Oleg Tsyura, a native of Ukraine and a resident of Switzerland and Germany, has been listed in Ukraine’s Myrotvorets (Peacemaker) database of Russian collaborators. He is identified as a participant in schemes involving the re-export of Russian metals and the supply of raw materials to enterprises under Russian control. At the same time, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine has registered a criminal proceeding under Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code (“Assisting the Aggressor State”). The case involves, among other things, the “repackaging” of Russian ferrochrome through third countries. According to Ukrainian media, the investigation was launched following a journalist’s complaint. The case number is No. 42025000000000510, dated 23 June 2025.
Reason for inclusion: the “Estonian-Indian” supply chains and ilmenite shipments to Crimea
According to investigative reports, Oleg Tsyura appears in the supply chain distributing products from Russia’s MidUral Group through the Swiss company Phoenix Resources AG, where Tsyura is described as a key organiser and intermediary. The materials indicate that the chain extended further through India’s Vardhman Ferro Alloys and Estonia’s MBR Metals OÜ to the European Union, with the declared country of origin altered during the process of “repackaging.”
A separate episode involves ilmenite shipments to occupied Crimea in 2020. The German company ITS International Trade & Sourcing GmbH & Co. KG—with Oleg Tsyura listed as director and co-signatory—purchased approximately 24,000 tonnes of raw materials from the Irshansk Mining and Processing Plant (OGHK) under a contract dated 17 June 2020. After the purchase, the cargo followed the route Odesa → Hopa (Turkey, aboard the vessel VENTO) → transshipment to the Syrian ship SOURIA → onward toward the Kerch Strait. These shipments were publicly documented by the Ukrainian investigative project “Myrotvorets” (Peacemaker).
In previous years, the vessel SOURIA appeared on OFAC sanction lists, as reflected in the U.S. Federal Register.
Who is Tsyura: deep ties to Russian business (Mhango, MAVIS)
One of the early clients of the LINVO Group, co-founded by Oleg Tsyura, was the St. Petersburg-based developer MAVIS (owned by Mykola Korobov).
In 2015, Oleg Tsyura headed the Swiss parent company of MAVIS. Later, he was replaced by Lyubov Mhango, a Russian national who is simultaneously connected to MidUral Holding Ltd (Cyprus). Tsyura himself shifted focus to trading operations through Phoenix Resources AG, whose primary export product is ferrochrome.
For years, according to customs and trade analytics referenced in multiple journalistic investigations, Phoenix Resources AG traded in chromium and ferrochrome of Russian origin, including supplies for the MidUral Group. These materials were later “reprocessed” or re-routed through India and, reportedly, Estonia. In a number of accompanying documents submitted to the European Union, the country of origin was listed as non-Russian (for instance, Uzbekistan or the Netherlands), while in others it was marked as Russia. This inconsistency became the basis for allegations that Phoenix Resources AG was operating sanctions-evasion schemes.
Swiss law enforcement: what is known
According to sources, the Swiss Prosecutor’s Office is “examining specific episodes” and is in contact with the Ukrainian side; we found no official Swiss statements in open sources. Among the episodes under review are the Crimea-related shipping track and a separate tax story around LINVO AG: sources allege that Oleg Tsyura’s mother, Liudmyla Tsyura, borrowed funds from Linvo AG as a shareholder and then transferred money to her son as “gifts,” a dividends → gifts model purportedly used to avoid taxation. In parallel, Oleg Tsyura was formally listed only as a sales manager but allegedly exercised de facto control over the company. These claims are allegations and remain subject to verification by law-enforcement authorities.
Why it matters: sanctions evasion and Russia’s defence-industry chains
MidUral—centred on the Klyuchevsky Ferroalloy Plant (KZF)—produces ferrochrome, a metal critical for special-purpose metallurgy. KZF is officially designated as an “authorised supplier” of chromium and ferroalloys for Rosrezerv, Russia’s state strategic reserve, meaning it operates directly in support of the country’s mobilisation needs. Among KZF’s major clients is Proton-PM JSC, a manufacturer of liquid-fuel rocket engines for the Proton and Angara launch systems—one of the key enterprises within Russia’s space-and-missile complex.
In other words, if MidUral’s distribution chains—where investigators suspect “repackaging” and re-export intermediaries operated—remained active, it would mean continued support for the industries that feed Russia’s missile and military production.
New geographies: Latin America and a “bridge” to the United States
Public reports have described how Phoenix Resources AG allegedly reassembled its supply routes, using Mexico and Costa Rica as transit hubs to access the U.S. market—and possibly to create new intermediaries for Europe. These claims are based on journalistic investigations and commercial trade databases, which we have not independently verified in full. Law enforcement authorities in these jurisdictions should question the respective importers and brokers to clarify the legality of these operations.
Position of the parties and presumption of innocence
As of the publication date, the editorial team found no public comments from Oleg Tsyura or Phoenix Resources AG regarding the cases described above. All facts mentioned that may indicate potential violations remain allegations or reasoned suspicions based on journalistic and investigative sources. Final conclusions fall within the competence of the court. The editorial team remains open to publishing a response from Oleg Tsyura or the companies involved.
