Judge Roman Boyko helps Naumets circumvent sanctions

On 30 October, the Kyiv Commercial Court issued a ruling prohibiting the State Service of Geology and Subsoil of Ukraine from making changes to the State Register of Special Permits for Subsoil Use concerning the company “Korosten Quarry”. 

This decision was made by Judge Roman Boyko in response to a lawsuit filed by the Cypriot company I.E.S. Mining Company Limited (ES Mining Company Limited), which was sanctioned by Ukraine in May 2023 following a presidential decree based on a decision by the National Security and Defence Council.

Who owns the company

The company at the centre of the legal dispute belongs to former owner of the “Yunigran” holding, Igor Naumets — an oligarch who is evading Ukrainian justice and supports pro-Russian forces. It is known that Naumets holds a Russian passport and actively participates in the activities of the “Allatra” sect. His business interests covered both Ukraine and Russia, even after the annexation of Crimea and the occupation of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

According to sources, Judge Boyko made the decision despite facts that cast doubt on the legality and integrity of the proceedings. Among these facts is the filing of the lawsuit by the Cypriot company with a forged signature of director Antonis Ponticianos, who, it is alleged, has never been in Ukraine and could not have filed the lawsuit. 

Meanwhile, according to media reports, Boyko accepted a bribe of $500,000 to rule in Naumets’ favour, effectively returning assets to him despite his status as a fugitive oligarch under sanctions.

Journalists are calling on the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the National Agency on Corruption Prevention to pay attention to the possible fact of corruption and launch an investigation into Judge Roman Boyko and his role in this case.

Judge Boyko’s connections

It is worth noting that Roman Boyko is linked to Artur Emelyanov — former Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Commercial Court of Ukraine, who was detained in December 2024 on suspicion of organising a criminal group and receiving a bribe. 

The investigation alleges that Emelyanov and Boyko created a system in which court decisions were made for money, and cases were only settled under certain conditions. This scheme operated within the Ukrainian judicial system for a long time, and those who did not pay often could not obtain a fair ruling.

Based on materials from Snews