After Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014, energy company «Sevastopolenergo», part of VS Energy, preserved it business and control over infrastructure in Sevastopol. VS Energy supplies electricity to the Russian Black Sea Fleet, other units of Russian Armed Forces and «ministries» of occupation government through its branches and Russian clones of Ukrainian legal entities.
This case seems to be separate from large case of VS Energy, now considered by the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine. The CJI covered it in details in the material «Case of VS Energy as Corruption Mirror of Ukrainian Politicians, Oligarchs and Law Enforcement». However, this case contains direct evidence, necessary for sanctioning Russian criminal group «luzhnikovskie» and confiscating their assets for the benefit of the Ukraine state (or through special confiscation within criminal investigation).
Energy industry is not only about the light in houses or stable electricity supply. It is the lifeblood of any state, and during war times it is the critical resource feeding the army, the fleet, and the headquarters and persecution machine on occupied territories.
In case of «Sevastopolenergo», Russian occupants received genuine gift. This energy company is part of business group «VS Energy». Currently, the Ukrainian government and General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine are recognizing this group as the asset of leaders of Russian criminal gang called «luzhnikovskie»:
Aleksandr Babakov, Vice Speaker of State Duma of the Russian Federation and sponsor of Russian parliamentary chauvinist party «Fair Russia – for Truth»,
Evgeny Giner, president and co-owner of Russian football club TSKA, partner of sanctioned Russian state corporation «Rostekh»,
Mikhail Voevodin, businessman with passports of Russia, Israil and Slovenia. «Green card» of Interpol and Millenium database indicated him as «thief in law» with nickname «Misha Luzhnetskiy».
In April 2001, the State Property Fund of Ukraine conducted privatization auction for the sale of shares of state owned regional electricity distribution companies. Shares of four energy companies, including «Sevastopoloblenergo» were sold to Slovak state owned company Vychodoslovenske energeticke zavody, S.P. Kosice. In one year, their shares were transferred to Dutch VS Energy International N.V. on the basis of agreement about transfer of debts. Its Supervisory Board has included Aleksandr Babakov, former director of Slovak state owned company Josef Boitush and lawyer of «luzhnikovskie»Aleksandr Rene Gareze from 2002 to 2005, according to the State Business Register of Netherlands.
Before Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014 and today, shareholders of JSC «Energy Company «Sevastopolenergo» have been Dutch VS Energy International N.V. and its Ukrainian branch «VS Energy International» with 79% of shares (it was renamed into «VS Group Management»). In December 2014, legal address of Ukrainian company was changed from occupied Sevastopol to Kherson and then to Vyshneve near Kyiv. Therefore, Russian real owners of VS Energy made an illusion of legitimacy of European company. By that time, EU and USA introduced «Crimean sanctions» forbidding business with Russians in energy sector.
In order to cut any formal connections with Babakov (he approved Russian annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol in State Duma), Giner and Voevodin, fake or nominal owners with European citizenship were introduced as final beneficiaries in all companies of VS Energy. Since then, Latvians Arturs Altbergs, Valts Vigants and Vilis Dambins have been final beneficiaries of «Sevastopolenergo». They have been trusted partners of «luzhnkovskie» in «Panama papers», together with two German citizens – Oleg Sizerman, old partner of Giner and Voevodin, and Marina Yaroslavskaya, (former) wife of Giner.
Family of Evgeny Giner and Marina Yaroslavskaya. Photo: social media
In January 2015, the Ukrainian State Register of Legal Entities registered creation of the branch of «Sevastopolenergo» with legal address in occupied Sevastopol (Khrustalyova street, 44). Igor Duravkin was appointed as its director. At the same time, the Russian State Register of Legeal Entities also registered Russian clone of this branch, headed by same Duravkin.
This branch exercised direct management of assets and collection of payments for services. It concluded agreements with Russian occupation administration in Sevastopol and Russian law enforcement bodies. On the one hands, senior managers of «Sevastopolenergo» managed Ukrainian company. On the other hand, they actively contributed to the activity of Russian occupants in Sevastopol.
Russian occupation troops in Crimea directly depended upon stable supply of energy. Senior managers of «Sevastopolenergo» turned the energy system into the resource maintaining Russian troops and persecution bodies. They supplied energy to local office of the National Guard of Russia in Sevastopol, Federal Service of Troops of the National Guard of Russia (military unit 6916), Main Department of the National Guard in Crimea, Russian prosecutors and an Investigative Committee of Sevastopol. Its activity was described in pre-trial investigation by Department of State Security Service of Ukraine in Ivano-Frankivsk oblast.
