Aliyev bought "Parus" from Firtash

Aliyev bought "Parus" from Firtash

To manage one of the most expensive business centers in Kyiv, the owner of "Mandarin Plaza" has already created a specialized company.

Information that one of the co-owners of Kyiv’s elite business center "Parus" will soon change appeared a month ago. At the end of September, the publication "Novy Chas" reported with reference to several independent sources on the market familiar with the negotiations underway, that Dmytro Firtash is selling his share in "Parus." The managing director of Group DF Borys Krasnyanskyi confirmed that "such an option is being considered," but did not go into details. Thus, the name of the future buyer remained unknown - "Novyi Chas" only suggested that it would be a local businessman, since foreign investors are afraid to invest significant funds in Ukraine. "Parus" is such a case since Firtash’s share in it is estimated at no less than 50 million dollars.

Dmytro Firtash

Journalists conducted their investigation into the circumstances of the sale of "Parus" and found that Firtash’s share was bought by one of Kyiv’s most famous developers, who was his closest partner in real estate for a long time.

As of today, "Parus" belongs to two companies. The first - LLC "Advanced Technologies Plus" - until the middle of this year was within the sphere of influence of Firtash. Its sole owner was the Cypriot structure Bovalon Investments Limited, and the director was Serhiy Biryukov, who worked as the head of the household department of the bank "Clearing House." The latter, as known, belongs to Yuliya Lyovochkina - the sister of Firtash’s closest partner Serhiy Lyovochkin, and his junior partner Ivan Fursin.

Yuliya Lyovochkina

The second co-owner of "Parus" is the company "Mandarin Plaza," which owns the elite shopping and entertainment center of the same name near Bessarabska Square. Its ultimate beneficiary is a close friend of the current mayor of Kyiv Vitaliy Klychko and one of Ukraine’s richest developers Vagif Aliyev.

Until recently, it was accepted in the media that in "Parus" Aliyev was a junior partner of Firtash, who did not make any decisions. However, sources from "OLIGARCH" say this is not so. The shares of "Mandarin Plaza" and "Advanced Technologies Plus" in the business center were equal - 50 to 50%. At the same time, Aliyev’s company indicated in its reporting that one of its main areas of service provision is the lease of commercial office premises in "Parus."

Vagif Aliyev

The reasons why Firtash decided to part with his share in this business center almost 10 years after purchasing it are not disclosed. However, if one assesses the degree of debt burden of his main business - chemical, which is measured in tens of billions of hryvnias, and analyzes the numerous disputes of the owner’s Group DF nitrogen plants with creditors, who are trying in every possible way to delay debt repayment, the conclusion suggests itself - Firtash’s business group has significant financial problems. Clouds are also gathering over the gas-titanium oligarch himself. The issue of his extradition to the USA is not yet resolved, and if the appeal court in Austria sides with the Americans, who accuse Firtash of corrupt activities, the owner of Group DF could face up to 50 years in prison with confiscation of property.

In such a situation, asset sale probably looks like the most logical move. Formally, it has already taken place - back at the beginning of June, a 100% stake in LLC "Advanced Technologies Plus" was re-registered to a certain Andriy Petychenko, who simultaneously became the company’s director. It is not considered that he is the real buyer.

Sources claim that Petychenko, currently residing in a dormitory on Lomonosov Street on the outskirts of Kyiv, represents the interests of Aliyev, who, thus, has already de facto become the owner of "Parus" and will consolidate this status de jure soon. In particular, to manage the business center, Aliyev has already registered a new structure - LLC "BC Parus." Its sole owner became the Swedish company Stadsis AB, controlled by him, which currently fully owns "Mandarin Plaza."

Yehor KAZHANOV, "OLIGARCH"