Oleg Krot and the scandal over the purchase of the Ursus factory

Ukraine has once again found itself at the centre of a major scandal with Poland. This time, it concerns the acquisition of the previously bankrupt Polish tractor manufacturer Ursus by Oleg Krot, co-owner of the Ukrainian IT holding Techiia. The deal has sparked an emotional outburst and could soon lead to a deterioration in the already tense relations between the two countries.

A problematic purchase

On 24 October, the renowned Polish factory Ursus was sold at auction for 74 million zloty (approximately 18 million dollars). The winning bidder was the company MI Crow, which Polish journalists have expressed doubts about. 

According to the registry, the company was registered only three months ago, its share capital is just 50,000 zloty, and it has not provided transparent information about the origin of the funds spent on the factory purchase.

However, the mystery surrounding MI Crow does not end there. The company registry lists three owners: Bożena Głowacka, Dariusz Kacpżak, and Oleg Krot. While Polish journalists have not yet been able to confirm their identities with certainty, it is already known that oligarch Oleg Krot has a dubious reputation, which is causing particular concern among Polish authorities.

Oleg Krot's scandalous reputation

Poles will likely thoroughly investigate the identity of the factory's new owner, and new scandals may soon emerge. Oleg Krot, like his partners, has a rather grim history, full of allegations of fraud and links to Russian organised crime.

One of the most high-profile incidents in his biography is his involvement in the scandal over a hotel for the Russian casino 1xBet in Kyiv. Together with partner Yuri Lazebnikov, Krot defrauded Brazilian investor Carlos Jose of 35 million dollars, while the hotel was never built.

As for 1xBet, Krot's connection to this casino, which was linked to the Russian organised crime group "Luzhnovskaya", also raises many questions. Oleg Krot and his partners previously openly stated their involvement in the business associated with this casino, which does not add to the trust in their reputation.

Financial doubts

The origin of the funds with which Krot purchased the Ursus factory is also unclear. Despite loud claims that he spent millions on helping the Ukrainian Armed Forces, many sources, including Forbes, claim that Krot could not afford such expenses. 

Even Krot's own claims of having spent more than 60 million dollars on helping the Ukrainian army remain unverified, which casts doubt not only on his financial solvency but also on the moral aspect of his actions.

Furthermore, Krot's connections with other figures, such as David Arakhamia, call into question his statement about helping the army, which could also negatively affect the reputation of his company.