Putin associate Tkachov’s firm seized 400 thousand acres of farmland in occupied Ukrainian territories - WSJ
Family company of former Russian Minister of Agriculture and long-time Putin’s associate Alexander Tkachov "Agrocomplex" seized agricultural lands of three Ukrainian agroholdings in occupied by Russia territories after beginning of full-scale war.
It was reported by The Wall Street Journal, informs Censor.NЕТ with a reference to Economic Truth.
It is about the land of Agroton, HarvEast Holding and Nibulon agricultural holdings.
Documents seen by the WSJ indicate that Ukraine's military and civilian security services, as well as the prosecutor's office, are investigating the alleged expropriation.
According to Dmytro Skornyakov, CEO of the Ukrainian agricultural company HarvEast Holding, in May the company's land became the object of hostility between armed groups, "including one from the local administration, which is supported by the Russian Federation, and one from Agrocomplex". Eventually the land was divided into "three tranches" and the rights to 100,000 acres of land in the Donetsk region, owned or leased, were transferred to Agrocomplex.
Another Ukrainian agricultural company, Nibulon, lost 50,000 acres of land to raider seizures, said its CEO, Andriy Vadatursky.
A third Ukrainian company, Agroton, accused Agrocomplex of seizing 250,000 acres.
"Agrocomplex" did not respond to repeated emails and calls seeking comment. Tkachov could not be reached for comment.
"The land seizures threaten to put much of one of the world's largest grain harvests under Russian control. These moves would strengthen Moscow's global economic leverage, especially in developing countries that have long relied on Ukrainian and Russian grain production for food," the newspaper said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a telephone press conference in October that assets in regions where Russia has taken control could be transferred to Russian jurisdiction. The Kremlin press service said in an e-mailed response to a question that Ukraine's eastern regions "are now part of Russia." Farm owners can defend their rights "in accordance with the laws of Russia," the Kremlin said.
The seizure of farmland, according to Ukrainian intelligence, agricultural company executives and workers who have witnessed it, began shortly after Russia established so-called "local administrations" in the occupied parts of eastern Ukraine, and is unfolding consistently and systematically.
Companies whose land, agricultural equipment and crops have been taken away have not received any compensation, their representatives say. Instead, representatives of the "authorities" told journalists that the land is not being expropriated because it "already belongs to Luhansk residents".
A member of Russia's business and political elite, Tkachov was frequently photographed with Russian President Vladimir Putin, especially during Russia's preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, the region Mr. Tkachov then governed, the WSJ writes.
After serving as governor of the Krasnodar region, Tkachev was Russia's agriculture minister from 2015 to 2018. In Moscow, his wealth was noticeable even among the political elite.
According to local activists, through Agrocomplex, Tkachev owns a large villa and outbuildings on the Black Sea coast, a region where several leading members of the Russian establishment have their summer homes. In Georgia, according to local press reports, Tkachev owns the former vacation home of Lavrenty Beria, who ran Stalin's secret police.
