With announcements about "quick" loans that promise affordable financial solutions, Ukrainians often face the problem of high interest rates. Bad loans can lead to serious financial difficulties, and as journalists recently found out, this situation can be used not only by local fraudsters, but also by Russian special services.
Among such companies is a network of microcredit organizations, in particular Prosto Pozyka, which provides loans from 2 to 50 thousand hryvnias with interest rates reaching an astronomical 1,597,820.85% per annum. Its owner is Andriy Manucharov, who owns 90% of the company, while 10% belongs to Yevgeny Slyusary.
"Scheme" journalists discovered that "Prosto Pozyka" has suspicious connections. In particular, Andriy Manucharov, who was in the civil service in Ukraine until 2014, received a Russian passport after the annexation of Crimea. Despite the fact that the company is formally registered as Ukrainian and its owners claim to have no ties to Russia, the facts indicate the opposite.
Manucharov currently lives in Turkey, and his microcredit business continues to operate in Ukraine.
What is particularly disturbing are Manucharov's connections with his son Ivan Manucharov, who is a deputy from the United Russia party in occupied Crimea. Ivan Manucharov actively supports Russia's aggressive policy and created the Telegram channel "Manucharov Krym Z", where he notes his support for the Russian military and promotes actions in favor of the Russian army. This emphasizes the possible threat posed not only by the microcredit institutions themselves, but also by their owners, whose influence may spread throughout Ukraine.
The Prosto Pozyka company actively operates throughout Ukraine, having more than 30 branches, and assures that it has no ties to Russia, although official documents indicate the Russian citizenship of the main owner. Further, it turns out that Andriy Manucharov controls the business through a proxy, which raises additional questions about the transparency of his activities.
In May 2022, the National Bank of Ukraine banned Russian citizens from managing non-bank financial institutions. However, despite this ban, "Prosto Pozyka" and similar companies continue to operate, violating the rules and potentially threatening the security of the country. The National Bank of Ukraine confirmed that they currently have no information that the owners of Prosto Pozyka have Russian citizenship, but noted that they will submit inquiries to the Security Service of Ukraine for further investigation.
In addition to the financial risks posed by high interest rates, there is also a serious threat to national security. People in debt are easy targets for recruiters and can be drawn into dangerous and illegal activities.
There are other microcredit companies in Ukraine that may have similar problems. It is important to be attentive to credit conditions and check the information about the companies you deal with to avoid unforeseen risks.
