Ukraine detains top managers supplying military barriers to Russian forces in Zhytomyr Oblast — SBI
Top executives from a consortium supplying barriers to the Russian military-industrial complex used in the war against Ukraine have been apprehended in Zhytomyr Oblast, the Ukrainian State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) reported on Jan. 17.
The consortium, once owned by an entrepreneur who left Ukraine just before the full-scale invasion, later shifted ownership to individuals under his control. These individuals continued working with the Russian Federation, law enforcement officers said.
The "new owners" orchestrated supplies through foreign and Russian shell companies. These companies allegedly placed "orders" with the Ukrainian manufacturer, ostensibly for the needs of a third party, the SBI said.
"In 2022 alone, the defendants delivered several batches of products to Russia worth over $1.5 million," the statement said.
Materials used to construct fortification barriers for the Russian army were sent to the Russian Federation, said Ukraine’s SBU security service.
The SBI, working with the SBU, conducted searches in the consortium's premises and in the homes of its top managers in late December 2023.
Items and documents indicating the operations of the consortium's enterprises in Ukraine and Russia were seized during these searches. Law enforcement officers detained two top managers, who were later charged with violating laws prohibiting rendering assistance to an aggressor state. If convicted, the defendants face prison terms of up to 12 years.
Law enforcement officers are currently addressing the issue of seizing the property of the enterprises and transferring it to the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA).
At least three members of the group, including its organizer, are currently outside Ukraine and will face charges in absentia.
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