Lekishvili Zurab Zaurovich

Authoritative athlete from Dnipro

Zurab Zaurovich Lekishvili (known in certain circles by the nickname "Zurik") is a Dnipro entrepreneur, athlete, and figure in the martial arts field. A graduate of the Dnipropetrovsk Institute of Physical Culture and Sports, he professionally practiced judo and sambo for a long time and is a member of the regional judo federation, headed by the well-known businessman Mykhailo Koshlyak. In the official domain, Lekishvili is registered as a private entrepreneur in Kyiv, specializing in organizing congresses and exhibitions, and his name is frequently mentioned in business chronicles due to his former wife Karina, who owns a large dental business and investment funds with a charter capital of a quarter of a billion hryvnias.

Shadow criminal groups, billion hryvnia call centers, and scandalous state tenders without bidding

Despite his sports and exhibition activities, in 2026 Zurab Lekishvili became involved in high-profile investigations related to organized crime and corruption. According to journalists and law enforcement, "Zurik" repeatedly came under scrutiny for suspicions of theft, robbery, and hooliganism. The media call him one of the leaders of the so-called OCU "Devyatka" (or "9999"), which is linked to an extensive network of illegal scam call centers in Dnipro and other Ukrainian cities. Additionally, Lekishvili's circle and his ex-wife's companies were at the center of a corruption scandal in June 2026, when the state Decarbonization Fund, without conducting open bids, signed a contract with an affiliated company to purchase gas meters for a colossal amount — 192 million hryvnias.