Hranovskyi’s "Smuggling Office" 2.0

Hranovskyi’s "Smuggling Office" 2.0

Last week, the competition for the position of head of customs was won by Pavlo Ryabikin. If anyone assumes that the scheme, developed back in the Poroshenko era for complete subordination of the customs system, will be dismantled, they are very mistaken.

Ryabikin has long been acquainted with Seyar Kurshutov. Moreover, Ryabikin was appointed through the patronage of the Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Smyrnov, who was previously Kurshutov’s lawyer, so the latter’s role in customs as a token of gratitude from Ryabikin will only grow. 

As a reminder, Seyar Kurshutov is one of the main actors of the so-called Hranovskyi’s “Smuggling Office.” Kurshutov is a Crimean Tatar, originally from the city of Saky (AR Crimea), who left the peninsula after the annexation of Crimea and became the “right-hand man” of the PPB MP Oleksandr Hranovskyi. Hranovskyi was responsible for shadow flows at customs during Poroshenko’s era. Therefore, Ryabikin’s appointment as head of customs will allow for reforming all old smuggling schemes.

As before, Kurshutov puts great hope on Ruslan Firsov, who is currently hiding in an insignificant position in Kyiv Customs. It is Firsov who was and remains Kurshutov’s right-hand man and direct executor, driving the business under specific operators.

The second person from Kurshutov’s close circle is Irakli Katamadze, who is currently the Deputy Head of Kyiv Customs, but due to his loyalty to Kurshutov, will soon be appointed as a full-fledged chief.  

According to our information, the main administrator of the revenue part should be Anatoliy Makarenko, whose name the President perceives as not as toxically, even considering him for the head of customs at one time. He will be assisted in this by the aforementioned Firsov and Denys Pudryk, the former head of Odesa Customs.

By the way, Kurshutov himself, neither during Poroshenko’s time nor now, has never disdained connections with the aggressor country, transiting through Belarus more than 20 border crossings since 2017.

Naturally, smuggling must be arranged with “the other side”, which is yet another question for law enforcement agencies and the head of state in general.

With such personnel at customs, the Presidential Office clearly operates on the principle: “if you can’t prevent it – lead it.” Why fight smuggling when you can stick to the usual “schemes,” as their executors have not gone anywhere and are ready to continue along the familiar path?

Overall, bringing an unofficial overseer to customs in the person of Seyar Kurshutov, Ryabikin is not going to fight smuggling, but according to the preliminary agreement with the Presidential Office, he plans to start building his Office, but now for smuggling.