{"id":252779,"date":"2023-03-23T13:49:35","date_gmt":"2023-03-23T11:49:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/investigator.org.ua\/?p=252779"},"modified":"2023-03-24T15:12:34","modified_gmt":"2023-03-24T13:12:34","slug":"%d0%b2-%d0%b4%d0%b5%d0%bb%d0%b5-%d1%8d%d0%ba%d1%81-%d0%b3%d0%bb%d0%b0%d0%b2%d1%8b-%d1%84%d0%b3%d0%b8%d1%83-%d1%81%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%bd%d0%b8%d1%87%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%ba%d0%be-%d1%84%d0%b8%d0%b3%d1%83%d1%80","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/investigator.org.ua\/en\/news-2\/252779\/","title":{"rendered":"Sennychenko\u2019s corruption case involves Czech company from CJI\u2019s investigation of ilmenite supply to Firtash\u2019 titanium factory in Crimea"},"content":{"rendered":"

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NABU announced uncovering criminal group, presumably headed by Dmytro Sennychenko, the ex-Head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine. NABU detectives claim that the group has embezzled over 500 million UAH of state-owned JSC \u201cOdessa Port Plant\u201d and JSC \u201cUnited Mining and Chemical Company\u201d in 2019-2020. One of episodes of the case is related to the supply of ilmenite concentrate to titanium factory of Ukrainian oligarch Firtash in occupied Crimea through Czech intermediary company. It has been earlier investigated by the Center for Journalist Investigations (CJI).<\/b><\/p>\n

It is reported by the CJI, referring to the <\/span>press release of NABU<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>court order<\/span><\/a> and its <\/span>own investigation<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Anti-Corruption Bureau reported that the second episode of uncovered criminal activity was related to \u201cUnited Mining and Chemical Company\u201d owned by the state, i.e. the State Property Fund of Ukraine.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNABU and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor\u2019s Office found out that the organizer of criminal group (<\/span>presumably, Dmytro Sennychenko \u2013 ed.<\/span><\/i>) appointed \u201cloyal person\u201d as the acting director of the Company (<\/span>presumably, Artur Somov \u2013 ed.<\/span><\/i>) in October 2020. Upon orders, this person has consciously concluded four contracts about the sale of Company\u2019s ilmenite concentrate to Czech company controlled by Sennychenko\u2019s advisor at reduced prices. Then, the concentrate was resold by Czech intermediary at higher market prices. As investigation found out ilmenite concentrate was supplied to Russian enterprises on the territory of temporarily occupied Crimea\u201d, as NABU informs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Two Czech companies<\/span>, \u0415\u0420I Group s.r.o.\u00a0<\/b>and <\/span>Belanto trade s.r.o.,<\/b> are under NABU investigation, as CJI determined.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On December 5, 2022, the Appeal Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine by its <\/span>order<\/span><\/a> refused to cancel an arrest of mobile phone Apple Iphone 13 Pro Max seized during a search of person under investigation. Detectives discovered in the phone correspondence with representatives of EPI Group. It has been about Belanto trade s.r.o., supply of ilmenite and its prices in 2021.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In November 2021, the Center for Journalist Investigations published its investigation \u201c<\/span>Ilmenite Scheme\u201d of Firtash: Czech Connection<\/span><\/a>\u201d. As we discovered, ilmenite concentrate enriched by Irshansk Mining and Processing Plant (part of \u201cUnited Mining and Chemical Company\u201d, UMCC) was supplied through Czech intermediary Belanto trade to titanium factory of oligarch Dmytro Firtash in occupied Crimea (the Armiansk branch of JSC \u201cUkrainian Chemical Products\u201d).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Belanto Trade was<\/span>\u00a0registered<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in Prague on February 25, 2014. Iveta Shylganova is indicated as the company founder and director since 2019. The company authorized capital is 120 Czech crowns (i.e. 142 UAH). The company specializes in the sale of the raw material for its further processing.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Center for Journalist Investigations\u00a0<\/b>received data from the US database\u00a0<\/span>ImportGenius<\/b>\u00a0collecting information about sea export-import cargo transportation. UMCC shipped more than 78 thousand tons of the ilmenite ore concentrate to the Czech company within eleven shipments from November 11, 2020 to March 31, 2021. In accordance with customs documents, all shipments went to Turkey. Then, Russian ships delivered ilmenite concentrate from Turkey to Crimean ports or Kerch Strait. This most popular route of the \u201cilmenite scheme\u201d has been active until 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Myroslav Shylgan (to the left) and Marec Shpok, photo: investigator.org.ua <\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

General Director of Belanto Trade <\/span>Myroslav Shylgan<\/b> told the CJI that none of their contractors could supply the ilmenite to Crimea because it has been directly forbidden by contracts with them. However, he failed to present any documents supporting his statement. Despite his promises, he also did not give information about his contractors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the middle of 2021 Belanto Trade was removed from the scheme involving United Mining and Chemical Company \\ the State Property Fund of Ukraine to sell ilmenite at reduced prices, as follows from Myroslav Shylgan\u2019s words. Firtash would be the main beneficiary of Czech company\u2019s removal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMotivation is to remove a competitor that is obtaining a greater market share in the ilmenite market. The more ilmenite Belanto ships to legitimate customers the less is available for Firtash\u2019s Crimean Titan processing plant\u201d, as said in the company\u2019s statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Background facts:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n