The Agency for Search and Asset Management (ARMA) announced the results of the tender held on platform Prozorro, regarding the transfer to management of 434 arrested wagons from Russia and Belarus. Among the wagons transferred were both tanks and semi-wagons. The winner of the tender was the LLC “FPC “Resursgroup”, which, according to the open data of the registers, has no experience in managing railway cars, which raises significant questions about the effectiveness of managing such an important resource.
According to the terms of the signed contract, Resursgrup undertakes to pay the state only 34 hryvnias per day for each car. For comparison, the market rate for semi-cars is about 450 hryvnias per day, and for tanks – more than 1,000 hryvnias per day. This means that the state will receive significantly less profit from the management of the wagon fleet than it could if the wagons were transferred to an experienced operator.
Currently, there is a shortage of wagons in Ukraine, as the management of “Ukrzaliznytsia” has repeatedly stated. The lack of tanks for the transportation of fuel, which is critical for ensuring military operations and the economy in general, is particularly acute. As of now, up to half of all fuel in Ukraine is transported in seized tank cars that used to belong to Russia.
In addition to tanks, the wagon fleet also includes platforms and semi-wagons that can be used to transport strategic cargo such as fortification materials and wheeled equipment. This is extremely important for supporting Ukraine’s defense efforts. However, due to the transfer of these cars to a company with no experience in the management of railway transport, there are concerns about the efficiency of the use of these resources and the possible impact on national security.
