'Clearing up the mess' — Ukraine's oil and gas giant gets new supervisory board

Ukraine has named a new supervisory board for Naftogaz in a move aimed at restoring confidence in one of the country’s most important state-owned companies. The decision comes amid renewed pressure to clean up governance in the energy sector after a string of corruption scandals and mounting scrutiny from international partners.

According to the Kyiv Independent, Ukraine’s government on March 2 appointed a new supervisory board for state-owned energy giant Naftogaz after a delay of more than a month, replacing controversial former official Rostyslav Shurma, who was recently charged with embezzlement. The newly appointed independent board members — from Poland, Denmark, Canada, and Norway — bring extensive international experience from the energy sector, while Deputy Economy Minister Anna Artemenko was named as the new state representative on the board.

The appointment comes as Ukraine steps up efforts to reform its state-owned enterprises following a series of corruption scandals, including the major wartime scandal at Energoatom in late 2025. As the Kyiv Independent notes, independent supervisory boards were introduced after the 2014 EuroMaidan Revolution to curb corruption risks and strengthen governance in state-owned companies. Anti-corruption lawyer Tetiana Shevchuk described the new Naftogaz board as a positive — though limited — step toward restoring trust in the energy sector and reassuring foreign creditors. At the same time, she cautioned that the continued presence of government officials on the board suggests Ukraine is still reluctant to grant full independence to supervisory bodies. READ MORE HERE: