NACP adds Vici to list of war sponsors
The Lithuanian company Viciunai Group, which supplies products under the Vici brand, is included in the list of international sponsors of the war.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the agency's press service.
"After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, representatives of the Viciunai Group promised that the company would leave the Russian market, but Vici does not stop its facilities in Russia, is looking for new employees and pays significant taxes to the aggressor's budget. This was the basis for the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption to include Viciunai Group in the list of international sponsors of war," the statement said.
It is noted that Viciunai Group is a global manufacturer and supplier of various food products. In addition to being the largest surimi processor on the planet, it is also one of the largest and most economically powerful seafood producers in Europe. Its headquarters are located in Lithuania, and its plants operate in Lithuania, Spain, Estonia and the Russian Federation.
"Back in March 2022, after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the head of the Lithuanian group, Sharunas Matijosaitis, said that the company would leave the Russian market within 3-4 months. Instead, it became known that Viciunai does not stop its work in Russia and remains one of the most favorite brands of Russian consumers.
Viciunai conducts its business in Russia as usual without any reductions, successfully defends the Russian trademark in court, continues to recruit staff for its subsidiaries, supporting the labor market in Russia," the NACP said.
The agency also said that the production complex of Viciunai Rus LLC is the largest enterprise of the Viciunai Group, employing 1500 people. It is located in the Kaliningrad region, and its net profit in 2022 increased by 156% (up to USD 20 million). Viciunai's subsidiary, BaltCo LLC, is the company's official representative in Russia and provides transportation services for fish cooking, fish processing, surimi, and seafood products. Its net profit in 2022 amounted to USD 2.5 million.
"As long as such well-known brands as Vici continue to be on the Russian market, despite all the war crimes of the aggressor, the world is getting the wrong signal that Russia remains part of international economic processes. And the people of Russia see that the democratic world has not turned its back on them, and they are doing everything right. Many companies have already made the right choice in favor of the values of democracy and integrity by leaving the Russian market. However, Viciunai Group was not one of them and failed to go beyond its empty promises," emphasized NACP Head Oleksandr Novikov.
