Today, “Slidstvo.Info” published material about our company. As we noted earlier, we provided the editorial team with comprehensive answers, backed by documentary evidence, to all the questions posed. Unfortunately, for some reason, not all of them were included in the final article, and instead, certain facts were presented in a manipulative manner.
1. Origin of Fuel at AMIC UKRAINE Gas Stations
The liquefied gas imported for the network through the Polish company Unimot has certificates of origin. The product is manufactured in the U.S. and the EU. This is not our interpretation – it is a document that accompanies every shipment and is available to regulatory authorities.
At the same time, the industry publication “NaftoRynok,” in its study of the Polish LPG market, published in 2024 the entire flow chart of LPG from Russian plants through Poland to specific Ukrainian importers. The list of companies that received liquefied gas of Russian origin or from high-risk blending sources includes well-known gas station chains.
The analytical report was provided to “Slidstvo.Info,” and AMIK UKRAINE is not mentioned in it. We do not know why “Slidstvo.Info,” despite having gas origin certificates and research materials from the specialized publication “NaftoRynok,” resorted to this manipulation.
2. Regarding Tax Payments
AMIC UKRAINE is one of the most disciplined taxpayers among gas station chains. This is not our own assessment, but a study by the industry publication Encorr, based on data from the State Tax Service of Ukraine:
“Foreign companies traditionally pay more attention to the law. This explains why Shell and AMIC rank second and third. Moreover, sales at both chains are the lowest among the top 10, excluding VST and MOTTO. For Shell and AMIC, these figures are driven primarily by payroll taxes and VAT.”
We’d like to add: operating for over 10 years through a single legal entity, without tax optimization schemes, and with official salaries above the industry average – that is precisely the transparency we’re talking about.
3. Regarding the allegations against Klezl-Norberg
The tone and wording of the sensational headline by “Slidstvo.Info” which was copied and pasted by other media outlets leave readers with the unambiguous impression that one of AMIC Ukraine’s shareholders has been managing businesses linked to “Lukoil” in Austria for over ten years. This is not true.
In response to a request from “Slidstvo.Info,” Johannes Klezl-Norberg provided a comprehensive explanation regarding this company in his letter to the editor. Unfortunately, “Slidstvo.Info” used only a portion of the quotes provided. Both matters regarding Zenkin and Matytsyn date back 10 years, to before the full-scale invasion. Here are the quotes in full:
“The case involving Mr. Serhiy Zenkin relates to an old transaction that took place in 2014. My involvement consisted of purchasing a very small vacation apartment in 2014, which was formalized through a company owned by Mr. Zenkin [it is precisely this company – which was established over 10 years ago solely as a mechanism for formalizing the real estate purchase transaction – that is mentioned in the Slidstvo.Info article].
It was a completely routine matter, and I have had no further involvement in it since then. Aside from this apartment, the company has no other assets. In fact, I haven’t seen Zenkin or spoken with him for about ten years.
Overall, this is a minor incident to which I paid little attention precisely because of its limited nature and the fact that it occurred so long ago. I have not received any profit from this transaction since the company’s founding and the purchase of the apartment twelve years ago. To be honest, I have never associated this long-ago matter with “Russia.”
In my view, it was simply a routine financial transaction that took place long ago and had been forgotten for many years.
If this matter is of significant importance to the citizens of Ukraine, I am certainly prepared to immediately withdraw from any further involvement in this matter.”
We consider the wording of the headline “manages the business of a top Lukoil executive” to be inaccurate and manipulative, since it actually refers to a historical private transaction involving the purchase of an apartment in 2014, rather than the operational management of a business.”
Regarding Matytsyn:
“With all due respect, I believe the answer is largely contained in the question itself: my collaboration with A. Reales Holding GmbH ended in 2018, approximately 8 years ago.
My law firm’s collaboration with A. Reales Holding GmbH was limited to providing standard services related to the registration of a legal address and corporate administration. We never provided legal advice to A. Reales Holding GmbH regarding the acquisition, disposal, or management of any assets. This was a routine professional engagement that took place many years ago.
Since 2017–2018, I have had no involvement whatsoever in this matter.”
Mr. Johannes also noted:
“I condemn Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. I strive to support Ukraine both on a personal level and within the scope of my professional activities. I fully support any humanitarian, charitable, and military aid provided to Ukraine.
I respectfully ask that my comments be considered in their full context. I fully understand and share the sensitivity of Ukrainians and their uncompromising stance regarding any ties with Russia. Given the immense suffering caused by this war, such feelings are entirely justified.”
It is also worth noting that the text version of the “Slidstvo.Info” article omits a key fact: the real estate in question is not owned by Mr. Johannes Klezl-Norberg. However, this information was mentioned in the video version of the report at the 5:40 mark.
AMIC UKRAINE pays taxes in Ukraine, thereby strengthening the defense capabilities of a country at war with an enemy. Since February 2022, it has consistently supported the Ukrainian Armed Forces and stands unconditionally with Ukraine in its struggle against the aggressor nation.
In light of the materials published by “Slidstvo.Info,” AMIC UKRAINE once again emphasizes its position: the company condemns Russian aggression against Ukraine and, from the very first days of the Great War, has been systematically assisting in the fight by:
- funding the Ukrainian Defense Forces:
by meeting the needs of military units
by providing 250 DJI MAVIC 3 drones (in various configurations, including those with night vision)
by delivering over 330,000 liters of fuel
by providing thermal imagers, anti-drone systems, ruggedized tablets, communication systems, charging stations, heaters, and other equipment
by transferring funds to a special account at the National Bank of Ukraine to finance military needs
by converting vehicles into command and control vehicles (equipped with communication devices and other communication tools, autonomous power supply systems, air conditioning, monitors, IP phones, VHF radios, LTE modems, and switching systems, taking into account the possibility of integrating cryptographic protection equipment, etc.).
- provided the Ukrainian military with the coordinates of its own oil depot in Borodianka to prevent the fuel from falling into the hands of the occupiers in February 2022. As a result of the attack, the oil depot was destroyed, and the fuel did not fall into enemy hands.
- filed a lawsuit against the Russian Federation in January 2023 with the European Court of Human Rights over the seizure, looting, and destruction of property in the temporarily occupied territories.
