The Security Service of Ukraine announced the suspicion of financing Russian armed aggression against Ukrainian alcohol magnate Yevgeny Chernyak, the owner of one of the largest alcohol holdings in Ukraine, Global Spirits (Khortytsia brand).
According to the SBU, during 2022 only in the form of paying taxes and fees, enterprises subordinate to Yevgeny Chernyak paid about six billion hryvnia equivalents to the Russian budget.
The special service claims that companies located in four countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus purchased industrial volumes of alcohol and other related products from Russia.
Chernyak and six other top managers of his companies were informed of the suspicion under the article "assistance to the aggressor state committed by a group of persons according to a prior conspiracy" (Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code). These actions are punishable by imprisonment for a term of 10 to 15 years with confiscation of property.
During searches of the holdingʼs office premises in Ukraine, documents and other material evidence of activities in favor of the aggressor country were found, the SBU added. The issue of seizure of private and corporate property of the holding for transfer to the management of the Agency for Search and Asset Management is being resolved.
Chernyak himself has not yet commented on the suspicion.