The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) of Ukraine has taken Vladislav Klishchar, co-owner of Czech company Belanto trade s.r.o., into custody in absentia and approved his investigation in connection with the case against former head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine (SPFU), Dmytro Sennichenko.
On July 2, the HACC issued decisions ordering Klishchar’s detention in absentia and permitting a special pre-trial investigation into his alleged criminal activities.
Previously, in December 2024, Austrian and French law enforcement agencies seized assets belonging to suspects involved in a criminal organization led by Sennichenko. This group is accused of embezzling state funds from the Odesa Port Plant and other enterprises.
French authorities confiscated real estate worth nearly €6.5 million, with ongoing efforts to locate additional property and extradite suspects.
The criminal group allegedly stole over UAH 500 million from state-owned enterprises, including the Odesa Port Plant and the United Mining and Chemical Company, between 2019 and 2021. They are also accused of laundering more than UAH 10 billion.
In May 2024, the HACC arrested Sennichenko in absentia. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) temporarily suspended the investigation in December 2023 while searching for suspects abroad.
Currently, eleven suspects face charges, including Sennichenko, considered the criminal organization’s leader; his close associates; former and current officials at the Odesa Port Plant and United Mining and Chemical Company; and auction winners linked to the scandal.
Investigations revealed that in early 2020, Sennichenko arranged for loyal members to join the Odesa Port Plant’s Supervisory Board, facilitating the appointment of a criminal organization affiliate as the plant’s director.
The case remains under active investigation, with efforts continuing to bring all involved parties to justice.
