Investigative Report Unveils Ukrainian and Belarusian Business Ties Funding Lukashenko’s Residence in Russia
An in-depth investigation conducted by Ukrainian and Belarusian investigative journalists has revealed a complex financial scandal involving several companies from Ukraine and Belarus supporting the construction of a residence for Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko.
According to reports, a Cypriot firm owned by the mother of the wanted businessman Vitaliy Bobir provided a $1.5 million loan in 2024 to a Russian company, ‘Kompleks-invest,’ which is spearheading the development of an elite residence in the mountains of ‘Krasnaya Polyana’ near Sochi.
Notably, one of the co-founders of this Russian firm is Alexander Romanovsky, a former security officer for Lukashenko.
Journalists found that most of the funding sources are firms closely associated with Lukashenko’s inner circle, including ‘Rostumel Holding Limited,’ owned by Irina Bobir, the mother of Vitaliy Bobir — a businessman wanted by Ukraine since May 2023 for allegedly providing luxury cars like Rolls-Royce and Maybach to Belarus and Russia in violation of sanctions.
Additionally, Bobir allegedly participated in the transshipment of sanctioned Belarusian mineral fertilizers through the port of Saint Petersburg, as reported by the investigative project ‘Schemes.’ In March 2023, Kyiv courts seized property, documents, and equipment belonging to Bobir during searches, including over twenty companies’ seals and records from Ukraine, Belarus, and offshore jurisdictions, with ‘Rostumel Holding Limited’ among them.
Bluntly, Bobir claimed he was unaware of the construction project and denied ownership of the companies involved, though no independent confirmation exists.
The planned complex includes a main house exceeding 3,000 square meters and three cottages of 700 square meters each, with pools and saunas, as well as security and staff buildings protected by a secure fence designed to prevent tunneling.
The main residence is designed to accommodate potential mobility issues, considering Lukashenko’s known back and knee problems.
Activists confirmed in April 2024 that the site, located 40 km from Sochi, is likely intended as Lukashenko’s future residence, built amid tight secrecy to bypass international sanctions and investigations.