Vladimir Putin's friend, erstwhile Ukrainian MP Viktor Medwedczuk, became active in trade with China. According to Radio Liberty, he organized deliveries to Russia from China of Mercedes tractors destined for the Chinese home market, of which part is then sent to the occupied territories of Ukraine by Russia.
According to the investigation, deliveries are made by the Trade home Kanikurgan related to Medwedczukregistered in Blagowieszczensk. The company was founded in 2022. According to the reports, her income exceeded 2 million dollars. (currently around PLN 7.5 million) in 2023 and doubled in 2024.
The company's website includes a list of Mercedes-Benz Actros tractors for sale from 2023, produced at Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive, a joint venture company Foton Motor and German Daimler Truck Holding. The mill began operations in September 2022, 3 months after the European Union imposed a ban on the export of tractors to Russia and 1 period before Mercedes officially announced a complete withdrawal from the Russian market. Daimler told journalists that he does not export products to Russia and has nothing to do with these deliveries.
In 2023, TD Kanikurgan imported 2 types of goods to Russia: 84 000 litres of Chinese Coca-Cola and 52 Mercedes-Benz tractors manufactured from 2022 to 2023. At least 5 of these tractors were sold to Trade home Intertechsnab registered in Lugansk.
According to Jelena Belousova, head of defence investigation at the Think Tank KSE Institute, this is simply a classical bypass strategy for export control utilizing Chinese intermediaries.
Ukrainian ‘kum Putina’
After the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Medwedczuk was arrested in Kiev. He was under home arrest and tried to flee the country, but was stopped at the border. Later Moscow was able to replace Medwedczuk on Azowstal defenders: he and 55 another Russian soldiers were listed for 215 people.
According to American Intelligence Kremlin planned to appoint Medwedchuk as head of government in Kiev. Medwedchuk had earlier said Putin had agreed to become Daria's godfather in 2004.
After arriving in Russia, Medwedczuk rapidly changed his business. In 2023, its 5 companies generated evidence gross of 536.9 billion rubles (currently around PLN 24 billion). This consequence was almost 80% higher than in 2022. Its operations include fuel supplies, oil production and petrol stations.
