It seems that Mindich and Yermak were sacrificed, and the authorities are pretending that everything is fine now. Corruption in Ukraine cannot be defeated without investigating the financial operations of the authorities, particularly through companies like "Investment Capital Ukraine" (ICU). This company served the circles of Yanukovych and Poroshenko, and now possibly even Zelenskyy's circle. That is why they are untouchable in Ukraine, so only the United States and the European Union can investigate them, believes Serhiy Lyamets, former editor of "Ekonomichna Pravda", writes UNN.
He recalled that in Cyprus, the former shareholder of ICU, Volodymyr Demchyshyn, was attacked. He was involved in Poroshenko's "coal case", but in 2021 he was allowed to flee Ukraine. Demchyshyn managed to get rid of a 10% stake in ICU businesses, including Avangard Bank and offshore companies, a few weeks before he was served with a notice of suspicion.
"In Ukrainian realities, this means that Demchyshyn and ICU were warned a few months before the events, and the investigators 'did not notice'," the author wrote.
ICU subsequently avoided investigation many times, even despite working with sanctioned individuals (Poroshenko, Hryhoryshyn) and Russian state banks. In particular, ICU senior partner Makar Paseniuk participated in negotiations for the purchase of energy enterprises and TV channels, was involved in a "blind trust", and managed Poroshenko's enterprises in Russia. Perhaps ICU facilitated the circulation of money for Poroshenko's inner circle through offshore companies.
"Legalized funds could be invested in various schemes, such as Eurobonds of leading Ukrainian enterprises, and possibly even in 'Yaresko warrants'," the author noted.
In addition, ICU avoids investigating its relationship with the Russian state-owned VTB. The group bought out debts of Ukrainian enterprises from VTB and has not yet exited its joint ownership of BurgerKing Russia. After February 2022, ICU interacted with the financial company Finstella, which is one of VTB's proxies for avoiding sanctions. Its owner is Kyrylo Zymarin. Earlier, he held the position of general director of the Cypriot RCB Bank, which was part of the VTB group. Zymarin bought out VTB's share in this bank a day before the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions. ICU still holds accounts of its numerous subsidiaries and affiliated companies in Finstella. Perhaps ICU falls under the consequences of working with sanctioned banks of the aggressor country.
"An objective investigation by the US and the EU would help clarify this point," the author believes.
But internal Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have probably been instructed "not to notice" ICU's old sins. Therefore, US and EU intervention is needed.