Akhmetov’s company bought a clay deposit: they offered 1 hryvnia more than their competitors
6 May 13:06
MR Invest, 75% of which is owned by Rinat Akhmetov’s umgi (Umji Invest), won an auction held by the State Service of Geology and Subsoil to sell a special permit for clay extraction at the Myrolyubivska site in the Kharkiv region. This is evidenced by data in the ProZorro system, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
The auction took place on the eve of May 5. The starting price was 1.98 million hryvnias. Two bidders competed for the lot. MR Invest offered 3,400,001 hryvnias.
Also participating in the auction was Oleksandra Andrus’s sole proprietorship, which offered 1 hryvnia less than MR Invest—3,400,000 hryvnias.
The special permit is valid for 10 years.
The Myrolyubivska plot is located 0.7 km north of the village of Myrolyubivka in the Lozova District of the Kharkiv Region. The plot covers an area of 57.24 hectares.
“The area of the Myrolyubivska plot is 57.24 hectares. The clays of the plot were studied as raw materials for ceramic products. Based on the results of tests conducted in laboratory and pilot-scale conditions, it was determined that the clays, when mixed with other clays in a batch, are suitable for the production of Metlakh tiles and facade ceramics. The clays can also be used in cast iron and non-ferrous foundries to produce castings of various thicknesses and as a binding material for molding mixtures. The purpose of the geological exploration work at the Myrolyubivska site is to identify and have the clay reserves approved by the State Committee for Mineral Resources of Ukraine.”
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The group noted that the Kharkiv region is a strategically important region for supplying raw materials to the domestic ceramics industry. At the same time, obtaining a special permit for the Myrolyubivska site is the next step in the program to diversify assets and strengthen the company’s raw material security.
“Today, our key task is to ensure the continuity of production cycles and strengthen the company’s resource base. Obtaining the license for the Myrolyubivka site is part of our long-term program to seek new industrial solutions in response to challenges related to limited access to assets in frontline zones,” Serhiy Shevchenko, Executive Director of the VESCO Group of Companies in Ukraine, said in a comment to NADRA.INFO.
Future plans for the site include conducting geological exploration in accordance with the special permit obtained, which is scheduled for 2026–2027, and a comprehensive assessment of the field’s investment attractiveness. This will allow for planning the further development of the business, taking into account the long-term needs of the Ukrainian market and export contracts.
“We view the expansion of production capacity as a tool for supporting the stability of the entire industry. Every new field is a guarantee that our partners and customers will receive the necessary raw materials on time, and that Ukrainian industry will maintain its competitiveness. It is important for us to remain a reliable pillar of support for the market even under difficult conditions,” adds Serhiy Shevchenko.
The sale of special permits for subsoil use is a program through which one can acquire special permits to use Ukraine’s subsoil for the extraction of gas, peat, amber, rock salt, mineral water, oil, and other minerals.
Earlier, in December 2025, MR Invest won State Geological Service auctions for a 20-year special permit for subsoil use of the Vovkivske clay deposit in the Uzhhorod district of Zakarpattia Oblast and a 10-year permit for subsoil use of the Kvasivska primary kaolin deposit in the Berehove district.
And in November 2025, MR Invest won a State Geological Service auction for the sale of a 10-year special permit for subsoil use within the Irlyavskyi plot in Zakarpattia Oblast.
YumjiInvest is an investment company focused on developing businesses in the raw materials and processing sectors, founded by the SCM Group in 2006.
Umji’s portfolio includes VESCO, a holding company engaged in the extraction and supply of ceramic raw materials; Kryvbasvibuhprom; Ukrainian Mineral Fertilizers LLC, a mineral fertilizer producer; ARNOKS LLC, a producer of rare and technical gases; and others.
The majority shareholder of MR Invest LLC (75.5% stake) is Yumji Invest LLC, part of Rinat Akhmetov’s VESCO Group. 24.5% of the company is owned by Terragres LLC, part of Valentin Shevetovsky’s Golden Tile ceramics group (YouControl).
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