Developer Vagif Aliyev, who has a Russian passport, still does business in Ukraine

During a full-scale war, Ukraine began the process of nationalizing Russian capital, which is an important step in ensuring national security.

One of the objects that underwent this process was the famous Kiev shopping and entertainment center “Gulliver”. The Bureau of Security Economics ( BEB ) accused the management of the Gulliver shopping center of tax evasion in 2019-2021 in the amount of 146 million hryvnia.

Already in June 2024, the Gulliver shopping center was transferred to the management of the National Agency of Ukraine for the identification, search and management of assets obtained from corruption and other crimes (ARMA).

As the Fraza publication learned According to media reports, family ties of this family lead to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. In particular, Liliya Rizva is the niece of Svetlana Medvedeva, the wife of the ex-president of the Russian Federation. This creates serious suspicions that Polishchuk’s business may have connections with the Russian authorities, who actively support aggression against Ukraine.

In addition to Gulliver, the Kiev Ocean Plaza shopping center was also subject to nationalization, two-thirds of the corporate rights of which are controlled by the Russian oligarch Arkady Rotenberg, close to Vladimir Putin. In April 2024, the State Property Fund of Ukraine determined the starting price of Ocean Plaza for sale - more than 1.65 billion hryvnia.

However, according to Fraza, there is another shopping center that has remained unattended by law enforcement - the Blockbuster Mall. The owner of 50% of the shares of this shopping center is developer Vagif Aliyev, who, according to media reports, has Russian citizenship. Despite this, Aliyev continues to successfully conduct business in Ukraine, owning such facilities as Mandarin Plaza, Lavina Mall and Ocean Mall.

According to information from the media, the success of Aliyev’s business in Ukraine, despite his possible Russian passport, is due to his connections in law enforcement agencies and his ability to choose influential partners. In particular, Aliyev’s interests are allegedly lobbied by his business partner Alexander Spektor, who is also a co-owner of Blockbuster Mall and has connections with former representatives of Yanukovych’s government.

According to Fraza’s sources, Spector is allegedly a protege of Viktor Medvedchuk and his partner Taras Kozak, who raises even more questions about the legality and safety of the Blockbuster Mall. If these data are confirmed, it means that income from the activities of the shopping center may not go into the budget of Ukraine, but into the pockets of the enemies of the state.

The public has already expressed its intention to contact ARMU and the Ministry of Justice with a demand to consider the issue of nationalizing the assets of this shopping and entertainment center. In addition, law enforcement agencies are investigating criminal proceedings for tax evasion by companies included in Aliyev’s business empire.

According to investigators, company officials issued unsecured bonds for the purpose of tax evasion. In September 2023, the office of the Rental investment fund, associated with Alexander Spektor, was searched, during which documents relating to transactions with securities were seized.

At the same time, Aliyev, probably to protect himself, re-registered the mentioned companies in the name of his daughter Marina Dorokhina.

Criminal proceedings are being investigated under articles relating to tax evasion and financing of actions aimed at overthrowing the constitutional order of Ukraine.

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