BES official arrested in Odesa for financing Russian army

The deputy head of the BES Territorial Department in Odesa region was taken into custody for financing the occupiers. According to the investigation, he was involved in the activities of a company that operated in the temporarily occupied Luhansk region and transferred funds to support the Russian army.

This is evidenced by the decision of the Peresypskyi District Court of Odesa.

The pre-trial investigation established that after the seizure and temporary occupation of a part of the Luhansk region by representatives of the illegal formation of the Luhansk People's Republic, which operated under the control of the Russian Federation, in December 2017, Ukrmetinvestbud LLC was founded with a 50% share of 113,300 Russian rubles. Later, the company changed its name to Ukrmetinveststroy LLC and continued its business activities in Luhansk on the temporarily occupied territory. The official is a co-founder of the company.

After the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, the company was re-registered from the laws of the LPR to the laws of the Rashists, changed its name to Metinveststroy LLC and its legal address to Luhansk. A new charter was approved, the authorized capital was increased, and the main activities were defined in accordance with Russian law.

The company specialized in the wholesale trade of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels, timber, construction materials, sanitary equipment, as well as waste and scrap.

The company continued to operate in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk region, making a profit.

The pre-trial investigation established that Metinveststroy LLC created an official website where it published calls for fundraising to support the Russian military and civilians in the occupied territories. The site contains an active "Help" button that redirects to another resource with the following text:"Raising charitable funds to support Russian military personnel and civilians in the liberated territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics."

The texts include appeals: "For victory! For a peaceful sky! For Russia!" and calls to help the affected civilians.

In this regard, on October 9, 2025, a BES official and a co-owner of the company were notified of suspicion of committing a particularly serious crime - aiding the aggressor state and its armed forces. This article provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 10 to 12 years.

The court upheld the SBU's motion and imposed a measure of restraint in the form of detention in the Odesa pre-trial detention center until December 7, 2025. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing, and all the circumstances of cooperation with Russian and Ukrainian citizens involved in illegal activities in the temporarily occupied territory are being established.

After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, the deputy head of the BES Territorial Department in Odesa region not only retained his share in the business but also continued to receive profits from the company that is now operating in the temporarily occupied territory.

Анна Бальчінос