Companies' property seized in Odesa for helping Russian army in Crimea

In Odesa, a court has seized the property of companies suspected of working for the occupiers and transferring resources to illegal groups in Crimea. Now their machinery and equipment will remain under arrest until a court decision is made, and if the guilt is confirmed, the property may be transferred to the state.

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

The court in Odesa granted the request of the prosecutor's office and the Security Service of Ukraine to seize the property of companies suspected of collaboration and aiding the aggressor state. These are companies that operated in the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in 2023-2024.

According to the investigation, a group of companies, including Transship, Transship-Agent, Kerch Fregat Shipyard, carried out economic activities in cooperation with the aggressor state. The managers and founders of these companies acted in collusion and provided material resources and other assets to illegal paramilitary groups and the occupation administration.

The owner and head of the main company is the founder and ultimate beneficiary of a number of companies, including Transship, Donmar, Transship-Agent, Transship Balk, Promin Base, Lugove and Cranship.

The court seized various equipment and property of the companies: Belarus and K-701 tractors, HARDI sprayers, MANITOU and LIEBHERR front-end and telescopic loaders, as well as other agricultural and construction equipment registered to the companies. The owners of the property were notified of the court hearing, but did not appear.

The judge emphasized that the criminal offense of which the managers and the company are suspected is a serious one. It carries a penalty of imprisonment with confiscation of property. The seizure allows the property to be preserved until the end of the trial and, if proven guilty, transferred to the state.

The investigation is currently ongoing: law enforcement officers are checking all the circumstances of the companies' activities in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea and their ties with the illegal authorities of the aggressor state.

In October, 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 a company that operated in the temporarily occupied Luhansk region and transferred funds to support the Russian army.

Анна Бальчінос