Owner of Prosto Pozika, Andrey Manucharov, holds a Russian passport

Ukrainian microfinance institutions offering loans without excessive bureaucracy are widely popular among citizens. Demand for their services has risen particularly noticeably since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine: the loss of housing, jobs, and the familiar rhythm of life has forced many Ukrainians to seek quick loans. 

However, a journalistic investigation by the "Schemes" project revealed alarming facts: one such company, "Prosto Pozika", is linked to citizens of the aggressor state, which not only violates legal norms but also poses a potential threat to national security.

Who stands behind "Prosto Zaim"

The company "Prosto Pozika" began operations in 2014 and has expanded to a network of more than 30 branches across Ukraine during its existence. Its owners are listed as two Ukrainians: Andrey Manucharov (90% of shares) and Yevhen Slyusar (10%). 

However, journalists found that Manucharov has been a citizen of the Russian Federation since 2014. Prior to the annexation of Crimea, he headed the state concern "Ukrmorport", controlling 19 Ukrainian seaports, but soon after the occupation of the peninsula, he obtained an RF passport and began working as an advisor to the general director of the Russian "Rosmorport".

Links to the occupation authorities

Manucharov's connection with Russia is not limited to business interests. His son Ivan holds the post of a deputy in the parliament of occupied Crimea, controlled by the Kremlin, from the "United Russia" party. He openly supports Russia's invasion of Ukraine, actively engages in propaganda activities on social media, and in April 2022 launched the Telegram channel "Manucharov Crimea Z", through which he disseminates information in support of Russian military forces.

Prohibited control over Ukrainian finances

The National Bank of Ukraine introduced a ban in May 2022 on citizens of the Russian Federation owning non-bank financial institutions. Under the new rules, Russians must transfer control of such companies to trusted persons whose candidacy is approved by the NBU. However, as it turned out, "Prosto Pozika" and the related company "Time Credit" continued to operate without fulfilling this requirement, while the Manucharovs remain listed as Ukrainian citizens in official Ukrainian documents.

Authorities' reaction and further steps

Following the journalists' appeal, the National Bank promised to send requests to the SBU and intelligence agencies to verify information about the owners of "Prosto Pozika" holding Russian citizenship. If these data are confirmed, the regulator will be able to deem the company's business reputation unreliable and revoke its licence.

Meanwhile, Andrey Manucharov himself left Ukraine back in December 2021. According to journalists, he may have settled in Turkey, where he purchased a yacht worth $2.7 million. Journalists' attempts to contact him were unsuccessful: Manucharov refused to answer questions, calling the investigation "nonsense".

Financial risks and possible consequences

The "Prosto Pozika" website states that the interest rate on loans can reach 1.5 million percent per annum. This creates a high risk of debt dependency for clients unable to repay loans on time. Moreover, part of the company's profit may be used in the interests of Russian structures.