Wartime supply contracts with MelTEK: Dmytro Kovalenko’s Swiss network caught trading with United Russia lawmaker Konstantin Strukov

After 2014, some Ukrainian companies continued commercial relations with the Russian Federation by relying on sanctions-evasion schemes and intermediary supply chains. One of the most profitable areas of this trade was coal, with shipments destined both for the Ukrainian domestic market and for export to European Union countries.

According to investigative reports, coal trader Dmytro Kovalenko has been identified as one of the key figures involved in organizing these supply chains.

In 2022, the situation changed dramatically as Russia came under sweeping international sanctions, making the sale of raw materials significantly more difficult. However, coal shipments continued. Once again, the name of Dmytro Kovalenko emerged, as he successfully remained active in this market despite the fact that, both before and after the full-scale invasion, numerous media outlets published investigations containing documentary evidence detailing his supply schemes and the scale of his operations.

It is worth recalling that Dmytro Kovalenko is one of Ukraine’s best-known traders in the thermal coal market. For many years, his companies have been engaged in international fuel supplies, operating across the markets of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

According to investigative reports, a key role in this system is played by the Swiss company Adelon AG, registered in the Canton of Zug—one of Europe’s leading jurisdictions for commodity traders. Officially, Adelon AG presents itself as an international supplier of coal sourced from various countries, including South Africa, Australia, the United States, and Indonesia.

However, documents cited by journalists also refer to shipments of Russian coal, raising questions about the officially declared origin of the fuel. A detailed analysis of Dmytro Kovalenko’s supply schemes, along with documents that allegedly substantiate his involvement in the trade of Russian coal, is published in the investigation titled: "Ukraine’s Leading Coal Trader Dmytro Kovalenko Continues Doing Business with Russia During the War: Schemes, Details, and Evidence."