The SSU has detained four executives of a Kharkiv furniture company, who are suspected of cooperating with russia during the full-scale war.

According to the investigation, the company did business with moscow-based companies that cooperate with russian government agencies, e.g. the sanctioned PJSC Sberbank and JSC Tinkoff.

Another client was the russian corporation Rostelecom, which provides communications to the russian occupation groupings.

In 2022-2023 alone, the company in question replenished the russian budget by RUB 140 million. The aggressor state received these funds as taxes and fees.

As the investigators established, the managers of the Kharkiv enterprise used a network of commercial entities under their control in russia and the Middle East to conduct the illicit trade.

To hide their criminal actions, they transferred part of production facilities to a controlled company abroad.

During the searches at the locations of the Kharkiv company’s top management, the SSU found computer equipment, documents and mobile phones used in the crime.

Based on the collected evidence, the SSU notified the four detainees of suspicion under Article 111-2 of the CCU (aiding the aggressor state).

The court is to decide on measures of restraint. Other persons involved, who are hiding abroad, including in russia, were notified of suspicion in absentia.

The suspects face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The ongoing investigative actions do not affect the operation of the company’s production facilities in Ukraine and only pertain to the unlawful actions of individual company officials.

The operation was carried out under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of a crime and may not be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in line with the procedure defined by law and established by the court’s verdict.