SBI investigates case of alleged obstruction of fuel supply to army by acting deputy head of the State Tax Service Sokur - OGP

The Office of the Prosecutor General confirmed to UNN that investigators of the State Bureau of Investigation are investigating a case involving the acting deputy head of the State Tax Service of Ukraine, Yevhen Sokur. 

Earlier, UNN reported that criminal proceedings were opened on November 4, 2022 against the protégé and right-hand man of the Chairman of the Tax Committee of the Rada Danylo Hetmantsev - Acting Deputy Head of the State Tax Service Yevhen Sokur under Part 3 of Article 365 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The case was opened on the fact of abuse of power by Sokur, who on October 26, 2022, issued an order to revoke the license of PJSC Ukrtatnafta for the production of fuel. His actions allegedly caused severe consequences for the company, as well as for the state in the form of the inability to fulfill the mobilization tasks of the Ministry of Defense for the production and supply of petroleum products for the needs of defense and defense capability of the state.

"We would like to inform you that the Main Investigation Department of the State Bureau of Investigation is conducting a pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings dated 04.11.2022 on the grounds of a criminal offense under Part 3 of Article 365 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing," the PGO said in its response to UNN's request.

At the same time, the Prosecutor General's Office clarified that Sokur or other officials of the State Tax Service of Ukraine have not yet been notified of suspicion and, accordingly, no preventive measure has been imposed on anyone.

The agency refused to provide more detailed information about the investigation, citing the secrecy of the investigation.

Add

The case against Yevhen Sokur was opened because of two identical orders dated October 26, 2022, which he issued to revoke the license of PJSC Ukrtatnafta. The documents had an identical number and date, but the grounds for license revocation were different. In one, the company allegedly refused to allow the tax authorities to conduct an audit without legal grounds. The second was the failure to pay the next license fee within 30 days of the license suspension. At the same time, only one Sokur's order related to a tax audit is published on the tax authority's website.

The company appealed Sokur's decision in court. The courts of first, appellate and cassation instances recognized that the tax audit was conducted in violation of the law and that Ukrtatnafta had every right to prevent the STS representatives from entering its territory. As a result, the orders of the State Tax Service of Ukraine to revoke Ukrtatnafta's license for fuel production, valid from 01.07.2019 to 01.07.2024, were also declared illegal. The courts ordered the STS to cancel them.

MPs and lawyers interviewed by UNN, emphasize that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine should remove Sokur from office, because, given his position, he can influence the course of the investigation.

Recall

After law enforcement opened criminal proceedings against Sokur, he was allegedly assassinated on August 17, 2023. Earlier, we told you that there are many questions about the "assassination attempt" case, and it seems that it was not an order, but rather a staging. After all, the information that law enforcement officers prevented an assassination attempt on the acting deputy head of the tax service diverted public attention from the criminal case against him.