Kyiv businessman paid over $520,000 into Russian budget, SBU finds

The Security Service of Ukraine reported that it had gathered evidence against the owner of a Kyiv-based trading company involved in the financing of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. His enterprise imports and sells air-conditioning equipment from East Asia in Ukraine.

According to the investigation, the owner of the business is the founder of two more trading companies in Moscow.

On the eve of the full-scale invasion of Russia, he left for one of the European countries, from where he coordinates his business, in particular in Russia.

"It was on the instructions of the businessman that the Russian companies under his control continued their commercial activities after February 24, 2022 and transferred millions to the budget of the Russian Federation in the form of taxes. Namely, during the last year alone, he financed the state treasury of the aggressor state for more than 50 million Russian rubles ($520,427)," reports the SBU.

According to the investigation, the actual "operational" management of enterprises, in particular in Russia, was carried out from Kyiv by the financial director of the capital company of the person involved. The owner of the enterprises and his subordinates were charged under Part 2 of Art. 28, Part 1 of Art. 111-2 of the Criminal Code (assistance to the aggressor state, committed by a group of persons based on a prior conspiracy).

Perpetrators face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

401 companies have removed their owners and beneficiaries from the Russian Federation during a year and a half of full-scale war — despite existing legal prohibitions.