The SSU has shut down another scheme used to circumvent sanctions on the supply of Ukrainian products to russia. This time, the Service exposed a company selling wholesale batches of domestic heating systems for the needs of the russian ministry of defence.

The scheme was organized by the head of the sales department of a Zhytomyr firm that produces heat boilers and convectors.

Since May 2022, the Ukrainian manufacturer has been covertly selling products to russian companies cooperating with russian government agencies.

One of their main customers was a company in Kursk that supplied heating systems to russian military sanatoriums.

To evade sanctions, the company first sent Ukrainian products to affiliated businesses in the EU and Central Asia.

There, the goods were repackaged under the details of foreign companies and re-exported to a controlled entity in Belarus and from there to russia.

Using this scheme, the perpetrators smuggled several wholesale consignments of Ukrainian heating systems to russia for a total of UAH 65 mln (USD 1.5 mln).

During the searches at the offices and in the organizer’s apartment, the SSU found mobile phones, computers and documents with evidence of the crime.

SSU investigators served the head of the sales department of the Zhytomyr company a notice of suspicion under Article 111-2.1 of the CCU (aiding the aggressor state).

The suspect is in custody without bail and faces up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The investigation is ongoing to bring to justice all participants in the fraud, including the suspect’s wife – the owner of the Zhytomyr company.

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