«Gas Distribution Networks of Ukraine» (Gazmereži) — the national operator of gas distribution infrastructure serving over 20 regions of the country — existed for almost three years without a supervisory board at all. The company was established in September 2022, but the body that was supposed to oversee management only appeared now.

The Naftogaz Group announced the formation of a supervisory board for Gazmereži: it includes three independent members and two representatives of the shareholder. The names have not yet been disclosed in public registers, but the very fact of the appointment is a direct consequence of a government plan from November 2025.

Why now

The push came not from goodwill, but from a scandal. In November 2025, President Zelenskyy announced a "complete overhaul of the energy sector" following the so-called Mindichgate — a corruption scheme in Energoatom, where the supervisory board proved unable to prevent kickbacks during procurement. The Cabinet of Ministers approved Resolution No. 1258-r, which obligated it to update the composition of supervisory boards in 12 strategic energy companies.

«In parallel, we are completing the renewal of supervisory boards throughout the entire energy sector — Centerenergo, Ukrhydroenergo, Ukrenergo, GTS Operator»

— Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko

Gazmereži was on this list. A competition for three positions of independent members was announced on November 26, 2025 — through the same document that initiated the reform in Energoatom.

What is Gazmereži and why this is not a minor matter

LLC «Gas Distribution Networks of Ukraine» is a monopoly operator of state gas distribution networks, which received all relevant infrastructure from the Cabinet of Ministers for operation. The company's revenue in 2025 exceeded 20 billion hryvnias. At the same time, the charter capital amounts to 500 million hryvnias, and the sole founder is Gas Ukraine, a subsidiary of the National Joint-Stock Company Naftogaz.

This is about a company that effectively controls gas distribution for millions of households, but until now functioned without formal independent oversight — precisely in the management model that, as Mindichgate demonstrated, creates systemic risks.

Energoatom precedent as a mirror

Energoatom's new supervisory board was formed in December 2025: it includes international specialists in nuclear safety and audit — including former head of Canada's nuclear regulator Rumina Velshi and PwC expert with 25 years of experience Laura Garbenchute-Bakiene. For Naftogaz, as early as March 2026, the government appointed a new board of four independent international directors — including a Norwegian from Equinor and a Dane with experience working at the EBRD.

Against the backdrop of these appointments, the profile of Gazmereži board members remains non-public — and this is itself a question about the transparency of the process.

A structure without a verification mechanism

The key problem with the "overhaul" plan is the absence of a public mechanism to verify results. Supervisory boards have been appointed, but no independent audit of procurement or conflict of interest checks in Gazmereži has been announced publicly. In the case of Energoatom and Naftogaz, Svyrydenko promised to pass state audit results to law enforcement — no such statement was made for Gazmereži.

• Gazmereži founded: September 2022
• Supervisory board: absent until early 2026
• 2025 revenue: over 20 billion hryvnias
• Number of branches: over 20 regions
• Legal basis for board appointment: Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1258-r dated 17.11.2025

If the names of independent members of the Gazmereži supervisory board remain non-public further — this will mean that the "overhaul" for the country's largest gas distributor took place only on paper.