Mindich’s business partner Khmelov bought up land and hotels near Bukovel for $4.5 million during war, - Bihus.Info. VIDEO
Igor Khmelov, a business partner of oligarchTimur Mindich and a former senior manager at the defence company Fire Point, has been buying up land and holiday complexes near the Bukovel resort on a massive scale since 2022. The land plots alone, at current prices, could be worth around $4.5 million.
This is according to an investigation by Bihus.Info, as reported by Censor.NET.
Who is Khmelov?
As noted, Khmelov remained out of the public eye for a long time, despite the fact that his name appeared in business registers for nearly forty companies. Most of these were linked to the so-called ‘Privat’ group, where he served as a manager within the structures of the Ihor Palytsia family and in a number of firms associated with Timur Mindich.
Khmelov’s name is also mentioned in recordings made by NABU detectives as part of Operation Midas. In particular, participants in a large-scale corruption scheme in the energy sector discussed Khmelov in the context of his work for the company "Fire Point", with Mindich’s possible involvement in which was also recorded.
Subsequently, Khmelov’s work at "Fire Point" was publicly confirmed by its official owner, Denis Shtilerman, who also mentioned that it was he who had introduced him to Mindich.
Bukovel and "Eventus Management"
- According to investigators, Khmelov has been actively operating in the Carpathians since 2022. In the village of Yablunytsia near Bukovel, he — initially personally and later through his company "Eventus Management" — purchased 24 plots of land with a total area of around 9 hectares.
"There were already operating businesses on the purchased plots: a restaurant, a hotel and a glamping site. Recently, another hotel complex was built there. The land alone, at current prices, could be worth around $4.5 million, the origin of which raises many questions," notes "Bihus".
However, it is difficult to estimate the value of the business itself, as there are no similar properties on the open market.
Khmelov fled abroad
The scheme began to unravel in November 2025, when law enforcement officers raided Timur Mindich’s premises. According to journalists’ sources, it was on the very day of the raids that Ihor Khmelov left Ukraine in a hurry.
Once abroad, Khmelov began massively transferring his assets within a few weeks. He stepped down as a founder of Eventus Management, transferring the firm to Zlagoda Properties. However, journalists believe that this change is purely formal (de jure), as de facto the company continues to be run by Khmelov’s long-standing manager.
Neither Khmelov himself, who is currently outside Ukraine, nor the new nominal owners of the Carpathian assets have responded to journalists’ enquiries.
