How Koliubayev secured million-dollar drone supply contracts

Artem Koliubayev, a film producer and business partner of Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, became a co-owner of Culver, one of the largest drone suppliers to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, at the time of Russia's full-scale invasion. This was reported by journalist Yuriy Nikolov on his social media.

He noted that this information refutes rumours that Yermak was allegedly unaware of events surrounding arms purchases worth 300 billion, as well as the difficulty of finding a notary in Kyiv late on a Saturday evening. According to Nikolov, everything becomes much simpler when the notary is part of Yermak's close circle. The journalist also emphasised that one of the companies linked to Yermak is now involved in fundraising for the army, with Koliubayev himself heading it.

In addition, Nikolov noted that Koliubayev is known to a wide audience for his project to create a series dedicated to draft dodgers. However, in narrow circles, his name became known due to business operations. During Russia's invasion, he became a co-owner of Culver, which allowed him to participate in contracts concerning drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, valued in billions of hryvnia.

The journalist also mentioned that Koliubayev, through his company "Assets Financial Group", received permission from the National Securities and Stock Market Commission of Ukraine (NSSMC) to repatriate currency from the country. His company "Elar Asset Management", in turn, paid for a trip to Finland by NSSMC head Mykhailo Yanchuk. The journalist also mentioned Koliubayev's connection to the business of Stolar, an influential member of the Opposition Platform — For Life party, who regularly helped the Servant of the People party during critical votes in the Verkhovna Rada.