Russian occupation prosecutors have submitted a wave of lawsuits to Russian “arbitration court of Kherson oblast”. They require recognizing as void contracts which transferred assets of Ukrainian legal entities under management of companies owned or controlled by Russian “governor” Volodymyr Saldo and his friends. They also require reimbursing multi-million losses. However, prosecutors would like to transfer these assets to the state ownership of the Russian Federation, not to their legitimate Ukrainian owners. Thus, they do not restore justice and do not stop war crimes.
The Center of Journalist Investigations (the CJI) studied documents, considered by “arbitration court”, and uncovered schemes Russian occupants and their collaborators used to expropriate assets of Ukrainian citizens and foreigners.
Defendants in lawsuits of Russian prosecutors are private companies which received stolen assets of Ukrainian legal entities, and Russian occupation “Ministry of property and land relations of Kherson oblast” (Russian abbreviation – MISO).
The Ministry has been headed by Russian citizen Pekova Elena Yuryevna from Novosybirsk oblast. In 2021, she opened law firm in occupied Sevastopol. In 2023, she has been appointed as the “minister” of the temporary occupied territories of Kherson oblast. In accordance with the CJI, she has been promoted by her “informal patron” Borys Faingold, a representative of Crimean semi-criminal clan of Faingold. He became an advisor of “governor” Saldo and played an important role in expropriation of Ukrainian assets.
Lawsuits are submitted by Russian prosecutors in favor of Russian occupation “government” of Kherson oblast and territorial office of Russian Federal Agency for State Property Management. As prosecutors claim, grain elevators, bread factories, land plots, assets of large and small agricultural enterprises and farms, stolen from Ukrainian owners, should be transferred to the Russian Federation.
It is symbolic that “Russian arbitration court” is located in private resort complex “Pegas” in Schaslyvtseve village of Genichesk raion. It has been expropriated from legitimate Ukrainian owners.
Bread factories for Saldo’s friend
On September 17, 2024, Russian “arbitration court” launched consideration of lawsuit submitted by Russian prosecutors against “MISO” and LLC “Beryslav-Khlebozavod” (“clone” of Ukrainian company) about transfer of assets of company “Khlebokombynat Skadovskogo RAIPO” [bread factory].
In 2022, Russian occupants illegally created this “bread factory” on the basis of expropriated “Khlibokombynat Skadovskogo RAIST”.
On April 20, 2023, Russian “governor” Volodymyr Saldo transferred its assets to company “Beryslav-Khlebozavod” controlled by his friend – collaborator Olena Dmytruk.
In accordance with the Russian State Register of Legal Entities, Skadovsk bread factory and “Beryslav-Khlebozavod” have been headed by Panina Tetyana Ivanivna, resident of Nova Kakhovka, born on May 13, 1975, assistant of Olena Dmytruk and director of Ukrainian LLC “Beryslav-Khlibozavod”.
Tetyana Panina, director of LLC “Beryslav-Khlibozavod” and its Russian “clone”. Photo: social media
Russian prosecutors claim that transfer of assets has been illegal and caused losses of 652 thousand Rubles. Losses should be reimbursed by the company owned by Dmytruk. Assets should be returned to the Russian Federation.
Olena Dmytruk is a widow of Mykola Dmytruk, local land owner, former Member of the Ukrainian Parliament from pro-Russian Party of Regions and Member of Kherson Oblast Council from Ukrainian political party “Nash Krai” [Our Land], now banned by the Ukrainian legislation.
In autumn 2023, 52 years old Olena Dmytruk participated in the illegal elections in occupied Kherson oblast from Putin’s political party “United Russia”. As Russian occupation social media stated, she has been among three leaders of elections.
Partners and employees of companies, controlled by Dmytruk, accused her of non-payment of salaries. She mobilized Russian security services to suppress protests.
Collaborator Olena Dmytruk, September 2023. Screenshot of video of Russian occupation social media
Grain and land for Buluk
Owner of large agricultural business empire and traitor Vitalii Buluk is the “first deputy head” of occupation government of Kherson oblast on finances and economic development. In autumn 2022, future Russian “governor” Saldo transferred a number of Ukrainian agricultural enterprises under the management of LLC “B-Agro” in Skadovsk. This company was founded by 29 years old Viktor Buluk, older son of Vitalii Buluk. He registered six Russian legal entities, clones of Ukrainian companies.
Grain elevator in Sirogozy village of Genichesk raion, with storage capacity of 92 thousand tons, was also transferred to “B-Agro”. Before the Russian occupation, it has been owned by holding “OptimusAgro Trade” from Dnipro, one of the largest Ukrainian producers and exporters of vegetable oil and mash, the owner of 30 elevators.
lysty_do_saldoIn June 2022, “OptimusAgro Trade” reported that it stopped the activity of its elevators on temporary occupied territory of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. Ukrainian companies, owners of elevators in Kherson oblast, were not registered in the Russian jurisdiction, as follows from the letter of manager of Russian clone “B-Agro” to Saldo (this document was delivered by community KibOrg for joint investigation of project “Schemes: corruption in details” (Radio Liberty) and Belorussian center of investigations).
