Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court grants permission to confiscate assets from former Motor Sich president Viacheslav Bohuslaiev

The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine has granted a lawsuit brought by the Ministry of Justice seeking the imposition of sanctions in the form of asset seizure from Viacheslav Bohuslaiev, the former president of Ukraine’s leading aircraft engine manufacturer, Motor Sich.

Source: Inna Bohatykh, Head of the Sanctions Policy Department of the Ministry of Justice, on Facebook

The decision also applies to Petr Kononenko, CEO of the Russian company Borisfen. 

Quote from Bohatykh: "Corporate rights (with respect to Motor Bank, Motor Garant (insurance), Vinnytsia Aircraft Plant, and other companies), property, land plots, monetary funds (a significant amount), weapons and other assets have been recovered for the benefit of the state." 

Update: The Prosecutor General's Office clarified that assets worth almost UAH 1 billion (US$25 million) have been recovered for the benefit of the state, including almost UAH 600 million (US$15 million), 11 units of real estate, including five land plots, as well as shares in the authorised capital of 11 companies with equity of UAH 367.3 million (US$9 million) and other assets.

Bohatykh added that the court refused to grant the request with respect to certain third-party assets, and the ministry therefore intends to appeal.

Background: 

• In October 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine, in conjunction with the Prosecutor General’s Office, completed an investigation and filed an indictment against Viacheslav Bohuslaiev, the president of Motor Sich, and Oleh Dziuba, head of the company’s Foreign Trade Department, who were suspected of working for the Russians.
• The investigation found that these officials had been colluding with representatives of the Russian corporation Rostec, one of the main producers of weapons for the Russian armed forces associated with the Kremlin. Under Bohuslaiev, Motor Sich, which produces aircraft engines, had been selling engines to sanctioned companies from Iran.
• Both criminals were detained by employees of the SSU’s Main Investigative and Counterintelligence Department in October 2022.
• On 1 April 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy imposed sanctions on Viacheslav Bohuslaiev and some Russian citizens.
• In May 2023, Bohuslaiev’s lawyer Ruslan Volynets said his client, who is 84, had asked for his name to be put on a list for exchange with Russia due to his poor health and the lack of any other options of release.
• Bohuslaiev is accused of collaboration, complicity with the aggressor state, facilitating the activities of a terrorist organisation and, more recently, opposing the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
• In February 2024, the Solomianskyi District Court in Kyiv extended Bohuslaiev's pre-trial restriction – custody without the right to bail – until 18 April.
• Bohuslaiev and his accomplice have had their custody extended without the right to bail until 10 June 2024.

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