"Double game" by Monomakh: Tea supplier to the Armed Forces of Ukraine suspected of aiding an aggressor state

"Double game" by Monomakh: Tea supplier to the Armed Forces of Ukraine suspected of aiding an aggressor state

One of the largest tea and coffee producers in Ukraine, the company "Monomakh," has found itself at the center of a scandal. Despite actively supplying products to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the SSU suspects its owners of aiding the aggressor state.

BiznesCenzor investigated how the company could simultaneously support Ukrainian military personnel and sell its products in Russia, as reported by Stopkor.

"Monomakh" — one of the oldest tea brands on the Ukrainian market. The company has been operating since the early 1990s and currently owns a powerful packaging factory in the village of Velyka Dymerka in the Kyiv region. Its products are manufactured under the brands Monomax, Lovare, Stefano, Ferarra, Tri Slona, and are also supplied to retail chains under private labels.

According to YouControl data, the main co-owners of the company are Bohdan Barabash (60%) and Taras Barabash (40%). Over the past few years, the company’s revenue has doubled — from 0.95 billion UAH in 2021 to 2.3 billion UAH in 2024.

Despite the war, after 2022, the company did not cease operations with Russia. According to the investigation, products were exported through Poland and Belarus before reaching the Russian market.

Searches, wanted list, criminal proceedings

On June 10, 2025, the SSU conducted searches in the offices of "Monomakh" and the residences of its employees. Co-owner of the company Taras Barabash was placed on the wanted list, and the accountant was notified of suspicion.

The investigation is being conducted under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — aiding the aggressor state. According to the SSU, after the start of the full-scale war, the organizers of the scheme created a supply chain for products: from Ukraine — to Poland, then — to Belarus, and finally — to the Russian market.

The central figure in the scheme is Oleksandr Leonov, the head of the export sales department at "Monomakh." In Poland, a company named Lovare Sp. z o. o. is registered under his name, and in Belarus — LLC "Natur Technologies," which holds the rights to the Lovare and Monomax brands in Russia.

According to investigators, the scheme allowed the company to bypass Ukrainian legislation, while products on Russian marketplaces were officially listed as manufactured in Ukraine or Belarus.

Despite the exposure, "Monomakh" continued active operations on the Ukrainian market. The company supplied products to major retail chains: ATB, METRO, Novus, Auchan, "Silpo," "Velyka Kyshenya." Brands such as "Svoia Liniia," "Rozumnyi Vybir," Aro, and Rioba were packaged at "Monomakh’s" facilities.

Although the company officially positions itself as a patriotic manufacturer that supports the Armed Forces of Ukraine and delivers products to the front lines, at the same time, its tea and coffee are sold in Russia.

Journalists discovered around 40 types of Lovare tea and Ferarra coffee on the websites Wildberries and Ozon. These marketplaces not only operate in Russia but also pay taxes to the aggressor’s budget. In particular, Ozon is linked to structures of oligarch Yuriy Kovalchuk, who is close to Putin.