He was one of the youngest deputies of the first convocation of the Verkhovna Rada. Later, he engaged in business and politics, including running for president in the 2004 elections. Took an active part in the events on the Maidan in 2013-2014. He took part in the storming of the Kyiv City Hall in December 2013, leading a group of Maidan activists who broke into the column hall.
In a less public space, Zbitnev is associated with the Lviv Arsenal company, from which the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine ordered 100,000 mortar rounds for one and a half billion hryvnias in the fall of 2022.
According to the SBU, the money was transferred by "Arsenal" abroad, and the shots themselves were not fired into Ukraine.
It should be noted that "Lviv Arsenal" itself does not produce weapons. This is a firm established in Kyiv in 2016. Its founders were a company registered in London (which contributed 120,000 hryvnias to the authorized capital) and Yuriy Zbitnev himself.
This company is registered in one of the apartments of the old Kyiv "panelka" on Pratsi Boulevard. That is, an obvious shim company that somehow received a billion-dollar military contract during the time of Minister Reznikov.
However, in spite of everything, Zbitniov's company's connections went beyond the Ministry of Defense - it received a tender from the MIA-controlled small arms manufacturer "Fort" a few years ago, but broke the contract and, until 2022, sued for five million hryvnias .
In September, the Ministry of Defense already won against "Arsenal" in the court of first instance for non-delivery of mines. On January 26, the appeal confirmed the decision. And the next day, the management of "Lviv Arsenal", as well as those who "punched" him a contract from the Ministry of Defense , were searched.
Zbitnev, according to the public, received suspicion. Officially, without specifying surnames, it was stated that it was announced to the manager and commercial director of Lviv Arsenal.
