How seized Russian assets are stolen. Example “Aerok”
[ad_1]
Russian means no one
One of the most notable examples of the activity of the National Agency for the Identification, Search and Management of Assets Obtained from Corruption and Other Crimes (ARMA) over the past year is its work with the assets of Aerok LLC, which is owned by Russian multimillionaire Andriy Molchanov.
This company specializes in the production of aerated concrete blocks used in construction. On the territory of Ukraine, “Aerok” has three plants – in Obukhov and Berezan in the Kyiv region and in Strya in the Lviv region. The latter, however, is unfinished.
But even taking this into account, the value of the seized property of “Aerok” LLC exceeds UAH 2 billion. This amount includes: authorized capital – UAH 437 million; movable and immovable property of the company – UAH 1.5 billion; funds in bank accounts – UAH 104 million.
By data Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the company financed the war in Ukraine. This was proven by the investigative services at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. In June, the company handed over under the care of ARMA.
Under the “great reconstruction”. Who will get the building materials factories and quarries that were taken from the Russians?
For reference. Andrey Molchanov is one of the largest developers of the Russian Federation. His fortune in 2021 was estimated Forbes in 1.2 billion dollars. Since 2011, he has been a member of Putin’s United Russia party.
According to the SBU, Molchanov belongs to the closest circle of the Russian president and is a sponsor of the election campaign of the aforementioned party. In addition, his companies build housing for employees of the FSB and the armed forces of the Russian Federation.
On October 19, 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by decree imposed sanctions on Andriy Molchanov for a period of 10 years. The key business of the oligarch is the LSR Group.
Nine months ago, the court seized the assets of Russian oligarch Molchanov in Ukraine. And on January 13, 2023, ARMA won reported – the manager for the company “Aerok” was chosen.
The winner of the competitive selection was the Kharkiv building materials corporation. Almost three months have passed since that time, and Molchanov’s enterprise has not yet started rating assets – not carried out. The new manager cannot enter the enterprise, and the employees are fired.
In turn, thousands of cubic meters of aerated concrete blocks, from which it was possible to build housing to replace the one destroyed by Russian missiles, stand without any protection.
Not only that, other unappreciated products of the concrete business of the Russian oligarch, according to the employees of the enterprise, have already begun to be “mastered” by the resourceful managers of the arrested “Aerok”.
While officials at ARMA are still thinking about when and how to hand over the Russian business to new managers, the company manages the property independently.
“Top management continues to drive the impounded motor vehicle, employees were forbidden to visit the territory of the enterprise.
The company had a considerable supply of fuel. Fuel ran out at the Obukhiv enterprise, tanks were leaking even from special equipment. There were about 7-8 tons in Obukhov. And in Berezan – about 20 tons,” says one of the company’s employees.
Trap Aggressor’s interlocutors also assume that valuable raw materials were removed from the facilities. “We saw aluminum powder (added in the production of aerated concrete blocks to reduce their weight and increase thermal insulation) being taken out. This was while we were shipping the blocks and the plant was operating (the plant was still operating for some time after February 24, 2022) Seven truckloads of powder were taken from Berezan, two from Obukhov,” explains one of the former employees of Aerok LLC.
The interviewed employees of the company claim that the management of the company resigned on the 20th of December, having received, according to the terms of the contract, 6 salaries – UAH 2-2.5 million for all eight top managers.
ARMA does not even hide the fact that they do not have any opportunities to store the seized property.
“We don’t have a single tool to go out and protect this asset, nor means to insure it. This is all done at the manager’s expense, nothing is spent from the state budget. This should be controlled by law enforcement agencies,” says Pavlo, the head of ARMA’s communications and promotion department Buldovych
But it seems that aluminum powder and fuel were exported for a reason. “Baurok” LLC was registered on March 15, 2023. Its head is the lawyer of “Aerok” – Nataliya Lata.
The beneficial owner of this legal entity is the Estonian company Baurok, which is controlled by Ivar Paplavskis, a long-time business partner Russian oligarch Molchanov.
Moreover, for data of the European register of business companies, “Baurok International” in Estonia belongs to the already mentioned Russian “LSR Group” Molchanov.
Such actions of the managers may indicate that the Russian beneficiaries of “Aerok” are trying to preserve the aerated concrete business on the territory of Ukraine.
Not by single gas blocks
“Aerok” is one of thousands of Russian companies that, in one way or another, are now trying to avoid sanctions, arrests and confiscations.
A similar story is happening with the company of Russian Vladimir Plesovsky “Vinnitsapobuthim”, better known by the trademark “Eared Nanny”.
A new manager for this company chose three months ago, but for information ARMA, evaluation procedures are still ongoing there. Only after that, the new managers will be able to conclude contracts and start the company’s activities. However, it is currently unknown when this will happen.
Another company from Zhytomyr Oblast, part of the Unigran business group, which is engaged in the extraction of minerals, belongs to one Ihor Naumts, who in the SBU baptized “Russian oligarch”. During the investigation, the law enforcement officers discovered that he had dual citizenship.
As early as June 2022, the SBU stated about blocking the assets of Naumets worth UAH 1 billion, accusing the company of financing Russian aggression.
The investigators pointed out that the company used millions of profits to finance the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation, as well as to support the occupation administrations in Crimea and eastern Ukraine.
Confiscation of Russian assets: what Ukraine and the world (didn’t) succeed in during the year of the war
The law enforcement officers reported the seizure of the businessman’s assets in June, and Unigran was re-registered in December. Naumets disappeared from the registers, and the beneficiary of the company became a citizen of Great Britain – Elena Kalpa. Four companies from the “Unigran” group were strangely transferred to its ownership.
By data analytical platform Youcontrol, a British woman exerts influence on Ukrainian companies through the offshore SMARTDIXI LIMITED, which now has a stake in companies “Bakhchisarai Cannery”, in which Ihor Naumets also had a share in 2012.
Until now, the legal process continues with Unigrana enterprises. Arrests are sometimes imposed on companies, then they are lifted again. Instead, the state budget of Ukraine receives nothing from these “dances” with Russian assets.
Instead of a conclusion
These stories demonstrate that for more than a year of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, the business that Ukrainian investigators associate with the Russians, instead of working for the victory of Ukraine, is idle.
Companies do not produce any products, the market does not receive the necessary goods, taxes are not paid to the budget, workers lose their jobs.
“I don’t see the political will to quickly take away Russian assets in Ukraine.” Investment banker and owner of UP Tomas Fiala
Why, after more than a year of full-scale invasion, ARMA, which is the key agency for the management of seized property, has not managed to establish a management process? And why even the most successful examples of ARMA, enterprises that seem to have already chosen a manager, were not able to work?
It is obvious that such inefficient work of the agency should become an impetus for a systematic change in the state’s approach to managing seized Russian property in order to more effectively use available economic resources to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities.
[ad_2]
Original Source Link
