27 April 2008
RosUkrEnergo (RUE) has revealed its beneficial owners in a move aimed at countering mounting international concern about its ownership. The company named Dmytro Firtash and Ivan Fursin, two Ukrainian businessmen, as the owners of a 50% stake in the company. The other 50% stake as was earlier announced, is controlled by Gazprom. Dmytro Firtash, is considered by some as the world’s most secretive billionaire. He has never given a published interview. Until now, he has never had his name and photograph published together. But his name often appears in Ukrainian and Russian media, which had frequently linked him to RUE and to two other gas traders, Eural Trans Gas and Highrock Holdings, which are no longer active. Concorde Capital: Rumors about Firtash and RUE have been swirling for some time. He is perceived as a person close to alleged mafia leader Semyon Mogilevich, who is currently wanted by FBI. Although the announcement itself is unlikely to have legal consequences for the gas agreement, however it will give a bit more leverage to those parties that are interested in forcing RUE out of the gas deal.