"The atomic custodian" Ruslan Zhmudskyi might turn out to be a Russian spy

"The atomic custodian" Ruslan Zhmudskyi might turn out to be a Russian spy

The largest electricity producer in Ukraine, the company "Energoatom," has been implicated in another scheme that threatens the foundations of national security.

Appointed literally about a month ago as the director of the separate enterprise "Atomkomplekt," Ruslan Zhmudskyi intends to restructure the procurement system in the company and once again, "as in the good old days," focus on supplying components from Russia. His parents play a rather specific role at the court of the occupying power.

A Nest of Corruption

The separate enterprise "Atomkomplekt" is the center of public procurement of goods, works, and services for the needs of "Energoatom," somewhat like an "office of the housekeeper." According to the annual procurement plan, in 2020, the nuclear monopoly spent over 10 billion UAH on its needs.

What does "Atomkomplekt" do? According to the list of tasks on the "Energoatom" website, it is almost like the circulatory system of the nuclear company. In addition to centralized procurement, including systems crucial for the safety of nuclear power plants, the enterprise is also responsible for signing foreign economic contracts, monitoring contract fulfillment, and controlling the availability and volume of spare parts in the "Energoatom" warehouses.

The "corrupt" significance of "Atomkomplekt" in the supply structure to "Energoatom" is especially emphasized by the criminal cases involving several predecessors of Zhmudskyi. Undoubtedly, the most high-profile case involves former MP Mykola Martynenko concerning the embezzlement of over 6.4 million euros as an overpayment for equipment purchased from the Czech company Škoda JS. This case involves former executive director of "Atomkomplekt" Serhiy Zubov and former director Valeriy Vasylkov, who, in fact, signed the ill-fated documents with inflated prices.

Another predecessor of Zhmudskyi, Andriy Maystrenko, was also involved in scandals. According to media reports, he was so "wise" that he tried to procure goods for "Energoatom" through the structure under his control from a company in which his mother figured in the ownership structures.

So it’s already evident that "Atomkomplekt" is not a simple company but a real cash flow, on which not just anyone from the street would be appointed.

Besides current expenses, there are also "large" national projects in the SE, such as the construction of a centralized storage facility for spent nuclear fuel worth 37 billion UAH. The contractor for the latter, by the way, is the company "Holtec Ukraine," where the new head of "Atomkomplekt," Ruslan Zhmudskyi, recently worked as the commercial director. The working conditions, judging by his declaration, were quite attractive. In 2019, Zhmudskyi earned 1.3 million UAH, while driving a brand new Audi Q8 2019 worth 2.5 million UAH himself, and his wife Iryna driving a BMW X5 2017 for 1.8 million UAH. The family owns several apartments and garages, a decent "fat" reserve in cash and in bank accounts. Why was it necessary to transition to a state company job?

Initially, observers thought the answer was obvious: the general contractor put its person in the position within the main customer’s structure to start the "cut." However, it turned out to be only half of the problem.

Ties with the Aggressor Country 

Ruslan intends to completely restructure the procurement system in "Energoatom" and organize the supply of key strategically important components through Russian companies. At the same time, not only business interests but also family contacts link him with the aggressor country. The point is that Ruslan Zhmudskyi’s parents are active developer entrepreneurs cooperating with the occupying government of Crimea. In particular, it is known from open sources that Ruslan’s father, Serhiy Zhmudskyi, formally engages in renting out his own property and housing construction in occupied Sevastopol. Yet, there is more than enough information in the media to understand that it’s not about an ordinary builder of cigarette kiosks, but a privileged entrepreneur allowed to participate in large-scale projects personally patronized by President of Russia Vladimir Putin. Specifically, Zhmudskyi’s company participates in the scandalous development of the "Omega" beach, where a multi-story residential complex was built under the guise of a hotel right by the water, among the beneficiaries of which local media name and Ukrainian MP Vitaliy Khomutynnik. In addition, nearby this beach, Zhmudskyi’s company was planning to develop (most likely, it has already developed) a park where local residents used to stroll.

Also, a company associated with Zhmudskyi Sr., "Kompromis," participates in constructing a "health and wellness center" on the territory of the state natural landscape reserve of regional significance "Laspi" 30 km from Sevastopol. The developer is the recreational and construction cooperative "Morskyi," affiliated with the group of companies "Kompromis," and the lessee of the plot covering about a hectare is the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for Sevastopol. Meanwhile, the group of companies "Domus" sells apartments on the "sanatorium" territory for prices ranging from 1.9 to 6 million rubles. For the construction, red-listed trees were cut down, and plots were "arbitrarily" taken from local residents. It is evident that a "regular" developer wouldn’t be entrusted with such a project.

Ruslan’s mother, Inessa, engages in no less interesting activities. Besides renting out her own real estate and trading building materials, she’s also a public activist. Specifically, she is a member of the public movement "Cape Crystal." This organization, judging by publications in the local press, is a "controlled public" of the developers of this bay in Sevastopol. Moreover, the cultural cluster development project itself was developed and implemented under the personal directive of Vladimir Putin. The project overseer is Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian government Olga Golodets, while the companies of billionaire Arkady Rotenberg are directly implementing the project.

The complex was to be completed by 2023. On the territory of the public space, there will be the Memorial Museum complex to the defenders of Sevastopol 1941-1942, a park, an opera and ballet theater, a higher school of theater and musical arts, a choreography academy, and an art museum capable of hosting exhibitions from the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum, the Hermitage, and other leading museums in Russia. Thus, Inessa can be said to be no less than a full-time public activist for Sevastopol’s elite developers.

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What can be expected from an official of such a high rank, as Ruslan Zhmudskyi essentially is today, if he has parents close to Putin who obviously do not recognize Crimea as occupied territory but instead conduct successful business there? Shouldn’t the intelligence services investigate the regularity of his visits to the annexed territory, as well as his contacts in Crimea? Could it turn out that the construction business is merely a cover for the real role of the parents of the main "housekeeper" of "Energoatom"? After all, the interests of the Rotenberg family, who "collaborate" with Zhmudskyi Sr. in Sevastopol, in nuclear energy are no secret to anyone. So is it worth expecting a Russian trail in the construction of nuclear units or in the supply of components? And will the state energy monopoly finance the war in Donbas at the behest of the newly appointed head of "Atomkomplekt"? What more evidence and reason does the Security Service, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, the State Bureau of Investigations, and other bodies responsible for combating corruption and protecting the national security of the country need to take an interest in this affair?

Author: Dmytro Serhavets