According to media reports, Ukrainian authorities have searched billionaire Ihor Kolomojskyj’s ski resort in the Carpathians as part of corruption investigations. The internet portal Zn.ua reported on Sunday that documents were seized in connection with a multimillion-dollar corruption affair involving the oil and gas company Ukrnafta. For a long time, the oligarch was considered a supporter of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Kolomojskyj is, among other things, the majority owner of the television channel 1+1, where Zelenskyj was under contract before he entered politics. The businessman, who was also the governor of Dnepropetrovsk Oblast (administrative district) in 2014 and 2015, said he had never heard of a search of his ski resort.
So far, the oligarch has not been considered a suspect
According to the media report, it concerns the illegal appropriation of property of oil company Ukrnafta worth more than 300 million euros. Last week, investigators began proceedings against several of the group’s top executives. Kolomojskyj himself, co-owner of Ukrnafta, is not yet considered a suspect.
The 59-year-old is one of the most controversial oligarchs in Ukraine. Among other things, he owned the largest bank in Ukraine, which was then nationalized until 2016. In addition to Ukrainian citizenship, Kolomoisky also holds Israeli and Cypriot citizenship. For a long time, the entrepreneur was the third richest Ukrainian. He is said to have financed several combat units, including the Azov regiment.
Some Ukrainian media described Kolomojskyj as the tug of war behind Zelenskyj. However, several of Zelenskyy’s laws against the oligarchy have also recently harmed Kolomoysky’s interests. The International Center for the Study of Corruption and Organized Crime named Kolomoiskyi one of the four most corrupt officials of 2020. The US government imposed a travel ban on him in 2021 for “significant corruption”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