Its activity was not about delivery of services to residents. It has been about purposeful support of Russian occupation troops and its persecution machine.
Infographics: CJI
Russian occupation authorities of Sevastopol, headed by so-called «governor of Sevastopol», asked «Sevastopolenergo» to register under Russian jurisdiction, in order to receive subsidies from the Russian federal government.
In summer 2016, LLC «Sevenergosbyt» was registered in Sevastopol. Its owner is Evgeny Giner. The company signed an agreement with the branch of Ukrainian company and imposed its control over all financial flows. The Ukrainian branch was left with making connections to electricity grids, their repair and servicing. In 2018, Eduard Margiev became new owner of «Sevenergosbyt». It is old business partner of Giner (they co-owned LLC «Eleks-polus kar»). It happened one month before Ukrainian imposed sanctions of «Sevenergosbyt». Former commercial director of «Sevastopolenergo» Vladyslav Yakymovych became the new director of «Sevenergosbyt».
In February 2017, LLC «Sevastopolenergo» was registered in Russian State Register on behalf of fake owner Evgeny Bocharov. Russian occupation authorities planned to launch investment program with Russian largest operator of electric grids JSC «Rosseti». 2 billion Rubles had to be invested into electric grids of Sevastopol. However, something went wrong and «Rosseti» did not enter Sevastopol market.
In 2024, Moscow LLC «Mezhregionalnaya setevaya kompania» (MSK) became the new owner of «Sevastopolenergo». Sevastopol residents hoped that new owners would improve company’s services, the residents would not have to wait connection to grid for months and that emergency blackouts would be reduced. Though new owners declared increasing capacity of the grid, they focused on construction of new grid to Sevastopol Opera and Ballet Theatre and reconstruction of electric station servicing yacht marina of Russian oligarchs Rottenberg in Balaclava. They promised improvements in 2030 for residents of Fiolent district who did not have electricity during the winter.
LLC «Sevenergosbyt» also changed its owners. Since 2024, Russian JSC «Obyedinennye energeticheskie sistemy (99%) has been the new owner. As Russia media reported, it was likely that this company was owned by «Rosseti» but international sanctions forced to hide real owners.
Building of LLC «Sevenergosbyt», Rybakiv street, 7, Sevastopol. Photo: vk.com/sevenergosbyt
For long time, Ukrainian law enforcement bodies «did not notice» the activity of Evgeny Giner in occupied Sevastopol. In 2016, he was allowed to acquire «First Investment Bank» (PIN bank). This bank started servicing VS Energy and transfer money from Ukraine to the West. It is incredible but today only Ukraine imposed sanctions on Giner! In 2023, after their introduction, the State Bureau of Investigations of Ukraine informed him about suspicion on participation in construction of «Balaclava Heat Electricity Station» in Sevastopol and «Tavrycheskaya Heat Electricity Station» near Simferopol. In August 2025, the Bureau announced another suspicion about creation of organized criminal group securing electricity supply for Russian occupation troops in occupied Crimea.
Ukrainian law enforcement bodies believe that Evgeny Giner has been organizer of the group. He managed the creation of branches and companies under Russian jurisdiction and overall financing. Igor Duravkin is reported as co-organizer as he managed the branch and newly created limited liability companies. Other co-organizers include Ruslan Boriagin and Vladyslav Yakymovych, directors of LLC «Sevenergosbyt» and Viktor Shulzhenko, technical director of «Sevastopolenergo».
This case does not include another senior manager of «Sevastopolenergo» – Volodymyr Myrgorodsky. He has been the only one who failed to hide from Ukrainian law enforcement bodies. He was detained in Ukraine and recognized himself guilty for financing actions aimed at forced change of borders of Ukraine.
In July 2024, Ivano-Frankivsk City Court approved an agreement about recognition of guilty within criminal case, stipulated by part 5 of article 27, part 4 of article 110-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, between prosecutor of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast Prosecution Office and Myrgorodsky. He was sentenced to penalty of 510 thousand UAH and deprival of the right to hold positions within Ukrainian authorities and local self-government bodies for three years, without confiscation of his personal assets.
On February 16, 2026, Ivano-Frankivsk City Court issued permission on launching special pre-trial investigation into activity of Evgeny Giner and four senior managers of Sevastopol energy companies suspected in «financing actions aimed at forced change or overthrow of constitutional order or seizure of the government, change of borders or state border of Ukraine».
The procedure of special pre-trial investigation allows investigation of criminal cases under absence of suspect hiding or residing abroad, in order to complete the investigation and submit the case to the court consideration.
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