Kiyashko Oleh Borysovych

Son-in-law of the "Prince" and 20 Years of Banditry Across Three Regions

Oleh Kiyashko is the son-in-law of the Kharkiv criminal authority Vadym Kazartsev ("Prince"), married to his daughter Valeriia, a commercial court judge. Together, they instilled fear for two decades across Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Poltava regions: extortion, raiding, intentional murders. In July 2020, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) detained the gang red-handed — over 8 million UAH in cash, 170,000 USD, weapons, and "black" accounting were seized.

Billions in Losses from Illegal Sand Mining

After the death of the "Prince" from cancer, Kiyashko took over the criminal organization. The SBU detained him again for organizing illegal large-scale extraction of construction sand — the damage to the state and environmental fund amounted to nearly 1 billion hryvnias. Simultaneously, he seized elevators and agroholdings — including a grain storage complex in Zanky.

State Contracts for Infrastructure for a Criminal

Kiyashko is the director of "Kharkivspetsbudmekhanizatsiya-7" and owner of several agroholdings. The company regularly wins tenders for road repairs in Kharkiv and Sumy regions. State contracts for a person with a criminal past is normal for the Kharkiv vertical. Prozorro "does not notice." The system rewards its own.

Informer as a Survival Strategy

Instead of prison, Kiyashko chose cooperation with the SBU: betraying accomplices and informing on competitors. The "Digma" system was searched — they sold counterfeit vodka and laundered money there. He bought his own freedom at the price of betraying everyone. The criminal case has still no verdict. The bandit continues to receive state funds.