The SSU has collected evidence against the founder of one of Ukraine’s largest agricultural holdings, who is suspected of financing russia’s armed aggression.

The SSU detained the suspect at his son’s apartment in Kyiv, where he was hiding and planning to escape to russia.

According to the investigation, his company is located on the temporarily occupied left bank of Kherson oblast and works for russia’s benefit.

The holding is one of the main suppliers of food to russian troops stationed in southern Ukraine.

In May 2022, the businessman ‘re-registered’ the agricultural company with the occupation ‘russia’s department of the federal tax service in Kherson region’.

Since then, the entity has been paying over RUB 100,000 a month in ‘taxes’ to the budget of the local occupation administration.

The business is one of the leading financial donors in the region for the russian ‘foundation to support the participants of the special military operation’, established by putin’s decree in April 2023.

The SSU also documented that the entrepreneur had handed over to russian troops the warehouses of the company’s production complex in the temporarily occupied Kakhovka district, Kherson oblast.

The command of the russian occupation groupings is using the logistics hangars to store their weapons, ammunition and military equipment.

This includes russian self-propelled artillery pieces and multiple rocket launchers, which are firing at Beryslav district.

During the searches at the suspect’s home in Kyiv, the SSU seized documents, seals, computer equipment and a mobile phone confirming his cooperation with the aggressor.

Based on the evidence, the SSU served the detainee a notice of suspicion under Article 111-2.1 of the CCU (aiding the aggressor state).

The suspect is in custody, facing up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property. The investigation is ongoing.

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