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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Deputy of the Zakarpattia regional council Mikhailo Laba, businessmen, and leaders of associated enterprises have become subjects of a criminal proceeding regarding the extraction of andesite in Zakarpattia. According to investigators, more than 417 thousand cubic meters of minerals were illegally removed from the deposit, and the state suffered 949,8 million UAH in losses. Law enforcement also claim legalization of nearly 99 million UAH obtained from the sale of raw material, reports say.
According to the National Police, the permit for geological exploration and trial-industrial development of a section covering 59 hectares was issued to the company “Cobaltum Resource Export” in 2024 year. The investigation believes that actual activity at the deposit went beyond the trial stage and took on signs of industrial mining. For organizing the quarry, the police say, about 10 hectares of forest were destroyed. Also, according to the investigation, lands of the forest fund were unlawfully used to lay 2,6 kilometers of power lines and install 52 transmission towers. During 18 searches, investigators seized documents and other materials related to the activities of the enterprises and the sale of mined ore. Among the defendants are the co-owner of “Cobaltum Resource Export” and Mikhailo Laba, founder and director of the company Volodymyr Andriushenko, chief engineer Oleksandr Klyna, and director of LLC “Company ‘Bud Trading’” Serhiy Petruk. Media report that Petruk was notified of suspicion while attempting to leave the country. Separately, investigators are establishing the transfer of almost 99 million UAH. According to them, these funds came from the sale of illegally mined andesite and were subsequently legalized. The Prosecutor’s Office requests bail for three defendants at 100 million UAH, and for the chief engineer at 10 million UAH. The total bail mentioned amounts to 310 million UAH. “Cobaltum Resource Export” was registered on 6 July 2023 year in the village of Nevytske, Zakarpattia region. Among its owners are Volodymyr Andriushenko and Mikhailo Laba. The company’s financial indicators changed significantly in 2025 year: after zero revenue in 2023-2024 years, the firm declared 22,8 million UAH in revenue and 1,17 million UAH in net profit. Its assets grew in a year from about 100,5 million to 122 million UAH, and the number of employees rose from one to nine. In Mikhailo Laba’s declaration for the 2025 year, a residential house of 263,3 square meters, eight land plots totaling 9946 square meters, and two cars are listed. Among the official’s incomes are 3,635 million UAH from entrepreneurial activity, 206 thousand UAH salary from “Cobaltum Resource Export,” and 1,303 million UAH from alienation of real estate. In cash, Laba declared 4,2 million UAH, his wife — 300 thousand UAH. In 2024-2025 years Laba also acquired corporate rights in several companies. In particular, he owns 40% of LLC “IP ‘New Horizons’,” established in 2024 year, and 100% of LLC “Cobaltum-Ukraine,” registered in 2025 year. The value of corporate rights in “Cobaltum-Ukraine” in the declaration exceeds 25,6 million UAH. Another company involved in the case is LLC “Company ‘Bud Trading’.” It was registered on 15 April 2025 year with a charter capital of 5 thousand UAH. After the company’s creation, its management was changed, and the ultimate beneficiary became Serhiy Petruk. In May 2025 year the company also changed its legal address, first to Kamyanytsia and later to Nevytske, where related enterprises are registered. After searches, Mikhailo Laba spoke of pressure on business and initiated a review by the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Verkhovna Rada. The deputy himself denies illegality in the company’s operations. The head of “Cobaltum Resource Export,” Volodymyr Andriushenko, also said the company worked within the scope of a granted special permit and an agreed program of work. Company representatives link the criminal proceedings to a conflict around a neighboring deposit. Andriushenko stated that after obtaining the special permit, representatives of various structures offered to meet regarding a possible sale of the permit, but the company refused. Mikhailo Laba stated that in April 2026 year he and Andriushenko were offered to sell the company, and if they refused, other measures of influence were allegedly not ruled out. These statements represent the defendants’ position and require separate verification. Lawyer for the company, Yaroslav Mytrovka, said that the company’s activities are incorrectly labeled as mining. According to him, the company is at the stage of geological exploration and trial-industrial development. The final legal assessment of these circumstances should be provided by the investigation and the court.
Currently, law enforcement continues to identify the full circle of persons who could have been involved in quarry activities, movement of funds, and sale of andesite. In parallel, statements by the owners about the legality of the extraction and possible pressure from third parties should be checked.
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Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Михайло Лаба: справа про кар’єр на Закарпатті та збитки". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Fraza.
