Kyiv UNP collaborates with company with Russian roots

LLC "ZS Auto Group": tenders, offshore companies and dubious reputation

The company "ZS Auto Group", whose ultimate beneficial owner is registered in an offshore zone, won around 500 state tenders worth hundreds of millions of hryvnias. Among its clients are the police, the Territorial Recruitment Centres and the Verkhovna Rada. Meanwhile, the firm's activities raise questions due to numerous customer complaints and suspicions of using grey schemes to evade taxes and secure state contracts.

Risks of buying cars from the US

Despite attractive prices, cars from the US often cause serious problems for their owners. One example is the case of a serviceman who purchased a 2014 Volkswagen Touareg. After identifying faults, the man contacted the "ZS Auto Group" service centre, but the repair only worsened the situation. In the end, the client lost both the car and the money, and appeals to the police did not lead to a resolution of the problem.

Corruption schemes in tenders

According to data from the "BiProzorro" platform, "ZS Auto Group" won 489 tenders for a total amount of over 191 million hryvnias. Among the clients are key state structures. Journalists found that related companies were allowed to participate in the competitions, which casts doubt on the fairness of the bidding. In addition, the firm used individual entrepreneurs to evade taxes, processing payments through nominees.

Offshore companies and suspicions of cooperation with the Russian Federation

The company's ultimate beneficial owner is registered in the Seychelles. Investigators found that "ZS Auto Group" may be linked to Russia. In particular, this concerns the procurement of spare parts for VAZ and KAMAZ vehicles. The network of affiliated firms also features in criminal cases involving the misappropriation of budget funds and corruption.

Impunity and lack of progress

Despite numerous complaints and investigations, law enforcement agencies have made no progress in resolving the cases. Conflicts of interest and possible links between the company and powerful structures raise doubts about the prospects of holding the guilty parties accountable.