Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Who received VAT refunds over the year
A year ago, since April 2014 the State Treasury Service for the first time in Ukraine’s history began monthly publication of information about VAT refunds.
Journalists calculated which companies received the largest VAT refunds from the state budget over the year.
“Metinvest”
Three metallurgical plants of the largest mining and metallurgical holding “Metinvest” were refunded 6,5 billion UAH in VAT over 12 months. In particular, Illich Iron & Steel Works was refunded 2,85 billion UAH, while Zaporizhstal and Azovstal received 2,48 and 1,13 billion UAH respectively. Overall, since May 2014 the state returned VAT to the holding’s enterprises in the amount of 7,6 billion UAH.
The majority owner of Metinvest is Rinat Akhmetov. A stake of 23,7% of the holding belongs to MP from the Opposition Bloc Vadym Novynskyi. About 5% is owned by the former director of Illich Iron & Steel Works, Volodymyr Boyko.
LLC “DTEK Trading”, which is part of Akhmetov’s energy holding DTEK, received 175,4 million UAH in VAT refunds.
“ArcelorMittal”
By enterprise, the absolute leader in VAT refunds was the metallurgical plant ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, owned by Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal. From May 2014 to April 2015 the state refunded him nearly 4 billion UAH.
ArcelorMittal is the largest enterprise of Ukraine’s mining and metallurgical complex. Its share of the metal products market is about 20%. The company exports its products to Russia, Central Asia, the Gulf states, Africa, and Europe.
ISD
One of the largest recipients of VAT refunds was the corporation Industrial Union of Donbas (ISD), owned by former Donetsk regional governor Serhii Taruta and a group of secret Russian investors. It received over 2,5 billion UAH.
ISD is an integrated holding company that owns or controls share packages in more than 40 industrial enterprises in Ukraine. Most of them are located in Donetsk, Luhansk, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
Among them, Alchevsk Metallurgical Combine received 485 million UAH in VAT refunds, Dniprovskiy Combine – 255 million UAH, and Alchevsk Coke-Chemical Plant – 52 million UAH. Together, ISD received almost 3,5 billion UAH.
“Kernel”
LLC “Kernel Trading”, part of Andriy Verevskyi’s agribusiness holding Kernel, was refunded 2,4 billion UAH in VAT. Kernel is the largest producer and exporter of sunflower oil in Ukraine. In July–December of the 2014/2015 marketing year Kernel earned $66,44 million in profit. Forbes estimated Verevskyi’s wealth at $672 million.
UkrLandFarming
The enterprise “Imperovo Foods”, which is part of agromagnate Oleg Bakhmatyuk’s UkrLandFarming, received VAT refunds of 1,2 billion UAH. Another Bakhmatyuk company, PJSC “Company “Rise”, was refunded 1,035 billion UAH. In total – 2,235 billion UAH.
UkrLandFarming is engaged in grain cultivation, egg production, sugar production, and animal husbandry. Forbes estimated Bakhmatyuk’s fortune at $600 million. According to the publication, due to military actions the businessman decided to close four poultry farms in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. His VAB Bank was also declared insolvent.
“Poltava GOK”
Poltava Mining and Processing Plant, part of the international group Ferrexpo, whose main owner is MP Kostyantyn Zhevago, received VAT refunds of 1,7 billion UAH.
Another Zhevago enterprise, Yerystivskyi GOK, received 88,2 million UAH. Zhevago’s combines produce raw materials for metallurgical plants – iron ore pellets. Ferrexpo’s shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange. In 2014 they fell by 70%. At the beginning of 2015 the year, the Higher Economic Court of Ukraine confirmed Zhevago’s ownership right to Poltava GOK. Russian State Duma deputy Oleksandr Babakov fought the oligarch for this asset.
MHP
PJSC “Myronivsky Plant for the Production of Cereals and Feed” was refunded 1,215 billion UAH in VAT. The plant is part of the MHP holding of billionaire Yurii Kosiuk, who in 2014 served as Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Petro Poroshenko.
MHP’s main product is chicken under the brand “Nasha Ryaba”, which is exported to the EU, Middle Eastern countries, and Africa.
“Evraz”
Enterprises of the Russian metallurgical group Evraz: PJSC “Evraz Sukha Balka” and PJSC “Evraz – DMZ im. Petrovskogo” were refunded 1,155 billion UAH in VAT. The largest shareholder of Evraz is Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.
“Kreativ-Rozlyv”
Closing the top ten in VAT refunds is trading house “Kreativ-Rozlyv.” The refund amount over 12 months totaled 1,039 billion UAH. The company is part of the “Kreativ” group – one of the largest producers of fat-and-oil products in Ukraine.
The majority owner of Kreativ is Stanislav Berezkin, an MP from Kirovohrad region who belongs to Vitalii Khomutynnik’s parliamentary group “Vidrodzhennia.” Another 17% of the company’s charter capital is owned by The Bank of New York Mellon.
Small taxpayers
757 million UAH from the budget was received by Cargill, which is part of the American holding Cargill. It is one of the world’s largest companies investing in food production. It trades grain, oil, sugar, meat, and more. In Ukraine Cargill is a partner of Mykola Lagun in the liquidating Delta Bank and is involved in biomass energy production.
721 million UAH was received by the Zaporizhia plant Motor Sich, owned by MP Vyacheslav Bohuslayev. The enterprise develops and manufactures aircraft engines.
618 million UAH in refunds was received by Mykolaiv Alumina Plant, controlled by Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska. Another 548 million UAH was received by the state-owned Odesa Port Plant.
Enterprises of the Vinnytsia industrial group Vioil – LLC “D and I Evolution” and PE “Vector-M” – received 550 million UAH in VAT refunds. Vioil is a leader in Ukraine in the production and export of rapeseed oil. The holding’s main markets: CIS countries, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, North and East Africa, and Europe.
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