Five arrested in Ukraine for helping Russia restore drone-damaged refineries

SBU arrested five officials from a Kyiv-based oil research institute for collaborating with Russia, who allegedly provided project documentation and remote support to restore Russian oil refineries, damaged by Ukrainian drones.

Sep 20, 2024 - 12:00

Five arrested in Ukraine for helping Russia restore drone-damaged refineries

suspected collaborationist kyiv-based oil research institute telegram/sbu da681bab-4bde-43ee-8f7a-e380a42a3e18

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) says it has uncovered a case of collaboration with Russia within the leadership of a prominent oil research and design institute in Kyiv. Five officials have been arrested for allegedly assisting Russia in restoring its oil refineries that were significantly damaged by Ukrainian drone attacks.

This year, Ukraine has intensified its drone attacks against the Russian oil industry primarily targeting oil refineries, thus significantly disrupting fuel supplies crucial for the Russian military, while simultaneously decreasing the Kremlin’s export revenues. Lately, Ukraine has been striking Russian oil depots, supplying Russian troops with fuel and various military facilities, also focusing on aerial ammunition depots at Russian airfields.

According to the SBU report released on 19 September, those detained include the chairman of the board, two heads of specialized departments, the chief engineer, and one of the engineers of the Kyiv-based institution. The suspects are accused of preparing design documentation for the reconstruction of three key Russian oil refineries.

Notably, the long-range Ukrainian one-way attack drones, used in recent months to knock out multiple Russian oil refineries, have been operated by two major intelligence agencies, the SBU and HUR, a military intelligence agency.

The SBU states that the total value of the Russian “contracts” amounted to almost half a billion hryvnias or $12,000. This sum also included remote support by the designers for the technological processes of restoration and modernization of the damaged refineries in the aggressor country.

During searches in the suspects’ office and residential premises in Kyiv, Lviv, and Kharkiv, the SBU seized mobile phones, system units, laptops, flash drives, and draft notes reportedly containing evidence of cooperation with Russia.

Based on the evidence obtained, SBU investigators have informed the five detained officials of the design institute of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (aiding the aggressor state). Four of them are already in custody.

The investigation is ongoing, and the suspects face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property. The SBU conducted these comprehensive measures under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General.

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