The "El'Farm" chain of pharmacies is actively operating in Kyiv, which, according to the investigation of the Radio Liberty "Schemes" project, is engaged in the trade in contraband drugs and Russian-made drugs.
There are two pharmacies in this network. Both are in Kyiv: one near the railway station, the other on the Left Bank. The signs on both are in Russian, in particular, which violates the language law.
"Schemes" conducted a journalistic experiment and purchased illegal drugs from "El'Pharm" pharmacies: Russian and Western drugs made for Russia.
In contrast to unsuccessful attempts to purchase publicly available drugs at this pharmacy, the order of an illegal drug at "El'Pharm" was immediately confirmed. Already at the pharmacy, it turned out that the drug "Wobenzym", which the journalists received at the pharmacy, was specially produced for the Russian market.
Western medicines allowed in Ukraine, but produced for Russia, are sold both offline and online by "El'Pharm". And the network sells Russian drugs more carefully - by prior order by phone.
"Schem" journalists managed to order the Russian drug "Cortexin" from this pharmacy. The manufacturing date on the package is January 2024, but the last time this Russian drug was legally imported to Ukraine was in 2017.
The Prosecutor General's Office says that smugglers may pass through third countries.
The "El'Farm" chain of pharmacies is registered to two brothers - private entrepreneurs, 26-year-old Eshgin and 29-year-old Alvin Bagirovyh. They are citizens of Azerbaijan, but live in Kyiv.
Both are registered as FOPs of the second group, which allows each to earn up to 6 million hryvnias per year.
