Ukraine nationalizes the assets of Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska

Ukraine nationalized the assets of companies that, according to Kiev, are affiliated with Russian businessmen Oleg Deripaska, Arkady and Igor Rotenberg, Yevgeny Giner. This was reported by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) of Ukraine.

Ukraine nationalized the assets of the Russian businessman Deripaska in the amount of $273 million.

“Based on the materials of the State Bureau of Investigation, the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court decided to apply sanctions to a number of commercial structures and their owners. The state budget received assets worth billions of hryvnias," the SBI Telegram channel said in a statement.

It is alleged that among the ultimate beneficiaries of these commercial structures, in particular, Rotenberg, Deripaska, Giner. According to the State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine, the assets of PJSC Rivnooblenergo (93.2%), JSC Khersonoblenergo (99.9%), JSC Chernivtsioblenergo (96.8%), JSC Zhytomiroblenergo (95.5%) were nationalized, PJSC "Kirovogradoblenergo" (72.9%).

This list also includes seven hotels and two shopping and entertainment centers with a total value of 2 billion hryvnia (about $54.5 million), as well as 88.89% of the shares of First Investment Bank JSC attributed to Giner, Glukhovsky Quartzite Quarry LLC and Nikolaevsky alumina refinery” with an estimated cost of 10 billion hryvnias (about $272 million), which the country's authorities associate with Deripaska, the Ocean Plaza shopping and entertainment center with an estimated cost of more than $350 million, affiliated, according to the State Bureau of Investigation, with the Rotenbergs.

In addition, various shares of the authorized capital and property of Russians in other sectors of the Ukrainian economy were nationalized, in particular, 100% of Avangard-vilarti LLC, which, in addition to Ocean Plaza Project (Cyprus) LTD, also owns Itoder Investments Limited and 66.65% of the Lybid Investment Union.

Among the owners of the nationalized assets, the State Bureau of Investigation also names the Russians Alexander Ponomarenko and Alexander Skorobogatko.

On March 10, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law on the principles for the forced seizure of objects of property rights of the Russian Federation and its residents on the territory of Ukraine. According to him, it is possible to nationalize property on the grounds of social necessity without any compensation.

The decision to forcibly seize property is made by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, and approved by the president Volodymyr Zelensky.

In April 2022, the Verkhovna Rada approved a bill simplifying the procedure for confiscation of assets of Russian citizens, against whom sanctions have been imposed in Ukraine. Zelensky has since signed decrees imposing sanctions on thousands of Russian individuals and entities. Prime Minister Denys Shmygal stated that all Russian property would be nationalized in Ukraine.
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