Russian oligarch profits from occupation of Ukraine while maintaining US ties – media

Aleksey Repik, who is profiting from state contracts to develop the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol, which Russia bombed to smithereens during its invasion of Ukraine, prefers to live and operate his business in the USA A recent investigation by the Scanner Project, a Russian volunteer team investigating transnational corruption, has revealed that Russian oligarch Aleksey Repik, ranked #64 on the Russian billionaires list, profits from government contracts in the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol, all while maintaining a comfortable life in the United States. Ranked 64th on the list of Russian billionaires and 13th on Forbes' "Kings of Government Contracts" list, Repik owns R-Pharm, a company that manufactures simple drugs in Russia and imports, packs, and sells complex ones. The company's fortune, reportedly equivalent to the annual budget of the Yaroslavl Oblast, has been linked to overpriced drug sales and accusations of corruption. According to the investigation, Repik is the real owner of R-Stroy, a company that emerged as one of the main developers in the occupied city of Mariupol following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It swiftly began constructing residential buildings and civil infrastructure in the city, also participating in "charitable projects" organized by the headquarters of Russian propagandist, Zakhar Prilepin. "The owners of R-Stroy are Konstantin Nuriev and Nikolai Milkis. Nuriev simultaneously works as an executive at one of Gazprom's companies... The second co-owner of R-Stroy, former deputy governor of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District Nikolai Milkis, is also affiliated with Repik," the investigation says.

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"R-Stroy was founded in May 2022, when Russia occupied Mariupol. The company quickly began the construction of residential buildings and civil infrastructure in the city," Mikhail Maglov of Scanner Project says. His pharmaceutical business R-Pharm is registered in Delaware, USA, and he has a factory in the Bavarian town of Illertissen that produced the Russian vaccine Sputnik V until March 2022.

The investigation also unveiled Repik's $19.1 million mansion in San Francisco, USA. At least three of his four children were born in the USA, and during the ongoing war, Repik and his family resided in the US. Furthermore, in 2017, he attended the inauguration of former US President Donald Trump, where he was photographed with the future CIA Director Mike Pompeo, describing him as a "good neighbor" and a "charming person."

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In an attempt to avoid personal sanctions following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Repik removed his name from the list of R-Pharm owners just three months after the start of the invasion. In August 2022, he sold the company; his mother Valeriia Daeva was among the new owners. Her company, Petrusco, is the main sponsor of R-Stroi. Other owners include Konstantin Nuriyev and Mykola Milkis, who both hold notable positions in Repik's business network. The investigation also uncovered new mass burial sectors in the Novotroitske cemetery in Mariupol. According to Mayor Petro Andriushchenko, the burial sectors are visually larger than the fraternal graves in the Vinohradne or Mangush villages.

Repik not sanctioned by EU or USA

Aleksey Repik is a Russian billionaire and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin. He is the chairman of the board of R-Pharm, a pharmaceutical company that produces vaccines and drugs. He is also a co-owner of several luxury restaurants and a wine importer. Repik has been accused of smuggling millions of dollars worth of wine into Russia despite international sanctions and a ban by the EU. Repik is one of the individuals who have been sanctioned by several countries for their involvement in Russia's aggression against Ukraine. He is on the sanction lists of Ukraine, the UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. These sanctions impose asset freezes, travel bans, and other restrictions on Repik and his businesses. However, he is not sanctioned by the EU, of which Germany is a member, or the USA.

Related:

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• Russian oligarchs moved assets before Russian invasion of Ukraine to evade sanctions – US Treasury
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• Ukraine seizes USD 870,000 of sanctioned Russian oligarch Deripaska