Mikalai Mikalaevich Varabei (or Verabei,[1] Belarusian: Мікалай Мікалаевіч Варабей / Верабей; Nikolay Nikolayevich Vorobey, Russian: Николай Николаевич Воробей) is a Belarusian businessman (petrochemical and coal wholesaler, banker). Due to his close relations with Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, the Council of the European Union imposed sanctions on him,[2] as did several non-EU countries.

Early life

External image
image icon Left to right: Alexander Lukashenko, Victor Lukashenko, Mikalai Varabei, Aliaksei Aleksin, Aliaksandr Zaitsau

Early life of Varabei is almost unknown. He was born presumably in 1963 in Ukrainian SSR and graduated from the Kyiv State University (history department).[3][4] In the only (as of 2020) interview, he stated that he lives in Belarus after military service in the Soviet Army in 1985–1987.[5] In 2016, businessman and statesman Aliaksandr Shakutsin claimed that he knew Varabei for 20 years.[6] It was reported that he worked as a car service station master in Navapolack.[4] Some media called him "a native of Naftan [oil refinery]" (also in Navapolack).[7]

Assets and EU sanctions

In early 2014, Varabei became officially known as the co-owner (with Shakutsin) of OOO Interservis (Russian: ООО Интерсервис).[7] In early 2010s, Interservis was suspected to participate in the illegal trade schemes, exporting Russian and Belarusian petrochemicals made from Russian petroleum as goods with smaller export duties ("solvents affair").[8][9][10][11] In 2012–2013, Interservis bought bitumen refinery in Minsk region and increased its share in Amkodor machinery factory.[11][12] In 2014, Interservis bought Belarusian Absolutbank.[7] Later, Shakutsin and Varabei divided their assets: Varabei got bitumen refinery, petrochemical business and bank, and Shakutsin got Amkodor company.[13][14]

In 2013, Varabei became a co-founder and co-owner of Bremino Group (with Aliaksei Aleksin and Aliaksandr Zaitsau), which operates several logistics complexes and a special economic zone in Orsha district, created by Lukashenko's decree. Belarusian economist Jaroslav Romanchuk called Bremino projects a business of elites, establishment and siloviki. Romanchuk also suggested that these businessmen will turn into business oligarchs.[15][16]

As of 2019, 100% of shares in OOO Interservis belonged to OOO Krasny Bor. 99% of OOO Krasny Bor was owned by Varabei, 1% was owned by his wife Tamara.[17] OOO Krasny Bor also owns one of the biggest hunting farms in Belarus.[15] In 2019, Ezhednevnik magazine put Varabei on 16th place in its top-200 of Belarusian wealthy and influential businessmen.[13]

On 17 December 2020, the Council of the European Union imposed sanctions on both Varabei and Shakutsin (EU Regulation No 2020/2129). According to the regulation, Varabei was recognized "benefiting from and supporting the Lukashenka regime" for his activities in Bremino Group, which enjoyed several forms of support by the government, including tax breaks.[2] On 21 June 2021, his two companies, Bremino and NNK, were added to the EU list as well.[18] Varabei and these two companies were also sanctioned by the United Kingdom,[19] Switzerland,[20] and Canada.[21]

On 23 December 2020, Belarusian media tut.by noticed that the "Absolutbank" changed the page with the ownership structure. According to the updated information, owners of the Interservis are three people reported to be the company's management. Varabei and his wife were not mentioned in the new version (original version of the page was saved by the Internet Archive[17])[22]

On 19 February 2021, National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine ordered to nationalize Soviet-built oil product pipeline Prykarpatzakhidtrans (Ukrainian: Прикарпатзахідтранс; Russian: Прикарпатзападтранс — Prikarpatzapadtrans), which was owned by Mikalai Varabei and a German resident, allegedly associated with Viktor Medvedchuk.[23]

On 9 August 2021, Varabei was added to the SDN list by the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Companies owned by him or otherwise linked to Varabei (Absolutbank, BelKazTrans, BelKazTrans Ukraine, Bremino Group, Industrial Unitary Enterprise Oil Bitumen Plant, Interservice, NNK, NNK East) were designated as well.[24]

According to a September 2022 joint investigation by the Belarusian Investigative Center and Dossier, Varabei's immediate family controls multiple properties in Austria, including a chalet in Carinthia and flats in Vienna.[25]

Varabei also has business activities in Ukraine.[10] He is allegedly connected with Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk and with NT Marine company which sells Russian coal to Ukraine.[26] On 9 December 2020, Ukrainian anti-monopoly committee published regulation (23 November 2020 727-r) which allowed Varabei to buy Ukrainian BTA Bank.[27][28] Later National Bank of Ukraine refused to sell the bank to Varabei.[29] In 2022, Varabei,[30] Bremino Group[31] and NNK[32] were added to the sanctions lists of Ukraine and Japan, while Absolutbank and Varabei's daughter[33][25] Ekaterina Smushkovich were blacklisted by Canada.[34]

