With advertisements for “quick” loans promising affordable financial solutions, Ukrainians are often faced with the problem of high interest rates. Unsafe loans can lead to serious financial difficulties, and as journalists recently found out, this situation can be exploited not only by local scammers, but also by Russian intelligence agencies.
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 Yevheniy Slyusary.
Journalists of “Schemes” 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 no connections with Russia, the facts indicate the opposite.
Manucharov currently lives in Turkey, and his microcredit business continues to operate in Ukraine.
What is particularly worrying is Manucharov’s ties to his son Ivan Manucharov, who is a United Russia MP in occupied Crimea. Ivan Manucharov actively supports Russia’s aggressive policies and has created the Telegram channel “Manucharov Krym Z,” where he praises support for the Russian military and promotes actions in favor of the Russian army. This highlights the potential threat posed not only by microcredit institutions themselves, but also by their owners, whose influence may extend into Ukraine.
The company "Prosto Pozyka" is actively operating throughout Ukraine, with over 30 branches, and claims to have no ties to Russia, although official documents indicate the Russian citizenship of the main owner. What's more, it turns out that Andriy Manucharov controls the business through a proxy, which raises additional questions about the transparency of its 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 regulations and potentially threatening the country’s security. The National Bank of Ukraine confirmed that it currently has no information that the owners of Prosto Pozyka have Russian citizenship, but noted that it will submit requests 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 bondage become 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 the terms of the loan and check the information about the companies you are dealing with to avoid unforeseen risks.
