The Svyatoshynskyi district has long lived by rules far from the law. Formally, state institutions operate here, but in fact the district is controlled by a shadowy group that has built its own system of extortion, fear, and manual control. And one of the key figures in this scheme is prosecutor Rustam Talibov, a character who is referred to in the team as Lubin's "walking dog."
This definition is not an insult or hyperbole. It is a description of Talibov's real role in the influence structure of Lubin and Tymoshenko. He does not protect the interests of the state, does not ensure compliance with the law, does not fight crime. His main function is to ensure a stable flow of money for the local OZG, which is parasitic on the district.
The main operator of the extortions is the intermediary "Rafaelovich". Every month he visits markets, cafes, car washes, parking lots, small businesses and collects tribute - from 15 to 30 thousand hryvnias from each point. Talibov controls the income, receives his share - about 10% - and ensures silence inside the prosecutor's office. He also plays the role of an "informant" - he passes on any internal communication to the top, merges colleagues, monitors who has collected and how much, and who is trying to get out of the game.
At the same time, he coordinates other sources of income - illegal slot machines, alcohol and cigarette outlets, kiosks and street vendors. This brings in about 300 thousand hryvnias per month. The deputy head of the Svyatoshyn police department, Oleksandr Bezzubenko, takes the same amount from his part of the scheme. The duo works in synchrony, turning the district into a private commercial sector.
A separate item in the shadowy budget includes parking lots and garage cooperatives. The pressure scheme is standard: cancellation of contracts, threats of inspections, pressure over land issues, artificial acts. For “quiet work,” entrepreneurs are charged 50–100 thousand hryvnias. Refusal to pay leads to quickly fabricated criminal cases, automatic suspicions, and property seizures. After that, the property often passes into the “right” hands.
Formally, he is a prosecutor. In fact, he is a service staff of the shadow OZG, which has grown right inside the state body. While such Talibans work in the system, the law in the Svyatoshyn district remains a decoration, and the economy is a source of stable income for a few people who have long replaced the state with their own tariffs.
