It is being reported that the Czech police are investigating a potential breach by Ramzan Kadyrov of the asset freeze imposed on him since his 2014 designation under the EU’s Russian sanctions.
It is alleged that a valuable thoroughbred horse was taken from Czechia, although the current whereabouts of the horse are unknown.
The owner had previously claimed that the horse had been stolen.
The investigation has involved support from authorities in Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Austria, and France.
Recent reporting on a Swiss judgment has thrown light on an ongoing criminal prosecution for alleged sanctions breaches being undertaken in Czechia.
The investigation resulted in the commencement of a criminal prosecution in August 2023 against Dmitry Kalantyrsky who is alleged to have dealt with a designated person’s frozen assets in 2015.
In October 2024 it was reported that the Czech Constitutional Court had dismissed a complaint brought against the prosecution, with the report noting that the allegations involve funds valued at approximately €4m, and that the designated person in question is alleged to be Arkady Rotenberg.
After press reporting by The Insider, into the acitivties of Czech companies allegedly exporting to Russia, it has now been reported that the Czech authorities are undertaking investigations into the companies.
The exports of machinery and duel-use goods (valued at more than €10m) are said to have largely gone through a range of third countries such as Estonia, Serbia, Turkey, and Latvia.
Confirmation of the investigations came from Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský and Minister of Industry and Trade Lukáš Vlček.
The companies under investigation are:
It is being reported that the Czech authorities have an unspecified number of ongoing investigations into Czech companies suspected of circumventing the EU’s Russian sanctions.
As per our earlier post from June 2023, it was then reported that Czechia had 40 ongoing investigations.
It is being reported (and here) that the Czech authorities have obtained a conviction of Vladimir Lihutin, a Czech national, for an attempt to export three luxury cars to Russia.
The sentence includes:
This is the first known conviction or fine imposed in Czechia for breaches of EU sanctions.
With the recent news that Finland has increased the number of its ongoing investigations, Europe (meaning the EU, the UK, Switzerland, etc) has reached the milestone of over 2,000 ongoing and public sanctions enforcement investigations being undertaken by regulators and prosecutors.
No doubt there are other investigations which are ongoing in the countries shown on the graph, and no doubt there are investigations ongoing in countries not shown and which remain confidential.
How many of these will be dropped due to inconclusive evidence or exculpatory evidence, and how many will lead to a conviction or fine or acquittal is impossible to say.
It is, without question, an unprecedented level of enforcement.
The National Anti-Terrorism Centre of Czechia has initiated an investigation into the activities of the Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International due to its subsidiary’s operations in Russia.
An earlier complaint against Raiffeisen Bank had been filed by the Association for Citizens’ and Entrepreneurs’ Rights.
Police have confirmed that the Anti-Terrorism Centre is conducting an investigation regarding the banking group. However, no further details were disclosed.
It has been reported that the Czech authorities are investigating the activities of Kovosvit MAS, which is suspected of shipping machinery to Russia via Turkey potentially in breach of EU sanctions.
It has been reported today that the Czech authorities are currently investigating the activities of the Czech company Labara. It is suspected that the company has been exporting machinery which can be used for the manufacture of weaponry to Russia via Turkey.
