Group DF

Group DF is the diversified international group performing the activity in a number of the countries of Europe and Asia. The main activities of group are nitric, titanic, gas and bank businesses. Other fields of activity of group include agrobusiness, media business, production of the calcinated soda, development of power infrastructure and the real estate.

Group DF actively creates the investment portfolio and broadens spheres of the business. The group is one of the largest investors in chemical industry in the territory of Eastern Europe.

The founder of Group DF is Dmitry Firtash – the famous Ukrainian businessman and the large investor.

2013: Financing of the transaction of Akhmetov on purchase of Ukrtelecom

In 2013 System Capital Managment (SCM) of the oligarch Rinat Akhmetov purchased at the structures affiliated with the former head of the Security Service of Ukraine, for the unnamed amount UA Telecominvest offshore together with belonging to it a controlling stake of Ukrtelecom (is more detailed about the transaction and court here).

As it became known in 2017 during trial in Arbitration court of London, SCM stated that the group against the will purchased Ukrtelecom. In 2012 Rinat Akhmetov was asked about it by the then president of Ukraine Victor Yanukovych. Allegedly he was concerned by capabilities the owner of Ukrtelecom to support this asset. From Yanukovych negotiations on resale of Ukrtelecom were conducted by one of his confidants Sergey Arbuzov at different times holding posts of the head of National Bank of Ukraine, the Deputy Prime Minister and other positions.

Akhmetov charged to conduct negotiations to one of top managers of SCM Ilya Arkhipov. That, in turn, attracted to negotiations of the Kiev lawyer Yaroslav Simonov. From Simonov's evidences given to the London arbitration information on true beneficiaries of privatization of Ukrtelecom became known.

During the first meeting about the resale of Ukrtelecom which took place in August, 2012 on behalf of sellers Yaroslav Porokhnyak, one of confidants of the famous Ukrainian politician and the businessman Valery Khoroshkovsky participated in negotiations. Khoroshkovsky in 2010-2012 headed the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), then was the Minister of Finance and the Deputy Prime Minister. He also owned the Inter TV channel and other media assets united in Inter Media Group.

Khoroshkovsky, as it was set during arbitration listenings, and the beneficiary of privatization of Ukrtelecom in 2011 However, could not understand the London arbitration whether there was it like that for date of signing of the contract on privatization of Ukretelekom - on March 11, 2011.

But, anyway, Khoroshkovsky was the final owner of Raga Establishment by the time of completion of the purchase by this offshore of Ukrtelecom which took place on May 11, 2011. It became known from the evidences given to the London arbitration by other witness, the former head of Group DF company Robert Shetler-Jones. This company belongs to the famous Ukrainian businessman Dmitry Firtash who was also the secret participant of privatization of Ukrtelecom.

Follows from Shetlera-Jones's words that Raga Establishment for financing of purchase of Ukrtelecom attracted the loan for $300 million at Bank of Cyprus. As the guarantor on this credit one of Firtash's structures – the Cyprian Picabo acted. The relevant agreement was signed on May 2, 2011, and then Horoshevsky already precisely was the owner of Raga Establishment. So privatization of Ukrtelecom was made for the benefit of the acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine.

Concerning Firtash's role in privatization of Ukrtelecom there is no final clarity. Yaroslav Simonov says that in 2012 Khoroshkovsky possessed only 24.99% of the stocks Raga Establishment, and SCM wanted to be limited to purchase only of this share. However the Ukrainian government insisted that SCM completely redeemed the controlling owner of Ukrtelecom.

After that at the beginning of 2013 Group DF was connected to negotiations. Simonov claims that Dmitry Firtash's company possessed 75.01% of the stocks Raga Establishment, about it he was allegedly told by Sergey Arbuzov. Moreover, according to Simonov, summer of 2013 at the time of the conclusion of the arrangement with SCM on sale of a controlling stake of Ukrtelecom, Firtash redeemed Khoroshkovsky's share and became the only owner of Raga Establishment.

However in Raga Establishment it is denied. During listenings the representative of the company said that Gorbunenko purchased Raga Establishment at its only owner Valery Khoroshkovsky, and Group DF only participated in attraction of financing.

Shetler-Jones also claims that Group DF was not a co-owner of Raga Establishment. The company only participated in attraction of financing for purchase of Ukrtelecom, about it Firtash was asked by Khoroshkovsky with whom they were in good relations.

Firtash with Khoroshkovsky really had good relations. In 2009 during the conflict of the Ukrainian authorities with Rosukrenergo, Khoroshkovsky, holding then a post of the head of the Public customs service, unexpectedly supported Firtash, than aroused indignation of the prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Except that in 2013 Khoroshkovsky sold^[1].

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