happen - a people's trial. The sense of justice and responsibility among those who return from the war will be extremely heightened, and such persons will not escape punishment for treason against national interests and crimes against the state.
Therefore, Ukraine needs immediate and decisive action from law enforcement agencies to put an end to the criminal activities of such individuals, ensure the safety of the country and its citizens, and prevent lynchings in the future.