As Russian prosecutors indicate in their lawsuits, LLC “B-Agro” received assets of company “Agrocompleks Rubanivsky” LLC “Grad.Ka” in Kakhovka raion. They include one elevator and mill producing high quality flour.
The family of Buluk received assets of private farm “Yug” in Kakhovka raion, LLCs “Grad.Ka” and “Druzhba-5” in Kherson, private farm “Khliborob” from Novooleksandrivka village in Genichesk raion as well as LLC “Promin-21” from Verkhni Torgai village in Nyzhnyosirogozsky community. According to the CJI, legitimate owners of these companies left occupied territories in 2022.
Collaborator Viktor Buluk. Photo: Golos Ukrainy, 2020
Buluk also received an elevator in Novooleksiivka. It was owned by Ukrainian company with final beneficiaries Albert Cherepakha and his daughter Margaryta Cherepakha. This elevator has a storage capacity of 66.5 thousand tons and is capable to load 1.8 thousand tons per day.
Albert Cherepakha has been among the largest land owners of Kherson oblast. He has been a member of Kherson Oblast Council. An investigation of the CJI “Land of Cherepakha” revealed that he has owned 2.3 thousand hectares of land. His wife has owned over one thousand hectares. Then, his companies have leased thousands of land plots (for example, in accordance with YouControl, only LLC “Agro-spivdruzhnist” owned almost three thousand land plots).
Almost all land plots of Cherepakha and an elevator are located on occupied territory of Genichesk raion. It should be emphasized that Albert Cherepakha is among a few land owners of Kherson oblast who refused to cooperate with Russian occupation authorities. As Суспільне reported, his charitable foundation financed mobile shelters for Kherson residents. As Russian prosecutors’ lawsuits and documents, leaked by Kiborg, demonstrate, the family of Buluk and Nimetullaev stole all assets of Cherepakha.
Grain elevator in Novooleksiivka, 2020. Photo: google.com/maps – Женя Русін
Russian prosecutors require recognizing as void contracts of LLC “B-Agro” on temporary management of assets of above mentioned companies. As they concluded, losses, caused by illegal use of two elevators in Sirogozy and Novooleksiivka, amounted to over 10 million Rubles.
Bread for Nimetullaev
Volodymyr Saldo also offered generous assets to traitor Seitumer Nimetullaev. In February 2023, Nimetullaev registered his LLC “Agroholding Soyuz” in the Russian State Register. Saldo transferred a number of assets into “indefinite use and management” to this company in one month. Assets included buildings and land plots in Chervone village of Genichesk community, at Centralna street, 2a, 2b, 2v etc.
Above mentioned charitable foundation of Cherepakha was registered at one of those addresses before autumn 2022.
As Russian prosecutors concluded, illegal use of these assets by Nimetullaev’s company caused losses of 19 million Rubles.
In July 2024, Russian occupants transferred assets of agricultural company “Sima” to LLC “Agroholding Soyuz”. Before the Russian occupation, company was registered in Velyka Lepetykha village in Kakhovka raion. It was founded by citizens of France, Ireland, Netherlands and company “Swiss Sustainable Agri Holdings B.V.” registered in Netherlands.
“Arbitration court” of Kherson oblast has not satisfied Russian prosecutors’ lawsuits about two above mentioned contracts.
Collaborator Seitumer Nimetullaev (right) on lands stolen from LLC “Agroholding “Soyuz”, October 2023. Photo from Russian occupation social media
Grain Everest for Faingold and Mamaev
As CJI’s sources in occupied Genichesk report, Sergii Oleksandrovych Mamaev is among closest friends of Saldo and his partner Borys Faingold. He came from Donetsk oblast where he has worked in the Department of Health Care of Donetsk State Oblast Administration before the Russian occupation.
His business assets in occupied Genichesk include shares in LLC “Agrointegratsia-Yug” and “Everest”. They are registered in the Russian State Register on behalf of his wife Mamaeva Lilia Leonidivna. Legal address of these companies and the Association of private farms and cooperatives headed by Lilia Mamaeva is the same – Genichesk, Portovy uzviz, 6. According to Генічеськ.ua, it is the household of local collaborator Yevgenia Polyakova who looted local office of “Nova poshta”.
Another LLC “Everest” (in Russia, identical names are allowed) is also registered at this address. It is headed and co-founded by Simferopol resident Voitsekhovych Kostyantyn Gennadiovych (70% of shares). His partner is Russian citizen Popovichev Aleksandr Aleksandrovich from Lipetsk. Two legal entities with identical names at the same legal address is a sign of classical scheme to transfer and launder money.
As Russian prosecutors’ lawsuit demonstrates, elevator in Rivne village of Genichesk community was illegally transferred to this LLC “Everest”. In accordance with Russian occupation accounts, the elevator stored grain for 200 million Rubles when it was seized.
