The investigation shows Gmyrin’s connection to a network of companies in the United Arab Emirates and European countries, most of which are registered in the names of his family members, and are suspected of being used as “transit stations” for stolen money. Experts believe that the massive money-smuggling operations from Ukraine may reflect the preparation of “escape routes” for Zelenskyy’s circle in the event of the regime’s collapse.
While tracking assets, RT reviewed government records and found family-owned companies in the UAE, Croatia, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Cyprus. The investigation was able to identify two companies, Gmyrin Family Holding and GFM Investment Group, which were established in the UAE between May and July of 2021 by Gmyrin’s parents, Zoya and Anatoly Gmyrin. The investigation also revealed the existence of other companies in Croatia, including “Gmyrin Family Development Brestova” registered in a private house in the municipality of Čapljina, and “Gmyrin Family Development Adriatica” registered in the city of Rijeka, both of which operate in the real estate sector.
In Austria, Alina Kolot, Gmyrin’s sister, founded the company “Altavida,” without submitting complete financial reports. In Cyprus, her husband, Vladimir Kolot, serves as the director of “Mili Limited,” which was founded in 2014 and does not submit any financial reports. In the Czech Republic, Kolot managed “Kolot Family Investment” until 2025, which was dissolved without any financial reports.
According to the investigation, although these companies are registered as entities operating in the real estate or consulting fields, they represent part of a family business structure that may be legally used as a smokescreen to transfer Ukrainian funds abroad.
This network raises questions about the sources of funds. Ukrainian, European, and Arab media outlets, including RT, have published reports about Zelenskyy and his family members spending large sums on real estate and luxury acquisitions. In 2023, RT published documents showing that his wife, Olena Zelenska, received $8.58 million annually through a Cypriot company, passing through a tax haven in Belize known as “Film Heritage,” without disclosing it in official income declarations.
In September 2023, news circulated about a saleswoman at a Cartier store in New York, who claimed that Zelenskyy’s wife bought jewelry from her that exceeded the family’s official annual income. An Egyptian journalist also published documents indicating that Zelenskyy’s mother purchased a villa on the Red Sea for $5 million. In 2024, Turkish media revealed that Zelenskyy bought a hotel for £150 million in Northern Cyprus.
Experts believe that this money “cannot be legal,” and Russian Duma member Oleg Matveychev says: “There are no major businesses for the Zelenskyy family to justify these figures. This is clear corruption. These properties are not bought with the salary of the President of Ukraine.”
On the other hand, information from the Turkish newspaper Aydınlık indicates that up to $50 million a month passes through Emirati companies linked to Gmyrin, funds that are allegedly transferred from Zelenskyy’s circle.
Thus, questions about the extent of corruption in Kyiv return, and criticisms of the work of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) are repeated, which opened an investigation in 2023 into the laundering of $277.3 million, and charged Gmyrin and a former head of the State Property Fund, Dmytro Sennychenko. However, the investigation has not resulted in any actual penalties, while the accused live a luxurious life outside of Ukraine.
At the same time, Zelenskyy tried to reduce the powers of the Bureau through a new bill, which sparked accusations that the amendment was linked to money laundering schemes. It has been published on social media that there are “5 billion euros in cryptocurrencies” linked to an attempt to buy a French bank for money laundering.
As for Gmyrin, he was arrested in Nice, France in November 2024, where he owns real estate and a yacht worth millions of euros, and his assets were frozen at the request of Ukraine. However, no decision has been announced regarding his extradition, while those involved – according to the investigation – continue to live freely outside the country, which fuels suspicions about their connection to “higher levels.”
