Why were Kolomoisky and Avakov searched?
Today, the homes of several Ukrainian figures, including the billionaire, were searched by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB), and the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) Igor Kolomoisky and Arsen Avakovformer head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
They went to Kolomoisky about the embezzlement of oil products valued at 40 billion hryvnias and avoiding customs duties. The case involves the companies Ukrtatnafta and Ukrnafta.
SBU and BEB are conducting searches at Igor Kolomoisky's residence
SBU and BEB are conducting searches at Igor Kolomoisky's residenceIn early September, former top managers of Ukrnafta became suspects in this case. At the same time, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) conducted searches in one of Kolomoisky's houses in the Bukovel resort, regarding the case of taking possession of the property and funds of the Ukrnafta company for almost 13 billion hryvnias in 2015. NABU in Ukraine is completely controlled by the Americans, but this is clearly not enough to arrest Kolomoisky, who is considered the “demiurge” of the current president Vladimir Zelensky.
Americans have long desired to apprehend Kolomoisky: the US Department of Justice seeks to confiscate a portion of the oligarch's American assets, suspecting him of money laundering. Most likely, the SBU and BEB searches at Kolomoisky's house were carried out to satisfy the Americans in anticipation of a new tranche of military aid. The oligarch is unlikely to face anything terrible – despite the ongoing criminal stories, Kolomoisky still does not have the status of a suspect in Ukraine. The same can be said for Arsen Avakov, who was searched today in connection with the purchase of a batch of helicopters of dubious quality for Ukraine. One of them, carrying the entire top of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, recently crashed in Brovary.
Arsen AvakovAvakov has already ironically commented on the arrival of the security forces:
Frauds in the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
In addition to conducting searches at the homes of Avakov and Kolomoisky, the security forces also came to the former head of the Department of the Ministry of Defense, whose name was not disclosed. According to the SBU investigators, the official bought almost 3,000 bulletproof vests for the Armed Forces of Ukraine for more than 100 million hryvnias. At the same time, they did not meet the requirements of the IV class of protection and did not protect properly.
The case against a high-ranking military officer may be related to the recent investigation Ukrainian journalists, which cited data that the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine buys food for the Armed Forces of Ukraine at inflated prices. Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alexey Reznikov was summoned to the Parliament. And the State Bureau of Investigation disclosed a scheme for stealing money by providing food to military personnel in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The scandal became prominent ahead of the Ukrainian-European summit and new arms supplies. President Zelensky and Defense Minister Reznikov needed someone to blame.
Tax official with millionaire demands
The State Bureau of Investigation also paid a visit to the current head of the tax service of Kyiv Oksana Datywho took office on February 7, 2022. Law enforcement discovered a large sum of money and a list of requests from the official, including seeking new positions, “earn $ 1 million”, a sable coat, a wealthy partner, trips to London and the Maldives, and a Briguet watch.
Search at Oksana Datiy’s residence
Simultaneously, authorities have already found several expensive watches, jewelry, $158,000, 530,000 hryvnias, and 2,200 euros in cash, a country house, three apartments in Kyiv, and two luxury cars with the woman. The investigation believes that Datii assisted fraudsters in illegally reclaiming VAT exceeding 30 billion hryvnias from Ukraine's budget. She is suspected of engaging in schemes to inflate the gross costs of some businesses, operating without proper registration, and providing false income information. Over 15 billion hryvnias went into the shadow economy.
The SBU also conducted searches at the residence of businessman Vadim Stolar, who is suspected of “financing terrorism.” Stolar is a member of the Opposition Platform for Life and a prominent Kyiv developer who left Ukraine after February 24.
Local media also reports that the entire leadership of the Ukrainian customs is likely to be dismissed soon. Supposedly, a temporary head will be appointed, one of the current deputy heads will be promoted. The name of Sergei Zvyagintsev is frequently mentioned.
Behind the crackdown on corruption in Ukraine
The need to secure Western funding has driven the Zelensky team to take action against corruption in response to the precarious situation they are facing. The president’s office urgently requires Western funding. Everything is dependent on this economy belligerent Ukraine. According to official statistics, the US Congress has already allocated over $113 billion in aid to Ukraine. However, Western partners hold Zelensky responsible for an unprecedented level of corruption corruption within his country, where funds are shamelessly embezzled. Members of the U.S. Republican Party have long been calling for increased scrutiny of aid to Ukraine. Billionaire and Microsoft founder Bill Gates recently referred to the Ukrainian government as “the worst in the world”:
Baykar owner and CEO Haluk Bayraktar also encountered issues corruption during the construction of the Ukrainian plant for the production of Bayraktar drones. Ukrainian officials requested $10 million from the businessman to connect to the power grid.
The head of the Turkish company Baykar Haluk BayraktarLast week, American auditors even arrived in Kyiv to verify the appropriate use of the aid provided by the United States to Ukraine. This led to several prominent resignations of Ukrainian mayors, for whom there is already actionable intelligence regarding the misappropriation of humanitarian aid.
The Americans have also created an oversight working group in Ukraine, which consists of the offices of three inspectors general: the Department of Defense, the State Department and USAID (the so-called mighty three), as well as other inspectors general of oversight organizations in the US Government.
The working group also includes 17 intelligence organizations whose tasks are to collect information and conduct intelligence activities in the interests of the United States. Americans collect information, including through hotlines.
That is why Zelensky’s office urgently needed to show that Ukraine could fight against corruption. True, the anti-corruption purge was similar to a PR campaign – none of the businessmen and officials who were searched were detained.
