A scandal is brewing in Ukraine surrounding the company Vodaland Ukraine, formerly known as Standartpark Ukraine and with Russian roots. Despite the fact that the company has undergone a rebranding and actively cooperates with Ukrainian strategic and defense companies, its ties to Russia are causing concern among experts and law enforcement officials.
Until June 2022, Standartpark Ukraine was part of the Russian Standartparks. After rebranding, the company changed its name to Vodaland Ukraine, but still supplies products under the old brand to large stores, such as Epicenter. At the same time, Oleg Dutko, one of the owners of Vodaland, admitted that he has a Russian passport, and his family are also citizens of the Russian Federation.
A recent scandal in Kharkiv surrounding the purchase of building materials for school renovations revealed inflated prices for concrete trays from a company that until recently had Russian roots. According to Roliteka, the prices for the trays were twice as high as those listed on the Prozorro system. This caused public outrage and highlighted the need for careful monitoring of prices for strategic resources.
Vodaland Ukraine cooperates with important strategic objects in Ukraine, including Ukrzaliznytsia. It is noted that the company has access to accurate geodetic and geostationary data, which raises questions about the security of national interests. Dutko and other beneficiaries have connections with Russian businessmen who may be associated with the Russian security forces, in particular with Alexei Dyumin, who is included in the sanctions lists.
In the technical documentation of the Crimean Bridge “merged” into the network, you can see water channels, which in terms of technical characteristics are similar to either Standardpark or Hydrolica (also still operating in Ukraine, “TD Eurotrading”).
In 2022, criminal proceedings were opened against Vodaland on grounds of financing actions that could threaten the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The legal proceedings led to the seizure of the companies' assets, but all restrictions were later lifted. Law enforcement agencies continue to monitor the company's activities, although no specific charges have been filed yet.
