London businessman Andreis Bradens received a Ukrainian state contract to protect the Dnipro HPP from Russian attacks. The United States imposed sanctions against him due to suspicion of cooperation with Russian special services to launder money and circumvent sanctions.
The Financial Times (FT) wrote about it.
Bradens is a Latvian citizen who lives in London and describes himself as an "international entrepreneur". In March of this year, the Turkish company Altair Lojistik Ve Ticaret, owned by Bradens, received a $23.4 million contract from “Ukrhydroenergo”. The contract provided for the supply of cables and other materials for the construction of underground shelters that protect the Dnipro HPP from Russian airstrikes.
On Wednesday, December 4, Bradens was sanctioned by the US Treasury Department for his role in a money-laundering ring that, according to the UKʼs National Crime Agency, "was used to fund Russian espionage operations" as well as aid European cocaine kingpins.
The US Treasury says that Bradens is connected to the TGR group of companies, through which Russian elites have avoided the US and international sanctions.
Altair Lojistik Ve Ticaret was not included in the sanctions list, but there are two other companies managed by Bradens, TGR Corporate Concierge LTD and Siam Expert Trading Company Limited. The latter is suspected of facilitating the export of electronic components to Russia.
“Ukrhydroenergo” stated that neither Bradens nor his Turkish company were under sanctions at the time of signing the contract.
"At the same time, after receiving information on the inclusion of a potential beneficiary of Altair Lojistik Ve Ticaret Anonim, citizen Andrejs Bradens, on the US sanctions list on December 4, 2024, the company immediately started additional checks. Based on the results of these inspections, measures will be taken in accordance with the current contract and the legislation of Ukraine," the company added.
- The Dnipro HPP has repeatedly been subjected to Russian attacks. After another attack in March of this year, both stations that are part of the Dnipro HPP (HPP-1 and HPP-2) stopped working, while HPP-2 was critically damaged.
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