The Security Service of Ukraine and the Office of the Prosecutor General have collected extensive evidence of the illegal seizure of industrial enterprises and plundering of Ukrainian natural resources in the temporarily occupied territories of our state.

According to the investigation, a significant number of coal mining, metallurgical and coke-chemical complexes were appropriated and illegally exploited by fugitive Ukrainian businessman Serhiy Kurchenko and a group of russian officials and businessmen.

They carried out these transactions in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions between 2017 and 2021. After the ‘privatization’ of the enterprises, they illegally used the capacities of these complexes, as well as extracted and exported minerals, plundering Ukrainian resources.

The perpetrators illegally supplied the extracted minerals to russia and other countries.

As established by SSU investigators, at least the following have been exported in this way since 2017:

• Coal products worth over UAH 6 billion (USD 143 mln);
• Metal products worth UAH 47.3 billion (USD 1.1 bln);
• Coke and chemical products worth over UAH 1.6 billion (USD 38.1 mln).

In addition to Serhiy Kurchenko, the criminal group that organized the appropriation of enterprises and sale of products also includes:

• deputy minister of economic development of the russian federation Nazarov S.M.;
• head of the department of the ministry of economic development of the russian federation Pavlov V.O.
• other citizens of russia and citizens Ukraine who defected to the enemy.

Based on the evidence, SSU investigators notified all those involved of suspicion in absentia under Articles 28.2, 438.1 of the CCU (war crimes: plundering national treasures in the occupied territory, use of means of warfare prohibited by international law, other violations of the laws and customs of war provided for by international treaties, committed by a group upon prior conspiracy). The suspects face imprisonment for up to twelve years.

Efforts to bring the criminals to justice are underway.

The investigation was carried out by the SSU under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.