FKPtt Universal Swissland – brand-new item in the Russia-Ukraine gas puzzle.

Igor Pukshyn, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the President of Ukraine, issued a statement today, indirectly accusing the Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko in lobbying her own business interests in current gas conflict with Russia. Mr. Pukshyn claims that there is a need in a careful examination of the possible “wish of the Head of the Government to include the company, which is close to her, in the scheme of gas supply to Ukraine”.

With reference on “media sources” and “statements of the parliamentary opposition”, Igor Pukshyn assumed that “Yulia Tymoshenko, using the authority of her position, is making significant efforts to put into the European gas market an affiliated company – FKPtt Universal Swissland (the spelling of President’s press-service. – T.V.), registered in Switzerland – which have to receive significant amounts of Russian fuel. The information stating that the co-owners of this company are odious Viktor Medvedchuk (ex-Head of the Administration of Leonid Kuchma. – T.V.) and Igor Bakai (a famous gas tycoon close to President Kuchma, and the first Head of Naftogaz Ukraine until 2000. – T.V.) also worth attention”.

In this context, Mr. Pukshyn mentioned “the active opponency of Mrs. Tymoshenko to the activities of the gas trader RosUkrEnergo, which is a direct rival of the mentioned Swiss company, and the absence of the contract signed between the Naftogaz Ukraine and Gazprom on direct gas supply”. The Security Service of Ukraine and the General Prosecutor’s Office will examine all the mentioned accusation, the President’s aide informed.