The company LLC "Ukr Armo Tech," known as the manufacturer of Gyurza armored vehicles, is mentioned in a criminal case regarding obstruction of the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
This became known from the criminal case of the Main Investigative Department of the SSU No. 22025000000000468 under Part 1 of Article 114-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The case involves the director of "Ukr Armo Tech," their deputies, and related individuals from LLC "Tactical Technology." The company "Ukr Armo Tech" (ukrarmo.tech) is a Kyiv-based manufacturer of GYURZA 01/02 and TISA armored vehicles, which are supplied to the State Enterprise "Defence Procurement Agency" of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service, the National Guard of Ukraine, and the National Police. According to investigators, the company’s management organized a scheme to embezzle budget funds.
Overpricing of base vehicles: since December 2024, civilian Toyota Land Cruiser 79 single cab 4.2L (136 hp, payload 1 ton) were purchased in the UAE for $35,600 per unit. Through Czech intermediary companies (STAR INVESTMENT CZ WEST S.R.O. and PRODUCTIVITY INVESTMENT A.S.), the price increased to $59,000.
From April to May, 78 vehicles were imported for a total of $4.6 million, although their actual cost in the UAE was up to $2.7 million (a difference of approximately $1.9 million).
Market price of Toyota LC79 single cab in the UAE/region for 2025: $53,000–$55,000 for base diesel versions (4.2L or similar).
After armoring (additional >2 tons of armor + weaponry), the TISA vehicles demonstrated low power: poor dynamics, transmission failures, and issues on off-road terrain. The company attempted to retrofit the engines with turbochargers, but without success.
Additionally, in collusion with "Tactical Technology" (tactech.world, manufacturer of Morok-5 electronic warfare systems), GYURZA/TISA vehicles were equipped with electronic warfare systems made of cheap components at prices twice the market value.
Profits exceeded 25% (in violation of Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1275). Testing of Morok-5 showed that the device does not suppress FPV drones and is unsuitable for combat conditions.
Last year, the media reported that the State Border Guard Service might have purchased 50 GYURZA armored vehicles from "Ukr Armo Tech." This fact piqued the interest of journalists, as, according to media reports, the UAT-DGYURZA armored vehicle based on the Dodge RAM 5500 pickup was only developed in 2023, and as of April of the year before last, it existed only as a concept, with no mention of serial production. The State Border Guard Service itself classified information about the state procurement as "secret."
As part of the investigation, searches were conducted, during which the following were seized: $130,000 in cash found with the deputy director Hennadiy Khirhiy; two iPhone 16 Pro devices and a notebook with draft notes. These items have been recognized as material evidence, while another $40,000 remains unarrested for now. A computer-technical examination of the seized devices is currently underway, the results of which may serve as grounds for an indictment.
Among potential new suspects, sources mention the former chief accountant of LLC "UAT," Nataliya Pryputen.
The manufacturer of Gyurza armored vehicles is suspected of price gouging and obstructing the activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
"Ukr Armo Tech" was established in August 2022, and among its historical co-founders are Mykhailo Semiletkin, Illya Mazhenkov, Vadym Omelchenko, Serhiy Zaychykov, and PJSC "KZVV," whose ultimate beneficiary is former MP Maksym Yefimov. By May 2025, most of them had exited the list of founders, leaving Zaychykov as the sole owner.
Interestingly, Semiletkin, one of the company’s founders, according to media reports, simultaneously managed production at the Dubai-based company Inkas Vehicle LLC, a manufacturer of armored vehicles founded in 2012 and well-known in Middle Eastern countries. The head office of the parent company, Inkas Group, is located in the tax-free DMCC zone in the picturesque Jumeirah Lake Towers district.
Its owner, Ulugbekkhon Maksumov, is known for his pro-Russian stance – in particular, in 2016, he organized a Victory Day celebration in Dubai with St. George ribbons and concerts by Russian performers. Inkas Vehicle also sponsored the National Day of the Russian Federation in Abu Dhabi, and Maksumov personally received an award from the Russian ambassador to the UAE as a token of gratitude.
Thus, a Ukrainian company supplying armored vehicles to security forces during the war may have indirect ties to an offshore business sympathetic to the Russian Federation.
The manufacturer of Gyurza armored vehicles is suspected of price gouging and obstructing the activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine