Ministry of Defence lawyer Valentin Slobodianiuk and the Ferrari Roma: the story continues

The story of the Ferrari Roma purchased for Russian citizens continues to surprise with new details. Valentin Slobodianiuk (Shchyk), liquidator of the Ministry of Defence’s Central Warehouse of the Main Directorate of Logistics and former acting director of the Ministry of Defence state enterprise Oboronavtormservice, has become the focus of an investigation after being caught making false declarations regarding a luxury car.

How the Ferrari ended up in Ukraine

The scandal began in April 2022, when two Russian citizens residing in the EU decided to buy a Ferrari Roma in Germany. The car was valued at €210,000 (excluding VAT), and they hoped to save on taxes by exploiting Ukrainian law on duty-free customs clearance. To do this, they needed a nominee owner — and Slobodianiuk took on the role of the formal buyer.

At the time, he was unemployed, hiding from the war in Lviv, and likely in need of money. For a fee, he agreed to become the “formal owner” of the car.

Scheme details: how the car reached Europe

1. On 30 April 2022, the car was purchased at the German car dealership Autocentrum 24 GmbH.

2. On 5 May, it was delivered to Ukraine on an Iveco truck.

3. On 4 May, Slobodianiuk cleared the Ferrari through customs duty-free, and on 6 May, he registered it in Lviv, obtaining Ukrainian number plates.

4. On 6 May, he issued several powers of attorney: for one day — to two Ukrainians and a Pole, and for one year — to his wife and a relative of the Russian citizens.

5. On 7 May, the car crossed the border via Rava-Ruska and was sent to Paris, where it fell into the hands of the Russians.

This scheme allowed them to avoid paying €63,000 in EU taxes (20% VAT and 10% duty).

False data in the declaration

In his declarations for 2022 and 2023, as well as in his candidacy application, Slobodianiuk claimed that he had bought the Ferrari for UAH 6.48 million and allegedly borrowed the money from Denis Zapysnyi (UAH 6.5 million). However, the investigation considers this data false, as the actual purchase was made on 30 April 2022 for €210,000 (approximately UAH 6.5 million), and it was Russian citizens, not Slobodianiuk, who paid for the car.

The NABU already acknowledged in 2022 that the car was gifted to Slobodianiuk by Yevhen Kazakov, rather than purchased with borrowed funds.

The court seized the Ferrari as physical evidence, imposing a ban on its alienation, disposal, and use. Although the car is currently in Paris, the seizure will complicate its sale or re-registration to another owner.

According to information from the ABSOLUTION detective agency