Volunteer in a Lamborghini: from selling clothes at street markets to making millions in the Ukrainian defense sector

Continuation of the investigation by Mykhailo Tkach and “Ukrayinska Pravda” team into the sources of the incredible financial success of Ukrainian volunteer Oleksiy Vladimirov.

The first publication of the investigation focused on the volunteer’s luxury cars and vacations.

This time, Mykhailo Tkach speaks with Oleksiy Petrov, the head of the state company “Spetstechnoexport.”

Petrov is a former head of the counterintelligence department of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Spetstechnoexport is a subsidiary of the state company “Ukrspetsexport,” which has the right to procure weapons and ammunition abroad. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the government, at the request of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), transferred Spetstechnoexport to the management of the GUR Ministry of Defense. Subsequently, Petrov was appointed to head the company.

The need to communicate with such a high-ranking person arose after the investigation team gained access to recordings in which the incredibly successful volunteer Vladimirov openly stated that he works with Petrov.

In response to the question, Petrov acknowledges that he communicates with Vladimirov. He admits that Vladimirov constantly offers various options and that he directed a Spetstechnoexport employee to meet Vladimirov in a restaurant to discuss the details.

Interestingly, volunteer Vladimirov refers to the director of the state enterprise as ‘compliant’.

Mykhailo Tkach: We have recordings of Mr. Oleksiy Vladimirov at our editorial office, where he talks about, among other things, his interest in the defense industry.

Oleksiy Petrov: Everyone is interested in the defense industry.

Mykhailo Tkach: Yes, and specifically, he talks about you, about how one of his opportunities is, let me read it to you to be precise.

Oleksiy Petrov: “He’s my close friend, I’ve known him for many years, my dad, they used to hang out together. I called him from Monaco and said that someone is following me and wants something. Choose: either I work with you or I work nicely with him.” He also says, “I also meet with him regularly; he doesn’t want to be in the spotlight, which is understandable because he’s a major general, Budanov’s friend,” and so on. And then they discuss the details, I understand, of some kind of contract, and he also gives you positive feedback.

Mykhailo Tkach: Positive feedback?

Oleksiy Petrov: Yes. Look, regarding the frequency, we might have met somewhere at some point, well, not somewhere, but in a restaurant.

Mykhailo Tkach: Sorry, I didn’t catch that.

Oleksiy Petrov: Well, we can definitely meet in a restaurant about once every two months. Regarding the defense proposals, Mykhailo, it seems that only the lazy aren’t currently offering their communications or acquaintances who deal with drones or those who produce shells, planes, and tanks. Given the expertise, I have to conduct any examination of any proposal, then determine how we assess its viability and further the possibility of supporting defense forces. Oleksiy, like many others, receives a lot of such, no offense to anyone, including Oleksiy, fantastical ideas. All are checked, and usually, only the realistic ones work because, when it comes to contracts, from the perspective of the specialists I represent, it’s a matter of communication, connections, and trust. So, of course, it is directly within my duties. But regarding Oleksiy, you know, you can’t work everywhere and be a professional, so there you go.

Mykhailo Tkach: So, did he get any contracts through his friendship with you, or is he just offering or trying to?

Oleksiy Petrov: Look, he’s not a player in this market to be offering or receiving contracts. His only competitive advantage is probably that he is quite communicative, well-mannered, energetic, positive, and young, unlike me. So, there are a lot of contacts he can provide, ranging from Ukrainian manufacturers to foreign contacts that allow us to communicate directly and conclude agreements if they are beneficial in terms of price and conditions. That’s what we are directly involved in.

Mykhailo Tkach: We also saw that a Spetstechnoexport employee, Dmytro Yehupov, came to a restaurant to meet Oleksiy Vladimirov. Did you give any instructions to Dmytro?

Oleksiy Petrov: Yes, of course. Look, I don’t engage in micromanagement. If an acquaintance calls and says, ‘Look, we have an interesting idea, we’ve been approached,’ which is 99 percent of the time, ‘We’ve been approached by people who built a factory in Romania and are now producing missiles or 155mm shells. Let’s discuss it.’ I’d be overwhelmed if I had to travel and listen to all ideas and proposals, so I naturally send management to listen and then report back with an analysis of how objective and viable the proposal is.

Mykhailo Tkach: I just want to understand for myself. I gather that Oleksiy Vladimirov’s goal is to earn money in the defense sector by supplying either weapons, ammunition, or other items. He’s not an inventor of drones or other devices. He was looking, and I understand he found a way to earn what you might call a cashback or commission from various contracts.

Oleksiy Petrov: Well, that’s a tendentious presentation. In reality, I believe it’s wrong to draw conclusions about where and how he wants to earn money from manufacturers and so on. What I want to emphasize is that Oleksiy’s advantage, and people like him, is their communication skills. Their communicativeness allows them to move forward and find the directions that are truly needed and useful for the country.

Mykhailo Tkach: Just on the recordings we have in our editorial office, he says, ‘Explain to me, please, we have a 20-cent kickback from each.’ I understand this refers to ammunition or similar items, and they discuss kickbacks specifically, not helping the state.

Oleksiy Petrov: Misha, between whom and whom?

Mykhailo Tkach: Kickbacks?

Oleksiy Petrov: Yes.

Mykhailo Tkach: He is communicating with someone about contracts, and initially, he mentions that he has a close contact with you who could help. In this process, he mentions that there is a 20-cent kickback for each unit. I understand this is related to a large contract with a significant quantity, but I don’t quite understand if this refers to shells, ammunition, cartridges, or something like that.

Oleksiy Petrov: I’m not ready to comment on whom he is asking or negotiating with. I can clearly state that Oleksiy Vladimirov is not involved in any of the contracts we have signed and formalized. I can assure you of that.

Mykhailo Tkach: So, not directly involved?

Oleksiy Petrov: Indirectly, as well, there are no such contracts. There are no contracts with people from the circle who have nothing to do with this today; it doesn’t exist. These are fairy tales, I don’t believe them. In my experience, it has never happened that people from one field came and said, ‘We have a great contract, we can help you.

Mykhailo Tkach: Well, it just seems to me that since the beginning of the invasion, there have been countless stories where some companies with no connection to the sector later sought contractors, and then money either disappeared or substandard goods were supplied. You know better than I do that everyone is trying to enter this market because there is a lot of money here. And everything is essentially secret, done through intermediaries from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, etc. Someone associated with Oleksiy Vladimirov or his circle might not directly participate in such contracts, but there are many such cases. That’s why I’m asking you to understand what he’s talking about, what connection he has with you, and if he’s making money from this defense business. He acquired a Lamborghini during the full-scale invasion, and I see that he is definitely earning.

Oleksiy Petrov: Well, believe me, not from us, definitely.

Clarification: Ukrainska Pravda investigators, and subsequently all media, somehow present the volunteer Oleksiy Vladimirov as the owner of the unprofitable restaurant Saperavi.

We decided to verify this information from open sources, and it indeed corresponds to reality, though only 10 percent. Oleksiy Vladimirov has owned 10 percent of SAPERAVI LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (SAPERAVI LLC) since October 2017.

What’s most interesting is what we found next. Oleksiy Vladimirov started his entrepreneurial journey in 2011 by registering LLC LV21, which engaged in retail clothing and street market sales. It’s no wonder he has developed such successful communication and trading skills in the defense sector. They say the world of market traders is harsh. By the way, LLC LV21 is still operating. So don’t be surprised if the current ‘volunteer in a Lamborghini’ is trading ammunition under the guise of socks or underwear and making 20 cents on each bullet or tank.

Ukraine Front Lines

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