russian businessmen assets arrested in Ukraine

All of Fridman’s Ukrainian assets were arrested by the Ukrainain court decision. Among them is a mobile operator.

The court has arrested all corporate rights of Russian businessmen Mikhail Fridman, Pyotr Aven and Andrey Kosogov, including the “mobile communications company”. This was reported by the SBU and the Prosecutor General’s Office, liga business reports.

The law enforcement agencies do not name the specific names of the companies, limiting themselves to a description.

“The blocked assets include financial and insurance companies, mobile and IT companies, as well as mineral water plants,” the SBU said in a statement.

The value of the assets is estimated at UAH 17 billion, in total, 20 companies and financial institutions are involved.

The arrest was imposed to prevent Fridman and his business partners from transferring the assets to fictitious persons.

Fridman, Aven, and Kosogov previously owned one of Ukraine’s largest banks, Sens Bank, but it was nationalized in July 2023.

In addition to the bank, the Russians indirectly own IDS, one of the largest mineral water producers in Ukraine (produces mineral water under the Morshynska and Myrhorodska brands), a stake in Kyivstar, and through it, the Helsi.mi medical system.

“Morshynska and Myrhorodska are controlled by Russians through the Cyprus-based International Distribution Systems Limited. IDS Ukraine claims that the sanctioned Russians do not have a majority stake in the company.

Kyivstar also has a complex ownership structure. It is part of the Veon group, where 47.9% of the shares are owned by the investment company LetterOne, founded by Russians headed by Fridman.

In Ukraine, Fridman is suspected of laundering $1.2 million and €1.93 million (totaling about UAH 100 million in equivalent) and intentional tax evasion of UAH 18 million by officials of the bank, which Ukraine nationalized in July 2023.

The investigation believes that Friedman, together with his Russian partners, allegedly tried to withdraw assets worth more than UAH 1 billion from Ukraine to avoid sanctions.

Ukraine Front Lines