The Security Service and the State Bureau of Investigations exposed a concern in the Zhytomyr region, which, despite Russia's full-scale invasion, continued business with the aggressor country. They were selling metal products to Russians for the production of fortification barriers.
During 2022 alone, the suspects supplied several batches of corresponding products to Russia for over 1.5 million US dollars.
The received goods by Russian customers were used to create defensive systems around military facilities on the territory of Russia and in the temporarily occupied part of Ukraine.
According to available information, the illegal export to Russia was carried out through the so-called "interrupted transit" scheme.
Initially, the products from the manufacturing plant were sent to one of the European countries supposedly on the order of a foreign affiliated company. However, after receiving the goods, the foreign enterprise sent it to Russia under the brand of another commercially controlled structure, this time from the Middle East.
The ultimate recipients of Ukrainian imports were Russian companies that serve the needs of the occupation forces of the aggressor country.
During searches in the offices and residences of the suspects, as well as in the warehouse premises of the manufacturing plant, computer equipment and mobile phones with evidence were found.
The suspects have been notified of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (assisting the state-aggressor committed by an organized group).
The investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the crime. The criminals face up to 12 years of imprisonment with property confiscation.
The comprehensive measures were conducted under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General.
