Jan. 4, 2026, 10:27 a.m.
(Ukrainian grain. PHOTO: usm.media)
In Odesa, a court seized the company's property that law enforcement officers seized during a search. The arrest was made as part of an investigation into alleged cooperation with the occupation authorities of Crimea and assistance to the aggressor state.
This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations.
According to court materials, investigators believe that a number of companies associated with Transship could have cooperated with the Russian occupation authorities in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea. According to law enforcement, these business structures could transfer resources to illegal paramilitary groups and conduct commercial activities in cooperation with the occupation administration.
The case states that after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the group of companies used enterprises registered in the occupied territory, including Cranship, Transship-Agent and Kerch Fregat Shipyard. The investigation suggests that in 2022-2024, these structures were used to carry out activities in favor of Russia.
The search took place on December 5, 2025, at the Shevchenkivskyi Business Center on Panteleimonivska Street in Odesa. During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized financial documents of Navisagro Investment LLC, checkbooks of several companies, a hard drive, a mobile phone, and cash - almost 260 thousand hryvnias and 300 US dollars. The SBU noted that these items may contain information about illegal activities and have evidentiary value in the case.
The prosecutor's office insisted on the seizure of the seized property, arguing that there was a risk of its concealment or destruction. A representative of Navisagro Investment, whose premises were searched, objected to this decision, stating that the investigation had not substantiated the need to restrict property rights.
However, the court agreed with the prosecution's position, recognized the seized items as material evidence and concluded that the arrest was justified to ensure a full investigation. As a result, the court granted the prosecutor's motion and banned the use and disposal of this property.
As Hromadske wrote, the company Transship Group, one of the founders of which until recently was Odesa businessman Andriy Ivanov, operated both in Ukraine and Russia. This is confirmed by a certificate from the Russian register of legal entities. In 2015-2016, the company was already on the SBU's radar: court materials contained suspicions of possible illegal transportation of people by Ivanov 's vessels between mainland Ukraine and occupied Crimea.
As part of these proceedings, the companies' assets were repeatedly seized and their offices searched. Ivanov himself stated that several criminal cases were opened against him under the article on high treason.
Nevertheless, these investigations did not have any serious consequences for the business group for a long time. In particular, the company received a government contract to raise the Delphi tanker that ran aground in Odesa in November 2019.
In early 2023, the State Property Fund sold the Ust-Dunaisk Commercial Sea Port to private investors. The port was sold at auction for UAH 200 million, and the buyer was Elixir-Ukraine, a company associated with businessman Valeriy Vikhrenko. After the privatization, the new owner actually handed over the port management to Cranship, which had been operating there since 2017.
According to the decision of the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv, in October 2023, the National Police conducted searches at the Ust-Dunay port. During the investigation, hundreds of waybills of companies associated with Andriy Ivanov were seized. The searches were part of an investigation into the possible export of black grain. According to the investigation, during 2023, Cranship shipped grain for export through the port in Kilia.
In addition, in September 2025, Ukraine imposed sanctions against the Kerch Fregat Shipyard LLC as part of the expansion of restrictions on individuals and companies working for the occupation authorities of Crimea. In total, sanctions were imposed on 66 individuals and 13 legal entities.
In October, the court also seized equipment and property registered to related companies, including Belarus and K-701 tractors, HARDI sprayers, MANITOU and LIEBHERR front-end and telescopic loaders, as well as other agricultural and construction equipment. The owners of the property were notified of the court hearing, but did not appear.
Анна Бальчінос