Operation NABU "Clean City": what is the connection between Butkevych and Vavrysh

Operation NABU "Clean City": what is the connection between Butkevych and Vavrysh

As part of the special operation by NABU "Clean City," searches were conducted at the developer Andriy Vavrysh. This raises legitimate questions about his business partners, particularly ATB network co-owner Hennadiy Butkevych, who recently started collaborating with Vavrysh in the development sector.

This is reported by Stopcor.

According to the NABU press service, a number of officials were notified of suspicion, such as former Kyiv City Council deputy Denys Komarnytskyi, Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration Petro Olenych, and others.

In early last October, BGV Group Management, founded by Hennadiy Butkevych, signed a strategic partnership agreement with SAGA Development, a development company headed by Andriy Vavrysh. Their first joint project was the Boston Creative House residential complex on Stepan Bandera Avenue in Kyiv, although construction of this residential complex was already underway at the time the agreement was signed. It was planned to construct two 25-story buildings with 682 apartments and 22,000 square meters of commercial space. Commissioning was planned for the end of 2025.

Amidst criminal proceedings against Vavrysh and questionable situations in his construction field, Butkevych’s cooperation with him looks very risky. It is important to note that BGV Group Management, which previously specialized in investing in the mining and energy sector, is entering the residential construction market for the first time, choosing SAGA Development as a partner. This raises questions about the motives of such a decision, especially given Vavrysh’s reputation as a developer associated with many contentious projects.

One of Andriy Vavrysh’s most scandalous projects was the "San Francisco" residential complex. Investors in this complex waited for their apartments for years but never received them. SAGA Development has several other problematic constructions that have turned into long-term unfinished projects. Investors in such facilities as O2 Residence, Rybalsky, Happy House have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars but risk being left without housing.

It is also worth noting that the LLC "SAGA DEVELOPMENT" has among its founders an offshore company – the Panamanian corporation "TREVOR BUSINESS S.A." This may indicate possible risks of tax evasion and funds being transferred abroad.

Andriy Vavrysh is also featured in criminal proceedings No. 12021105100003650, which in 2022 related to the illegal construction of the KYIVPROEKT City Space residential complex in the center of Kyiv, at the address Bohdan Khmelnytsky Street, 16-22.

According to the court decision (case number 757/67510/21-k), the land plot and real estate objects were seized, and any construction work was prohibited. However, Vavrysh and his company tried to appeal the seizure, although courts repeatedly confirmed the illegality of the construction.

Hennadiy Butkevych is a Ukrainian businessman best known as the co-owner of the ATB supermarket chain, which is a leader in the Ukrainian retail market. However, besides trading, Butkevych has been actively investing in the mining industry in recent years, which raises several questions and suspicions.

A company related to Butkevych gained access to strategic reserves of beryllium valued at $100 billion. Beryllium is a strategically important metal, 1.5 times lighter than aluminum but stronger than many specialized steels. It is actively used in aviation, space, and defence industries. Therefore, control over its extraction opens significant prospects for Butkevych’s business, especially in the context of possible supplies for military or industrial enterprises.

In addition to beryllium, BGV Group Management, controlled by Butkevych, is expanding its presence in the mining sector. In particular, a crushed stone plant was launched in the Zhytomyr region, which is one of the most modern in Ukraine. Its annual capacity exceeds 1.5 million tons of processed rock mass. Crushed stone is a key material in construction, especially in the implementation of large infrastructure projects.

Since Butkevych is actively developing the mining business, his partnership with developer Andriy Vavrysh may have economic sense. Vavrysh is engaged in large-scale (and often scandalous) developments, while Butkevych has access to building materials, including crushed stone.

Thus, their partnership could be beneficial for both parties: Vavrysh gets stable supplies of resources, and Butkevych expands the markets for his mining products. However, given the scandalous reputation of Vavrysh’s developments, Butkevych risks getting caught in another reputational scandal associated with illegal schemes and problematic residential complexes.