Mykhaylo Makarenko — Kharkiv "converter" and a tax nightmare for businesses

Mykhaylo Makarenko. Only through honest work did he acquire a 4-story house in the Homilshan forests (a plot of five hectares in Zadonetske... almost a nature reserve) and a pool with a pond in the yard, his own little zoo, nice cars... and much more! By the way, his wife also works there. And nobody is trying to expose him!

Here’s this house in Zadonetske, which they tried to sell, but realized that it was a long process, so they transferred it to relatives.

Makarenko has completely gone wild, robbing as if it’s his last day. All conversion centers are collected in his district. The first victims of the Kharkiv tax service headquarters: taxi drivers, cigarette sellers, and prostitutes. Having taken new seats, the tax leadership engaged in their former business — intimidating businesses and extorting funds from them. The tax police officers spent the last two weeks catching taxi drivers working without a license, sellers of contraband cigarettes, and even prostitutes.

The raids were conducted demonstratively: each time it was a unique, isolated case. Thus, it doesn’t make sense to talk about a systematic operation. According to Kharkiv entrepreneurs, the tax service leadership is trying to demonstrate what will happen to those who do not share and do not cooperate with them by such actions.

In general, standard demonstrative actions, typical of the "new-old" leadership of the regional fiscal service. The new head of the "tax" Valentyn Fesyunin has held the position of head of the operative management of the State Tax Administration (STA) in Kharkiv region since 2001. At that time, he was directly subordinate to the department for combating fictitious enterprises and illegal VAT refunds.

The head of this department was Serhiy Kutsenko (who returned along with Fesyunin to the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Revenue and Duties in Kharkiv region, becoming deputy head of the internal security department), and his right-hand person was Serhiy Pototskyi — an interesting person who received a reprimand in 2004 for falsifying the results of the "Excise Stamp" operation.

According to Kharkiv entrepreneurs, the trio tightly "protected" the conversion centers, turning a blind eye to shadow cash flows for a decent bribe. Those who did not have contractual relations with the above-mentioned "fighters" against fictitious enterprises were pushed out of the market one by one.

Those who did not negotiate left the market or were subject to physical destruction. Later, Fesyunin engaged in working on VAT refunds for enterprises from the state budget of Ukraine. As it is known, VAT refunds are one of the most corrupt schemes in the tax service. It was thanks to this activity that Colonel Fesyunin managed to grow to the position of the deputy head of the Kharkiv regional tax department.

In turn, Serhiy Pototskyi was promoted to Kyiv, becoming the head of the capital’s tax police under Yanukovych. A lot has been written about how he destroyed the private business of a number of oppositionists. Another thing is perplexing: even after the victory of Maidan, Serhiy Pototskyi retained the post of head of the investigation department of financial investigations of the Ministry of Revenue and Duties in Kyiv, where he "thoroughly investigated" any assistance from capital entrepreneurs helping the national guard fighters in the ATO zone.

Numerous pickets were held against Pototskyi’s actions in Kyiv. The public is convinced that Pototskyi not only collected "money for Yanukovych", but still acts in the interests of the "family".

It is characteristic that he arranged for his brother to join the former employees — colleagues from the Kharkiv headquarters. "Hand washes hand." Oleksandr Pototskyi is "overseeing" them while heading the Internal Security Department of the Ministry of Revenue and Duties’ Main Department in Kharkiv region. Thus, there are no random or new people in the leadership of the fiscal service in Kharkiv region. For example, the same Valentyn Fesyunin found a refuge in the regional department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine after the "Orange Revolution", where he was the first deputy head — head of the criminal police.

At that time, let us remind you, the department was headed by Ihor Repeshko. Now they have swapped places: the latter occupies the position of deputy head of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Revenue and Duties in Kharkiv region — head of the investigative department of financial investigations. It is these two structures — the police and the tax service — that Ukrainians consider the most corrupt and want to apply the principles of lustration to their leaders. Oleksandr Pototskyi was dismissed due to the absence of access to state secrets and the acquisition of a Toyota Cruiser with the state number 15-05 (order of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine N179 dated 04.11.2014)

We will still tell a lot of interesting things to both people and prosecutors.

Your favorite employees, Misha.