SBU uncovers scheme of selling Russian fuel in Odesa

In Odesa, the SBU uncovered a scheme through which Ukrainian money was funneled to Russia. A local businesswoman bought Russian liquefied gas through an Austrian intermediary.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations.

According to the investigation, the co-owner and director of Energoimpex LLC organized the supply of Russian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) through an Austrian intermediary, knowing about the real origin of the product and its connection with the aggressor state.

The company has been involved in wholesale fuel trading since 2000. The director controlled all contracts and financial transactions, and in 2023 she signed a contract with the Austrian company Rhinestone Trading GmbH. Formally, the documents stated that the gas came from "all over the world, except Russia," but in fact the Austrian company purchased it from the Russian structure Rhinestone Trading, which was run by the same executive. According to the YouControl system, the company's founder is Inna Buzadzhy.

According to the investigation, the Ukrainian company transferred money to the Austrian company, and the latter to the Russian company, which allowed it to circumvent international sanctions and replenish the Russian budget through taxes and other payments. During 2023, Energoimpex LLC made numerous large international payments:

The total amount of transfers amounted to more than USD 2,059,350 and EUR 731,017.

The funds were transferred by the Austrian company to the accounts of a Russian company that supplied gas to Energoimpex, thereby contributing to the economy of the aggressor state during the war.

In November 2025, 18.58 tons of liquefied gas were imported into Ukraine through the Reni checkpoint, which arrived the next day at the Pivdennyi customs post in Odesa for clearance. The investigation emphasizes that all transactions took place in violation of Ukrainian law and sanctions imposed to block Russian financing.

The head of Energoimpex LLC was served a notice of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - aiding the aggressor state. This article provides for a sentence of ten to twelve years in prison. The court has already seized the IVECO vehicle, the tank semi-trailer and all the liquefied gas, prohibiting their alienation or use until the investigation is completed.

And in Mykolaiv region, law enforcement officers exposed a large-scale scheme for exporting agricultural products: contracts worth millions of dollars were drawn up through fake agreements with Turkish companies. Some of the goods existed only on documents, money was transferred abroad through a network of intermediaries, and the products did not actually arrive in Ukraine.

Анна Бальчінос