Aviation business with "gray" accounting: Roman Mileshko’s companies could have "saved" 400 million in taxes

Do Ukrainian Airlines Reduce Taxes Through "Grey" Salaries?

Two weeks ago, a major investigation by StopCor was released regarding Roman Mileshko’s aviation business. This is a continuation. Mileshko’s companies demonstrate impressive financial success: income growth of more than 4000% annually. But at the same time, the salaries of highly qualified pilots are 15,000 hryvnias per month. Additionally, about 400 million hryvnias in taxes, which, according to our calculations, might not have reached the budget. More details – in the investigation.

In the first part, journalists talked about purchasing an aircraft from a Russian, leasing ships from firms with Russian connections, and purchasing parts for helicopters from the Russian military-industrial complex after the start of the full-scale war. This time, a different perspective: how much do employees of airlines associated with Mileshko earn?

"Grey" Salaries - "Black" Accounting

The media analyzed the official tax reports of the companies Constanta and NZOperations for 2024. "Constanta" spent 32.9 million UAH on salaries, NZOperations - 33.5 million UAH. At first glance, decent sums. But in the aviation industry, these expenses are too modest.

Bohdan Dolintse, aviation expert:

"These are quite highly qualified specialists who undergo long training. The cost of training one pilot is from 100 and more thousand dollars. There is a requirement for various international certificates, knowledge of English. These specialists can work not only in Ukraine but also globally."

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Publicly available data on salaries of other companies exist. For example, Ukrainian helicopters spent over 1 billion hryvnias on payroll in 2024. Their pilots receive 400-600 thousand hryvnias per year, and SkyUp - almost 100 thousand hryvnias per month per employee.

In Mileshko’s companies, things look completely different. Journalists calculated:

Constanta
NZOperations
SkyUp
Ukrainian helicopters

Bohdan Dolintse:

"The aviation transport sector has historically always been in the top three or five highest-paid jobs. For 2024, the average salary in the industry is about 55 thousand hryvnias."

In Constanta – less than 15 thousand. In Roman Mileshko’s companies — salaries are significantly lower than the industry average. And this concerns not just the office but also pilots and technical staff.

Oleh Hetman, coordinator of expert groups of the Economic Expert Platform:

"There are two types of labor law violations. Some companies fully employ personnel in the black — they do not pay anything officially. Others pay under the table. But this is risky. When an audit comes — there are significant problems and fines. And there are more cunning companies that pay the minimum or close to the minimum officially, and everything else — 2 PIT (15%) and military tax (1.5%). In total — 37–38% burden on the salary."

According to the calculations of journalists, these companies might have underpaid about 400 million hryvnias in taxes to the budget over three years of war. With this money, thousands of drones or electronic warfare systems for the front could have been purchased.

In the Background of Shadow Salaries – Explosive Income Growth

In 2024, the income of the company "Constanta" grew by 14%, and at "NZOperations" - by 4138%. And this is without an increase in the wage fund. So the question arises: if incomes skyrocket, why do the company’s specialists receive pittance?

"The media has been conducting research into the largest shadow economy schemes for the sixth year. It is published on the website of the Institute for Social and Economic Transformation. The media estimates budget losses in two ways. For the past year, they amounted to from 115 to 230 billion hryvnias. The most likely figure — 160–180 billion hryvnias in annual losses."

Interests, Influences, Courts

In June 2024, the Economic Security Bureau opened a case regarding possible tax evasion by the company NZOperations. But, according to media sources, MP Ihor Kopytin intervened in the case. No public resolutions in the register. No responses from BES.

And this is not the only conflict: companies in Mileshko’s orbit received billion-dollar defence contracts but did not fulfill obligations or missed deadlines. The Kyiv Commercial Court obliged LLC "INCOMPAS" to return over 43 million hryvnias due to unfulfilled contracts with the State Special Communication Service. Yet another lawsuit — for almost 2.9 million UAH — is considered by the Uzhhorod court concerning the company TS AVIAGRADE.

Journalists contacted Mileshko himself and sent a request to MP Kopytin. They have not received a response yet.

Only later did they receive a written comment from the MP:

"The information that has been distributed about the allegedly existing illegal connections of mine – Ukrainian MP Ihor Kopytin – with strategic companies of the Ukrainian aviation sector, does not correspond to reality."

However, earlier, according to media reports, it was Kopytin who addressed the State Aviation Service requesting the registration of two helicopters of Mileshko’s company. And in the past, he was himself a co-founder of a related structure.

Incomes grow in geometric progression. And specialists responsible for flight safety receive salaries lower than minimum industry standards. At the same time, the state under-receives hundreds of millions of hryvnias. All these facts require the attention of law enforcement agencies and society.