While the war in Ukraine continues and every resource counts, 300 tons of products at the Yermolino TM plant in Dnipropetrovs'k region simply went bad due to the inaction of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency. Instead of promptly finding a manager or transferring the products to those who need them, the agency, headed by Olena Duma, left the problem unresolved for a year and a half, UNN reports.
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The Yermolino frozen meat production plant was seized in August 2012 and transferred to ARMA in January 2013.
Two years have passed since the property was transferred to ARMA, but instead of finding an effective manager or solving the problem with the products, the agency left the situation to fend for itself. The products were accumulating at the plant and rotting, creating risks to the environment and human health.
In July 2024, ARMA Deputy Head Grigol Katamadze, during an inspection at the plant , saw the scale of the consequences of inaction: 300 tons of spoiled products that resulted from almost two years of managerial chaos.
After the problem became apparent, it took ARMA more than four months to decide to dispose of of the spoiled products. It was not until January 2025 that the agency officially announced its intention to get rid of 300 tons of expired products. However, this decision is only the first step, and the actual timeline for disposal remains unknown.
The situation with the Yermolino plant is a vivid example of how the inaction of ARMA under the leadership of Olena Duma turned a strategic facility into a source of environmental and economic damage. For a year and a half, the agency has been unable to find a manager, ensure proper storage of products, or make prompt decisions on the problems that have arisen.
This case demonstrates the general inefficiency of asset management under ARMA's control. The inability to make quick and effective decisions not only damages the agency's reputation, but also creates real risks for the environment, business and society.
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This is not the first signal of management problems in ARMA. Since Olena Duma's appointment as the head of the agency, there have been discussions from time to time about her lack of experience. She even had to make excuses for this and argued her expertise by saying that she graduated from school with a gold medal and has "a lot of experience.
In general, statements about the non-transparent and ineffective work of the ARMA and its head, Olena Duma, have been made repeatedly. A petition calling for the dismissal of Olena Duma from her position due to her alleged ties to pro-Russian politicians and ineffective management of seized assets has even appeared on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
In addition, there are doubts about the political independence of the ARMA leadership. In particular, it has recently become known about possible backroom deals taking place in the ARMA under the leadership of Olena Duma. According to UNN's sources , a close associate of the former deputy head of the Presidential Administration of Viktor Yanukovych, Andriy Portnov, lawyer and former MP Valeriy Pysarenko, regularly visits the ARMA headquarters in Kyiv to meet personally with Olena Duma. The purpose of his visits is allegedly to discuss the transfer of large seized assets in favor of certain influential individuals, including Yulia Tymoshenko.