After the economic security service of Ukrzaliznytsia was headed by former NABU detective Mykhailo Rykovtsev, the company continues to bring losses to the state. Only on the latest purchases of diesel fuel, coal and wagons, the company has 77.4 million UAH of losses and indirect cooperation with the Russians. This was written by expert Volodymyr Bondarenko .
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“The economic security service of Ukrzaliznytsia is headed by former NABU detective Rykovtsev. As a result, Ukrzaliznytsia has UAH 77.4 million in losses and indirect cooperation with the Russians on just three goods. The head of UZ security, Rykovtsev, apparently has nothing to do with this. He is a NABU detective, albeit a former one,” he wrote.
The expert gave examples of losses after recent purchases.
“In particular, on July 28, 2025, Ukrzaliznytsia held a tender for 25.2 thousand tons of diesel fuel worth UAH 1.04 billion (price UAH 41.3 thousand/ton (excluding VAT)) supplier: Ukrpaletsystem. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense's DOT bought 15.4 thousand tons of diesel fuel worth UAH 597.2 million (price UAH 38.7 thousand). That is, the leaders of UZ and merchants “lit up” UAH 2.5 thousand for each ton of diesel fuel, in total, the state-owned company overpaid UAH 64.2 million,” he noted.
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In September, according to him, Ukrzaliznytsia held a tender for 14.6 thousand tons of coal worth UAH 143.5 million (price UAH 9.8 thousand/ton (excluding VAT)). At the same time, the Northern and Southern Housing and Operational Departments of the Ministry of Defense bought 1.7 thousand tons of coal worth UAH 14.8 million (price UAH 8.9 thousand/ton (excluding VAT)).
“UZ executives and merchants 'lighted up' 0.9 thousand UAH for each ton of coal, in total the state-owned company overpaid 13.2 million UAH,” he said.
In addition, Bondarenko emphasized, Ukrzaliznytsia continues to purchase wagons from PJSC Kryukiv Wagon Building Plant, 25% of whose shares are owned by Russian Stanislav Gamzalov, the owner of the wagon manufacturer Zavod Metalkonstruktsiy (Metal Structures Plant) (Engels, Saratov Region, Russia).
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In general, the expert recalled that the head of the economic security service of Ukrzaliznytsia Mykhailo Rykovtsev joined the NABU in 2016, having arrived in Kyiv from Odessa. While still a NABU detective, he wrote down 13.2 bitcoins ($1.5 million) for his unemployed wife. He also purchased apartments on Lypkivskoho, next to the NABU headquarters, and in an elite residential complex on Kudryashova (Mokra) 8-B, where prices start at 4 million for a one-room apartment. Rykovtsev is currently completing the construction of a country house in Boyarka, Bondarenko reported.
“In general, Rykovtsev is a man with needs. After the Odessa tax office, working at the NABU seemed to him not to have enough resources, so he moved to fight corruption at Ukrzaliznytsia, where the opportunities are, of course, more serious,” the expert said.
According to him, the circumstances of obtaining the position of head of internal security at Ukrzaliznytsia are interesting.
“Rykovtsev opened criminal proceedings against the then security chief Krytsyn, suspecting him of tender abuses. Then he conducted a search of the head of Ukrzaliznytsia Lyashchenko and enlisted the support of the Minister of Infrastructure Kubrakov when he became an NABU agent (provocation of a bribe). Voila – Krytsyn was fired, and his position was taken by an honest and incorruptible NABU detective Rykovtsev. The result was multimillion-dollar losses,” Bondarenko concluded.
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In his opinion, law enforcement officers should take a closer look at the assets and activities of Mykhailo Rykovtsev.
Previously, “FACTS” reported that the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office exposed an official of the Security Service of Ukraine for misappropriating funds of JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia” as part of a criminal organized group.
