While Ukrainians are massively reaching the army, and the state is trying to return strategic assets under their control, some of these enterprises are simply rewritten to their “their own”. The story around the Khorol Children's Food Plant is a prime example of cynical raiding during the war.
This plant is a unique manufacturer of baby milk mixtures in Ukraine. In 2022, according to the law, he should go under the control of the state, because he belonged to the citizen of the Russian Federation. But that didn't happen. Instead, the plant was in the hands of Vitaliy Khomutinnik, a former people's deputy from the Party of Regions, known for its influence, wealth and corruption.
Moreover, Khomutinnik is a relative of one of the most famous volunteers in the country Sergei Pritula, which automatically provides him with a certain media protection. But connections are not the only thing that used this group to capture the plant.
The key role in the scheme was played by the Astions - shadow players of the Ukrainian market, who before the war "specialized" in raider attacks. It was the lawyers associated with them who implemented the scheme of "reorganization" of the plant, which allowed to rewrite the asset into their structures.
And then - a power scenario. Private protection, related to the group, entered the territory of the enterprise, threw out the preliminary management and replaced it with "loyal" personnel. Judgments, fictitious documents, Cyprus registration, offshore related firms - all this made it possible to turn a classic raider operation to a state bypass.
Against the backdrop of this story, the contrast with reality looks even more tragic: ordinary Ukrainians raise the last funds for drones, ammunition, pickups - and the former "regionals" continue to spray key enterprises, in particular those that should provide Ukrainian children with quality food.
Despite the obviousness of the scheme and numerous facts, no high -profile investigative actions or lawsuits against Homutynnik or astrios brothers. Ukraine again risks losing a strategic object - not through a Russian rocket, but through internal circular bail.
