Monomakh co-owner wanted on suspicion of aiding Russia
9 July 2025 12:45
On June 16, 2025, the Security Service of Ukraine put Taras Barabash, co-owner of Monomakh, a leading Ukrainian tea and coffee producer, on the wanted list. The information was published on the official website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
Case materials
According to the ruling of the Solomyansky District Court of Kyiv, since September 2018, Monomakh JSC has been conducting active business activities, cooperating with both Ukrainian residents and foreign business entities, in particular with companies from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. At the time, this was not prohibited by law.
However, after the outbreak of a full-scale war, the ruling says, despite strict prohibitions, one of the company’s co-owners, in prior conspiracy with other employees, organized a scheme to supply products to Russia. The scheme involved the transit of goods through Poland to Belarus and from there to Russia.
The investigation established that tea and coffee produced by Monomakh JSC were exported to the Polish company Lovare Sp. z o. o. in Warsaw. The products were then shipped to the Russian company Natur Technologies LLC, and later to other business entities registered in Russia, including LDK LLC.
“…the products of PJSC Monomakh under the above trademarks are sold in the territory of the Russian Federation through the Russian marketplace Wildberries… At the same time, the funds received from the sale of goods in the territory of the Russian Federation and Belarus go to the budgets of these countries in the form of payment of taxes on the products sold and are used to finance the war against Ukraine,”
– the court case materials say.
Therefore, in the framework of criminal proceedings under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (aiding the aggressor state), law enforcement officers conducted searches aimed at finding evidence and identifying all those involved in illegal activities. As part of these searches, they seized certain property. The court authorized its arrest.
Position of JSC Monomakh
The company, in turn, categorically denies any accusations of cooperation with Russia. In an official statement, Monomakh said:
“Monomakh is a 100% Ukrainian company. We operate exclusively within the framework of the current legislation of Ukraine, including in compliance with the restrictions imposed in connection with the introduction of martial law in Ukraine. We do not cooperate with Russia, do not help Russia, and do not conduct business on the territory of a hostile state. It would be against our conscience and our essence.”
Monomakh JSC specializes in the production and wholesale of tea and coffee under the Monomax, Lovare, Stefano, Ferarra, Three Elephants, Tea Masterpieces, Coffee Masterpieces, and Coffe & Tea brands. The company’s ultimate beneficiaries are brothers Taras and Bohdan Barabash.