In November 2023, the European General Court dismissed Varabei's request to lift the European Union sanctions against him.[35]

References

  1. ↑ His surname in Russian (Vorobey) is transliterated into Belarusian as Varabei, but some media uses the translation of the word "vorobey" (sparrow), which is Verabei. The exact passport form of his name is uncertain, the EU sanctions list specifies both.
  2. 1 2 "EUR-Lex - 32020R2129 - EN". EUR-Lex. 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  3. ↑ "Николай Воробей. 21.by". 21.by. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  4. 1 2 "Николай Воробей | Ежедневник". ej.by. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  5. ↑ "Зачем Воробью "труба" в Украине. Один из самых непубличных бизнесменов Беларуси дал первое интервью". news.tut.by. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  6. ↑ "Кто из белорусских богачей сохранил совместный бизнес со старыми друзьями - Заўтра тваёй краіны". zautra.by. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  7. 1 2 3 "Шакутин и Воробей официально оказались владельцами нефтетрейдера "Интерсервис"". news.tut.by. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  8. ↑ "Годы особой уязвимости. Нефтяные войны Москвы и Минска поразительно совпадают с электоральным циклом". news.tut.by. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  9. ↑ "Инвестиционные проекты в Беларуси: в активе, пассиве и на будущее". news.tut.by. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  10. 1 2 "Николай Воробей, "кошелёк" Медведчука и Лукашенко: что он делает в Украине (досье) | Grom". grom-ua.org. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  11. 1 2 ""Веска-ЭмульБит" обошлась "Интерсервису" в 4,5 млн долларов". news.tut.by. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  12. ↑ "Воробей — это не миф » Свободный регион". freeregion.info. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  13. 1 2 "Николай Воробей | Ежедневник". ej.by. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  14. ↑ "Украінцы далі беларускаму бізнесоўцу дазвол на набыццё нафтапрадуктаправоду". belsat.eu. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  15. 1 2 "Оршанский офшор. Кто окажется в шоколаде | naviny.by". naviny.media. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  16. ↑ "Владельцы "Бремино Групп" нашли подрядчика на строительство логистического центра в Болбасово". news.tut.by. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  17. 1 2 Акционеры банка и бенефициарные собственники банка, являющиеся таковыми в отношении не менее пяти процентов акций банка (Internet Archive)
  18. ↑ COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2021/997 — EUR-Lex, 21 June 2021
  19. ↑ "CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK" (PDF). Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation HM Treasury. 2021-06-25.
  20. ↑ "Sanctions program: Belarus: Verordnung vom 11. Dezember 2020 über Massnahmen gegenüber Belarus (SR 946.231.116.9), Anhang 1 Origin: EU Sanctions: Art. 2 Abs. 1 (Finanzsanktionen) und Art. 3 Abs. 1 (Ein- und Durchreiseverbot)" (PDF). Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft. 2021-07-07. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  21. ↑ "Consolidated Canadian Autonomous Sanctions List". Global Affairs Canada. 2015-10-19. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  22. ↑ "Компаниями попавшего под санкции Воробья стали владеть его менеджеры". news.tut.by. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  23. ↑ СНБО поручил вернуть в госсобственность трубопровод. Его связывали с окружением Медведчука
  24. ↑ "Treasury Holds the Belarusian Regime to Account on Anniversary of Fraudulent Election". United States Department of the Treasury. 2021-08-09. Archived from the original on 2021-08-09. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  25. 1 2 Gotev, Georgi (2022-09-27). "Lavish Austrian property of EU-sanctioned Belarusian oligarch revealed". Euractiv. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  26. ↑ "Бизнес-партнер Медведчука хочет купить банк в Украине — БТА Банк — новости Украины / НВ". nv.ua. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  27. ↑ "Белорусский олигарх покупает банк в Украине". news.tut.by. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  28. ↑ Kitsoft. "Про надання дозволу на концентрацію | Антимонопольний комітет України". amcu.gov.ua. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  29. ↑ Переоформляют активы, пишут жалобы, продолжают зарабатывать. Как бизнес отреагировал на санкции ЕС
  30. ↑ "VOROBEY Nikolay / Nikolai Nikolaevich". National Agency for Prevention of Corruption.
  31. ↑ "Bremino Group LLC". National Agency for Prevention of Corruption.
  32. ↑ "CJSC Novaya Neftenaya Kompaniya (New Oil Company)". National Agency for Prevention of Corruption.
  33. ↑ Ткач, Михайло; Савчук, Максим; Ремажевська, Любомира (2021-05-20). "Кум Путіна, олігарх Лукашенка: як Микола Воробей співпрацює з Медведчуком і збагачується в Україні (розслідування)" (in Ukrainian). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  34. ↑ "Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations: SOR/2022-49". Canada Gazette. 2022-03-30. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  35. ↑ "Европейский суд отказался снять санкции с Воробья". Reform.by. 2023-11-09.
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