Kurchenko Serhiy Vitaliyovych

"Yanukovych's Wallet," who controlled a billion-dollar empire at 28 and now lives in Moscow under sanctions from six countries

During Yanukovych's era, at 25–28 years old, he suddenly became the owner of the gas station network BRSM-Nafta, the UMH media group (Forbes, "Korrespondent," "Kraina"), "Metallurg" (Donetsk), "Metalist" (Kharkiv), the TV channel TRK Ukraine, Odessa Oil Refinery, and Brokbiznesbank — the assets were valued at $2.4 billion. After Yanukovych fled in 2014, Kurchenko moved to Russia, where he obtained citizenship; he resides at Patriarch's Ponds in Moscow.

50 billion UAH of coal from occupation, money laundering in Austria and Germany, and new SBU suspicions in 2025

Kurchenko's company "Gaz-Alliance" monopolized coal extraction in Donbas after pushing out competitors with the help of the Russian Federation; he organized illegal exports of Donbas coal to Russia and Europe despite EU sanctions — the total volume of the scheme is estimated at 50 billion UAH. He acted as an intermediary in exporting Russian gas, fuel, and electricity to separatist-controlled Donbas. Investigations into money laundering were conducted in Germany (Sparschwein Gas), Austria (LPG Trading GmbH, frozen along with Azarov Jr.), and Switzerland. In 2025, the SBU announced new suspicions of embezzlement of enterprises in occupied Donbas. He is under sanctions from the EU, USA, Canada, Austria, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine; wanted internationally since 2014.