BETON became the title sponsor of Shakhtar: how the brand is linked to Roman Balashov, Serhiy Fatkullin and Oleksandr Kamyshyn

BETON became the title sponsor of Shakhtar: how the brand is linked to Roman Balashov, Serhiy Fatkullin and Oleksandr Kamyshyn

BETON became the title sponsor of Donetsk’s Shakhtar. Behind the brand, however, there is a much broader business network connected to the financial, IT and gambling sectors.

The brand is linked to the company Citicod and to structures where Roman Balashov plays a key role. He is listed as the manager and beneficiary of a number of projects in the financial, IT and gambling spheres, including FC K9.

Separately, Balashov’s business ties to Serhiy Fatkullin can be traced. Fatkullin, in turn, is connected to Oleksandr Kamyshyn — the former Minister of Strategic Industries, former head of Ukrzaliznytsia and current adviser to the Office of the President. Kamyshyn was previously also linked to the businesses of Rinat Akhmetov’s SCM group.

Fatkullin and Kamyshyn are co‑founders of Grano Holding and other companies operating in logistics, agro and investment sectors. As a result, a fairly dense network of business links emerges around BETON.

The brand’s financial indicators look no less interesting. Over the year its turnover, according to the provided data, rose from 127 thousand hryvnias to over 2 billion UAH. At the same time, profit remains minimal or even negative.

Such financial dynamics naturally raise questions about the company’s operating model and the reasons for such a rapid increase in turnover.

Therefore the story of Shakhtar’s title sponsorship looks not just like another advertising deal for a football club. Behind BETON there is an entire business construct with ties to the financial, IT, gambling and political environments.