KIEV, September 19 (RAPSI) - The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office has revoked its decision to close a criminal case against Yevhen Bakulin, former CEO of the state-run company NAK Naftogaz Ukrainy, UNIAN news agency reported on Friday.
Last March, the Interior Ministry of Ukraine announced that Bakulin had been arrested in relation to a criminal investigation into public funds theft. In late April, Bakulin was released on bail.
Bakulin, his fomer deputy Hennadiy Yuriev and Head of the Gas Sales Department Valentyn Franchuk were charged with abuse of power that resulted in the company’s loss of almost 2 billion hryvnias (over $150 mln).
According to investigators, the case concerns a natural gas supply agreement between Naftogaz Ukrainy and GazUkraina-Commerce of the Ukrainian businessman Serhiy Kurchenko, who is said to be linked with the business interests of the son of ex-Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, ousted after the February coup.
As of June, the Prosecutor General’s Office was investigating 28 criminal cases against former Ukrainian officials, specifically on embezzlement of state funds, financial fraud, land seizure and abuse of authority.