MOSCOW, April 29 (RIA Novosti) – A surprise inspection by the Ukrainian National Bank has found no irregularities in the work of the Ukrainian-based subsidiary of Russian state-controlled Sberbank, the company’s press service said Tuesday.
“The inspection by the Ukrainian National Bank did not reveal any violation by the subsidiary bank of Russian Sberbank in Ukraine, that could lead to legalization [laundering] of revenues, received in criminal ways or financing terrorism,” according to Sberbank’s statement.
On April 16, Ukraine’s prosecutors said they had initiated criminal cases against 14 banks, including Russia’s biggest lender Sberbank.
The Ukrainian Security Service also said a lawsuit had been filed against the employees of an unnamed Russian bank on suspicion of financing protests in eastern Ukraine.
In response, Sberbank threatened to turn to a leading international law firm in order to protect its interests and goodwill. “Sberbank values its reputation and it may apply to one of the leading international law firms to protect its interests,” it said.
The bank also stressed it obeys legislation aimed at combating the funding of terrorism funding. “Regulations of the Ukrainian and international legislation, including recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, are strictly observed,” Sberbank said.
Sberbank is Russia’s largest lender with over 106 million domestic and 11 million foreign customers. The bank has 211 branches in Ukraine.
In recent weeks, Ukraine’s interim government has repeatedly accused Russia of destabilizing the situation in the southeastern regions of the country, where pro-federalization rallies have been raging since last month.
