“Trypillia Sun”: How the High-Profile Investigation into “Russian Business” in the Ukrainian Tea Market Ended (UPDATED)
25 March 11:26
In 2022, the Ukrainian tea market found itself at the center of a high-profile criminal investigation. The case involved allegations of funding for the aggressor state through Ukrainian tea companies linked to the Russian group “Mai.” Courts froze accounts, seized property and vehicles, and the investigation materials contained references to fictitious changes in ownership and the diversion of profits. But by 2024, the seizures from “Mai”-affiliated companies began to be lifted, and the case itself effectively disappeared from the public eye. The situation was examined based on data from the Register of Court Decisions by
In early May, news spread through some media outlets that the Ukrainian tea producer “Trypilske Sonce” had reported a net profit of over 33 million UAH for 2025. This was described as “the first profitable result since the start of the full-scale invasion.”
“The company’s sales volume grew by 44% and amounted to nearly 675 million hryvnias,” the press releases stated.
However, not long ago, the “Trypilske Sonce” brand was mentioned in the media as a “Russian business in new packaging.” Journalists from “StopCor,” in particular, claimed that “Trypilske Sonce” is not a new business (although the LLC was only registered in April 2022), but the actual successor to “Mai Ukraina.”
“The same address, the same employees, the same equipment. The court also ruled that the company is the legal successor to a Russian business attempting to ‘rebrand’ itself as a Ukrainian manufacturer,” the investigators emphasized .
The Beginning: Criminal Proceedings in 2022
There was no smoke without fire back then. On June 27, 2022, law enforcement opened criminal proceeding No. 42022102070000234 under the article on financing actions aimed at changing the borders of Ukraine.
The following companies were mentioned in the court rulings:
- Company Mai LLC
- Company Mai Ukraine LLC
- VIP-Trans LLC
- Tripilskoe Sonce LLC
The investigation concluded that these companies may be linked to a Russian group of tea producers and effectively remain under the control of Russian citizens, despite a change in ownership following the start of the war.
“It has been established that, with the aim of removing trademarks that are the intellectual property of the “Mai” group of companies from the domestic market, PERSON_4 initiated the creation of a new commercial entity , LLC “Trypilske Sonce” (EDRPOU code 44760466, registered address: Kyiv Oblast, Obukhiv, 46 Trypilska St., current director PERSON_10 (who holds the position of production director at “Mai Ukraine” LLC), founder of “Kochari International” LLC, immediately after registration, the position of manager was held by PERSON_5, and the position of chief accountant is held by PERSON_11), which sells tea under the trademarks “Trypillia Sun,” “Sherlock Secrets,” and “Tea Moments,” which is manufactured at industrial facilities and by employees of the “Mai Ukraine” group of companies, located at 46 Trypilska St., Obukhiv, Kyiv Oblast,” according to one of the court rulings in the case.
In addition, the investigation established that
“…during the conduct of financial and economic activities, including settlements with the actual owners of the ‘Mai’ group of companies, which may subsequently be used to finance actions committed with the aim of forcibly changing or overthrowing the constitutional order or seizing state power, or altering the territory or state border of Ukraine, bank accounts of LLC ‘Mai Company’, LLC “Vip-Trans,” LLC “Mai Company Ukraine,” and LLC “Trypilske Sonce” opened at banking institutions located on the territory of Ukraine.”
Additionally, court documents indicate that the accounts were recognized as material evidence, and the assets of the tea business were seized.
In particular, in 2022–2023, the Podilskyi District Court of Kyiv issued a series of rulings:
- on the seizure of bank accounts;
- seizure of funds;
- seizure of vehicles, etc.
2024: A Quiet Turn
In 2024, according to an analysis of the rulings, lawyers for the tea companies began filing motions to lift the seizures. And the court began granting them.
Specifically, in April 2024 , an investigating judge of the Podilskyi District Court of Kyiv lifted the seizure of property and funds belonging to Trypilske Sonce LLC, VIP-TRANS LLC, and Kompaniya Mai Ukraine LLC. Consequently, all key restrictions in the “tea case” were lifted.
The grounds on which the judge based his decision are as follows:
“The investigating judge has established that the officials of Tripolskoe Solntse LLC, Kompaniya Mai Ukraine LLC, VIP-TRANS LLC, and Kompaniya Mai LLC are not suspects in this criminal proceeding, and the prosecution has not provided documents confirming that the companies… are currently relevant to the criminal proceedings under investigation,” the ruling states.
Accordingly, after two years of investigation—despite very serious public accusations of an alleged “Russian connection”—no one has been formally charged in the case.
What’s next?
After 2024, there are no new rulings in the open registry of court decisions regarding the “Trypillia Sun” tea case. There are only isolated commercial, tax, and administrative disputes involving the companies, but the criminal case itself seems to have vanished.
And in order to clarify the future of this “tea” case
“Trypillia Sun’s” Position
As stated in the response from “Trypilske Sonce”’s lawyers to the editorial team’s inquiry, the claims disseminated by “StopCor” journalists that:
- “Trypillia Sun is not a new business (although the LLC was only registered in April 2022), but the actual successor to ‘Mai Ukraine’:‘The same address, the same employees, the same equipment. The court also recognized that the company is the legal successor to a Russian business attempting to “rebrand” itself as a Ukrainian manufacturer.’”
- “…tea under the trademarks ‘Trypillia Sun,’ ‘Sherlock Secrets,’ and ‘Tea Moments,’ manufactured at the industrial facilities and by the employees of the ‘My Ukraine’ group of companies, located at 46 Trypillia St., Obukhiv, Kyiv Oblast…”
is currently being challenged in court—as false information—with demands for its retraction.
“No citizens or individuals from the aggressor country participated in the establishment of the enterprise. Nor did any spin-off, division, or other succession occur, as claimed in the article.
Thus, the claim regarding the succession of TRYPILLSKE SONCE LLC is false, unsubstantiated by any evidence, and contains negative information.”
…The trademarks for goods and services of the brands Trypilske Sonce, Sherlock Secret, and Tea Moments were developed and submitted for registration in 2022. All applications filed regarding the aforementioned trademarks can be found on the website of the Ukrainian National Office of Intellectual Property and Innovation. The aforementioned trademarks are registered to Kinugava LLC (EDRPOU 45570234), part of the Trypilske Sonce LLC group of companies, as evidenced by the identical owners.
- “TRIPILSKE SONCE” LLC did not purchase any trademarks for goods and services from “Mai Ukraine” or any other parties. These brands also did not have any prior designs. Instead, they were developed from scratch and submitted for registration.
Thus, the claim regarding the concealment of Russian origin is false, unsubstantiated by any evidence, and contains negative information, the company emphasizes.
Separately, the company emphasizes that any allegations against it in the context of the previously initiated criminal proceedings were not substantiated. Consequently, no one was served with a notice of suspicion, and the case was subsequently closed “due to the absence of an offense.”
On August 11, 2023, as part of the criminal proceedings, the funds and property of TRIPILSKE SONCE LLC were seized.
However, by a ruling of the Podilskyi District Court of Kyiv dated April 1, 2024, all encumbrances and seizures were lifted.
Furthermore, by a ruling dated April 10, 2024, the criminal proceedings under which the seizures were imposed were closed due to the absence of an offense.
In other words, during the pre-trial investigation, no facts were established that would indicate a connection with the aggressor country, the existence of any schemes, or any other criminal offenses, the company emphasized.
