Russians tear down apartment buildings destroyed during their invasion of Mariupol in 2022. Screenshot from video shared by Petro Andriushchenko, advisor to the legitimate mayor of Mariupol
A recent investigation by the Scanner Project, a Russian volunteer team investigating transnational corruption, has revealed Russian oligarch Aleksey Repik’s significant role in developing occupied Mariupol, Ukraine, while simultaneously conducting business operations in the United States and Germany.
According to the investigation, Repik owns R-Stroi, a company that emerged as one of the main developers in the occupied city of Mariupol following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It swiftly began constructing residential buildings and civil infrastructure in the city, also participating in “charitable projects” organized by the headquarters of Russian propagandist, Zakhar Prilepin.
“R-Stroi was founded in May 2022, when Russia occupied Mariupol. The company quickly began the construction of residential buildings and civil infrastructure in the city,” the Scanner Project reported. Repik is also known for his pharmaceutical business R-Pharm, registered in Delaware, USA, and a factory in Illertissen, Germany.
Aleksy Repil. Photo: Oleg Yakovlev/RBK
The investigation also unveiled Repik’s $19.1 million mansion in San Francisco, USA. At least three of his four children were born in the USA, and during the ongoing war in Eastern Ukraine, Repik and his family resided in the US. Furthermore, in 2017, he attended the inauguration of former US President Donald Trump, where he was photographed with the future CIA Director Mike Pompeo, describing him as a “good neighbor” and a “charming person.”
In an attempt to avoid personal sanctions following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Repik removed his name from the list of R-Pharm owners just three months after the start of the invasion. In August 2022, he sold the company; his mother Valeriia Daeva was among the new owners. Her company, Petrusco, is the main sponsor of R-Stroi. Other owners include Konstantin Nuriyev and Mykola Milkis, who both hold notable positions in Repik’s business network.
The investigation also uncovered new mass burial sectors in the Novotroitske cemetery in Mariupol. According to Mayor Petro Andriushchenko, the burial sectors are visually larger than the fraternal graves in the Vinohradne or Mangush villages.
Related:
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- Russian oligarchs moved assets before Russian invasion of Ukraine to evade sanctions – US Treasury
- The $ 300 billion question: Why the West does not confiscate Russian frozen assets despite Ukraine war
- Ukraine seizes USD 870,000 of sanctioned Russian oligarch Deripaska
Tags: Mariupol, Russia, Russian oligarchs, Sanctions