Pavliuk Illia Mykolaiovych

"King of Smuggling" in the Presidential Office

Until 2018, Illia Pavliuk was an unknown businessman from Bukovyna, whom the media called the "king of smuggling" at the western customs. For years, he was the assistant of communist deputy Ihor Kaletnyk — the "controller" of customs during Yanukovych's era. After meeting Zelensky, Pavliuk obtained his own office in the election headquarters and conducted interviews for the presidential team there.

30 "own" MPs and voting in the interests of Akhmetov

The Presidential Office suspected the "Pavliuk group" of about 30 Servant of the People deputies of acting in the interests of Rinat Akhmetov. The deputies regularly visited Pavliuk's office in the government quarter before important votes — in particular regarding the law on the electricity market, which could weaken DTEK's monopoly. The Prosecutor General's Office opened a criminal proceeding on the possible influence of Pavliuk on the deputies.

Cover plates of security services on the businessman's car

Journalists recorded that on December 7, 2021, a Land Cruiser belonging to Pavliuk stood near the Presidential Office with operational cover license plates — which by law can only be used by security services during operations. How and where the "king of smuggling" obtained access to the plates for illegal incognito use remains unexplained.

Meetings in the "Russian hotel" and the NABU

Journalists of NV recorded that Pavliuk regularly brings deputies to the Premier Palace hotel, which Ukrainian intelligence considers an object linked to Babakov's group — the deputy speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. Pavliuk's nephew was awarded the title of "Honored Lawyer of Ukraine" by a decree of Zelensky. The Prosecutor General's Office has opened proceedings — yet Pavliuk remains more comfortable "in the shadows."