Back
Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
22 August, the ARMA Agency for Search and Management of Assets servers experienced unauthorized interference that bears the hallmarks of a hacker attack. This occurred ahead of the deadline for submitting bids to participate in the asset manager selection competition for assets controlled by Russian-sanctioned oligarch Mikhail Fridman, ARMA servers
As reported by Delo.ua, this was announced by ARMA's press service.
It is noted that since spring of this year the agency has been recording signs of unlawful interference, including unauthorized access to the ARMA Register of Officials. Based on these facts, a broader NABU (National Anti-Corruption Bureau) investigation has been opened, and the circumstances of the latest events, including the hacker attack, are being investigated by the SBU.
The final conclusions regarding the organizers, customers, and perpetrators of the attack are to be established by the investigation.
Currently, specialists and law enforcement are analyzing not only the fact of the cyberattack but also the sequence of events around the IDS Ukraine competition.
ARMA insists that any attempts to illegally influence the agency's work will receive a harsh legal response.
The agency assures that the IDS Ukraine asset manager selection competition will take place within the prescribed timelines and in accordance with procedures defined by law.
ARMA emphasized that attempts at external interference will not affect the conduct of the competition.
ARMA seeks a manager for IDS Ukraine assets, without waiting for a full appraisal of the property.
In the Agency for Search and Management of Assets (ARMA), they have moved to the active phase of transferring corporate rights of the IDS Ukraine group (TM "Morshinska", "Myrgorodska").
27–28 November 2025 year ARMA announced two parallel processes at once: market consultations on procuring valuation services for 5 companies of the group (not to be confused with the appraiser competition) and a competition to find a manager for the entire asset.
In response to a Delo.ua inquiry, ARMA said that in October there were market consultations regarding 6 companies of the producer of "Morshinska" and stressed that assets of IDS Ukraine are expected to be transferred under the old version of the Law of Ukraine "On ARMA." Therefore, the provisions of the new edition, which will come into force 31 January 2026 year, and under which "Morshinska" is a complex asset transferred for management under a separate procedure, will not be taken into account.
According to IDS Ukraine, this appraisal was carried out in "abnormally short terms" and amounts to 3,029 billion UAH. This is much less than the independent appraisal of 5,87 billion UAH, which is in the case materials before the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC). Even the understated appraisal conducted by ARMA shows the company's effective operation during asset arrest, since in 2023 year it cost according to ARMA's appraisal 1,4 billion UAH, and in 2025 year — already 3,5 billion UAH.
Seizure of IDS Ukraine assets
In June 2022 year, at the request of the Bureau of Economic Security, the corporate rights of IDS Ukraine, previously owned by the Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman, were seized and transferred to ARMA.
In February 2023 year ARMA announced a competition for the manager of these assets, and in March recognized it as won by LLC "Carpathian Mineral Waters." However, in spring 2025 year the contract with the enterprise was terminated.
The BES stated that the company producing and selling mineral water through Cyprus companies belongs to the oligarch from Russia, implied to be Mikhail Fridman.
In IDS Ukraine itself they noted that the Cypriot IDS directly owns it, beneficiaries of which include, among others, members of the family of the late Georgian entrepreneur Badri Patarkatsishvili, who are British citizens (holding 34%), the government of Georgia (7,73%), and a number of minority shareholders (holding about 10%).
IDS Ukraine also emphasized that the joint goal of the group management and Ukraine is to preserve the current state of the largest Ukrainian producer of water and beverages, which will ensure preservation of value and investment attractiveness of the company until its possible transfer to the state.
More about ARMA
The Special Central Executive Authority established to combat corruption and other crimes through work with illegally obtained assets appeared in 2016 year. Its creation was one of the main criteria for Ukraine's fulfilling the Visa Liberalization Action Plan with the EU.
ARMA is authorized to identify and search for assets — property that may be seized in criminal proceedings or in cases recognizing assets as unjustified and their recovery to state revenue.
In addition, based on a court decision, ARMA manages assets that have been seized.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "АРМА звинувачує російського олігарха Фрідмана у хакерській атаці: що відомо". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Delo.ua.
