SBU serves suspicion notice to officials of Ukrainian holding building shipyard in Russia

The Security Service of Ukraine has exposed officials of a Ukrainian holding company who signed contracts with Russian customers worth almost 100 billion rubles for the construction of a ship repair plant for Russian warships.

This was reported by the SBU press centre.

According to the investigation, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, an organised group led by the business owner has signed six contracts with Russian customers totalling almost 100 billion rubles. 

These are contracts for the construction of a ship repair plant to maintain the ships of the Novorossiysk Naval Base and the FSB Border Guard Department.

They also implemented several projects to build the Moscow metro.

The suspect is reportedly planning to contract the reconstruction of a submarine shipyard in St Petersburg for the aggressor country.

The investigation revealed that the Russian branch of the holding regularly pays billions of rubles to the budget of the aggressor country. To conceal their illegal activities in Russia, the defendants acted through offshore companies.

During the searches of the suspects' offices and residences in Kyiv, the SBU seized computer equipment, flash drives and documents confirming the illegal activity. The law enforcement also seized gold bars and almost USD 700 thousand. 

During the searches of the suspects, the SBU seized computer equipment, flash drives and documents confirming the illegal activity. The suspects were also found to be in possession of gold bars and almost $700 thousand.

"Based on the evidence collected, SBU investigators served three main suspects suspicion notices under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: the owner of the construction holding under Part 3 of Article 27, Part 3 of Article 28, Part 4 of Article 111-1 (organisation of economic activity in cooperation with the aggressor state committed by an organised group), Part 1 of Art. 111-2 (aiding the aggressor state); the director of one of the enterprises and the chief accountant of the Russian branch under Part 2 of Art. 27, Part 3 of Art. 28, Part 4 of Art. 111-1 (organisation of economic activity in cooperation with the aggressor state committed by an organised group)," the agency said in a statement.

The investigation is ongoing to bring the perpetrators to justice. The offenders face up to 12 years in prison. 

The operation was conducted by the SBU Main Directorate in Kyiv and Kyiv Region under the supervision of the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office.