It is remarkable that Sergii Mamaev asked Saldo to transfer ten “abandoned” private farms to “Everest” at the beginning of last year. Half of them were owned by Iryna Barakh, wife of former Military Prosecutor of Ukraine Anatolii Matias. Mamaev titled himself as General Director of “Everest” in his letter to Saldo, though, the Russian State Register did not confirm this title.
All above mentioned legal entities with the same address are related to the clan of Faingold. Borys Faingold is its representative in occupied Southern Ukraine. Before the Russian occupation of Crimea, Kostyantyn Voitsekhovych has been director of Simferopol LLC “Sever-Yug”. Share of this company was owned by Olga Faingold, wife of Oleksandr Faingold, son of the head of clan and cousin of Borys Faingold. One of Olga Faingold’s business partners has been Valentyna Vitaliivna Kravchenko, who possessed largest 45% share in LLC “Agrointegratsia-Yug”, headed by Mamaeva.
Collaborator Borys Faingold, advisor of Volodymyr Saldo, Russian “governor” of temporary occupied Kherson oblast. Photo: social media
It is interesting that new neighbor of Genichesk “Everests” appeared recently – it is LLC “Archangel”. Russian project “Archangel” is the network of training centers preparing FPV drone operators within 3-4 weeks. After graduation, its trainees must sign contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense and participate in the war against Ukraine.
How to steal already stolen: market in Kakhovka
Local entrepreneurs, offended by Russian occupants, also use Kherson “arbitration court” to protect their interests.
“Arbitration court” has considered the lawsuit of illegally created LLCs “Nordstell” and “Kontinental-Yug”. They require recognizing as void the decision to register Kherson oblast association of consumer communities in the Russian jurisdiction. Association has been headed by traitor Dmytro Bolbot.
The reason behind this lawsuit is clear. Owners of “Nordstell” want to restore their control over expropriated company “Kakhovka market” of Kherson association of consumer communities. The company has been headed by Vitalii Kovalenko, legitimate director of the market, and his partner Borys Zanakhadinov. These two men also received LLC “Troika”, producer of mineral water under trade mark “Kakhovka”. Russian occupants expropriated “Troika”.
On June 1, 2023, Russian occupants expelled representatives of “Nordstell” from “Troika”. In June 2023, occupants created Russian clone of Kherson association of consumer communities, managing Kakhovka market. Occupants appointed Kherson resident Pavlo Yaryga and then Kakhovka resident Olena Grek as its “director”. Thus, collaborators of “the first wave” with Vitalii Kovalenko were replaced by Russian “second wave” puppets.
Collaborator Vitalii Kovalenko. Photo: social media
“Tavria”: cognacs for “liberators”
Private plaintiffs do not have any chances to restore their “assets” in Kherson “arbitration court”. Here is an example of illegally created JSC “House of cognacs “Tavria”. According to the Russian State Register, it has been headed by Rud Volodymyr Volodymyrovych.
In June 2022, he created Russian clone of renowned Ukrainian company in Russian jurisdiction. However, Russian occupants “nationalized” it and put under temporary management of LLC “Crimean wine and vodka holding” (it reported losses of over 7 million Rubles in 2022).
House of cognac “Tavria”, 2017. Photo: google.com/maps
After “nationalization”, in autumn 2022, Russian occupants stole cognac spirit, ready products and equipment. Premises of the company were used as a warehouse of munitions.
Initial owners tried to cancel decision about “nationalization”. They addressed Russian occupation administration of Kherson oblast, headed by Volodymyr Saldo. They argued that they registered company in Russian jurisdiction and paid taxes to the Russian budget. They also argued that the Russian legislation stipulated that it was not allowed to recognize assets as “abandoned” if they had owners.
Their complaints to occupation authorities were ignored. Saldo and his friends also ignored letter of Russian prosecutors arguing that immovable property of “Tavria” was recognized “abandoned” in violation of the Russian legislation.
“It contributed to misappropriation of financial resources and material assets of the company. Such an approach towards management of abandoned assets does not correspond to goals and tasks of governmental policy aimed at accelerated integration of region into the economy of the Russian Federation”, as summaried illegal Russian prosecutor of Kherson oblast Andrei Petrov.
Occupation court considered the lawsuit of JSC “House of cognacs “Tavria” for almost half a year and did not satisfy its claims. The case was considered behind the doors.
Some Russian occupation social media are against Saldo and his friends. They believe that prosecutors’ lawsuits about Saldo’s mass “nationalization” confirm that “nationalization” was conducted illegally, even under Russian legislation.
True reasons are unclear. Saldo, Buluk, Nimetullaev etc are not interested anymore in expropriated companies as they stole everything they could? Russian prosecutors need to “demonstrate” their activity? It is remarkable that they have not initiated any criminal investigations against those persons who were likely responsible for the “nationalization”.
Tags: Borys Faingold, Volodymyr Saldo, temporary occupied territories, expropriation of assets, occupants, LLC “Agroholding Soyuz”, Saitumer Nimetullaev, Sergii Mamaev, Kherson oblast, JSC “DMK Tavria”.
