Investigation into the accident of a bunker truck in Odesa

An Odesa court has extended the detention of the company's director over the bunkerer accident. The vessel sank in Chornomorsk, causing a leak of more than 10 tons of fuel oil and a threat to the environment.

This is stated in the decision of the Kyiv District Court of Odesa.

On July 29, 2025, the Kyiv District Court of Odesa received a request from the prosecutor's office to extend the term of detention for the director of a private enterprise. She was accused of abuse of office under Part 2 of Article 243, Part 2 of Article 364-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

According to the investigation, on June 7, 2021, the State Enterprise Sea Commercial Port Chornomorsk and Frog AgroService PE entered into a contract for the sale and purchase of a Mars bunker. Additionally, they concluded an agreement for the waste of more than 10 tons of fuels and lubricants that were on board the vessel. On October 6, 2021, the bunker was handed over to the director of Frog Agroservice PE.

The investigation found that at the time of the transfer of the vessel, the watch service on board was not organized. At the same time, the port director sent letters demanding that the berth be secured. But despite this, the company's management did not take measures to maintain the vessel and organize a watch, which created a risk of flooding and pollution of the Chornomorsk port area.

On February 8, 2023, the captain of the Black Sea port issued an order ordering the company to remove the vessel due to its emergency condition.

According to investigators, on January 8, 2024, the Mars bunker suffered a hull leak and sank while rolling to port. During the accident, 1.2 tons of fuel oil got into the water, causing environmental damage and material damage of more than USD 422 thousand.

The investigation also found that the suspect repeatedly changed her testimony, provided documents with a delay, and may interfere with criminal proceedings. In addition, she has a foreign passport, relatives in Austria and significant property, including two residential buildings in Mykolaiv and Odesa regions and land plots.

According to the ruling, monitoring of the Prozorro.Sale platform showed that Frog Agroservice participated in at least 7 public auctions in 2021-2023 for more than UAH 35 million and purchased, among other things, the vessels Engineer Valchuk, Mars and Pegasus for UAH 9.88 million.

The company's bank accounts for 2022-2024 showed receipts of funds in the amount of more than UAH 9 million, which are at the disposal of the director.

The Odesa court partially granted the prosecutor's request and extended the suspect's detention until September 5, 2025 inclusive. The bail was set at UAH 8 million 327 thousand.

In early August, prosecutors served a notice of suspicion to the director of a utility company in the Izmail district for large-scale land pollution with toxic waste. He allowed a maritime company to dump fuel oil at a landfill without an environmental impact assessment and licenses.

Анна Бальчінос