Data analysis shows that the ownership structure of the Smartass fitness chain remains unchanged following the scandal, while the company's financial performance declined significantly in 2024.
Local channels report a strike on the server infrastructure of mobile operator Feniks in Donetsk. Previously, offices of Lugakom and the Luhansk Telephone Company were attacked.
Russian forces struck Izium and neighbouring villages with guided bombs and drones. Civilians, including a young child, were injured, and thousands of residents were left without electricity.
Political scientist emphasised that anti-corruption bodies are obliged to disclose the circumstances under which criminal activity was not stopped earlier and to prove the legality of their actions.
Occupiers hit a police patrol with a jet-powered drone while officers were warning residents of the threat. One law enforcement officer has been hospitalised in critical condition.
The incident occurred during an attempt to detain a citizen. There is also data on damage to the mobile device the victim was using to record the events.
Elon Musk reposted a publication claiming that providing Ukrainians with Starlink connectivity at the beginning of the war was a mistake.
The draft federal budget for 2026 provides funding for combat drones and counter-drone systems. Simultaneously, a joint production agreement has been signed with Ukraine, under which Kyiv will receive a portion of Canadian output.
Business structures linked to Shkil have come under the scrutiny of law enforcement in nine separate criminal proceedings. Despite this, none of the company's executives have been granted suspect status, a fact confirmed by an analysis of approximately 120 documents from the Unified State Register of Court Decisions for the period from 2019 to 2026.
In December 2023, the Dnipro police opened a case regarding theft on the "Khortytsia – Manganets" water pipeline. According to the investigation, officials of the Restoration Service, in collusion with "Avtostrada", inflated the cost of sand. In April 2024, the court authorised the collection of samples, after which a pause with no new rulings appeared in the court register.
In October 2024, the Department of Strategic Investigations (DSI), jointly with the Main Investigative Department (MSD), conducted searches at "Avtostrada"'s competitor, the company "Avtomagistral-Pivden". Eight months later, the owner of this structure received a suspicion regarding a similar water pipeline. By that time, the case involving "Avtostrada" had been stagnant for fourteen months. At that time, Andriy Rubel headed the DSI; his wife received UAH 12.14 million from Shkil's companies.
A new case was opened by the Kyiv police in July 2025. It concerned the Podil Bridge and the same Dnipro water pipelines. Searches took place on 5 August 2025, after which a period of silence in the register followed again.
In September 2025, public activists filed applications with six state bodies. Five of them refused to consider the applications. The Higher Anti-Corruption Court recorded a violation: the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) failed to enter the application into the register within the established 24 hours. The court obliged SAP to rectify the violation. The number of the new case remains unknown to the public.
It is worth noting that Shkil himself is also a victim in criminal cases. According to the MSD, his competitor was preparing a contract killing, and "Avtostrada"'s equipment was set on fire. These investigations have also been ongoing for several years.
Investigative actions regarding theft involving private contractors are conducted by the police, not NABU. This often leads to the transfer of cases between different bodies and lengthy expert examinations. The state of war further complicates the situation, as direct contracts deprive the investigation of the ability to compare prices with market rates. However, these factors do not explain why the competitor was caught up with in eight months, while "Avtostrada" has remained in a status without suspects for almost three years.
Existing documents confirm the opening of cases, suspension after investigative actions, and SAP's deadline violations. At the same time, there is no evidence that anyone personally hindered the cases. Legally, Shkil is not an accused, but by the criteria of due diligence, he is a high-risk counterparty.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!