MOSCOW - The Moscow City Court has upheld the seizure of a building in central Moscow belonging to Russian company Elite Holding as part of the in absentia prosecution of Ukrainian tycoon Ihor Kolomoisky, whom Russia has charged with the use of prohibited means of warfare.
An Interfax correspondent reported that the court had rejected an appeal from the company against the seizure of the building on Povarskaya Street.
According to information from the SPARK Interfax database, Kolomoisky holds a 25 percent stake in Elite Holding, the company has its registered headquarters on Povarskaya Street, and its core business is renting non-residential real estate.
An Elite Holding lawyer claimed in court that the seizure order, issued by a lower court, was based on unverified information provided by investigators.
She also said Kolomoisky ceased to be an Elite Holding shareholder six years ago, and that the company had acquired the building before Kolomoisky bought into the firm.
The lawyer said Elite Holding, which has been co-founded by Kolomoisky, is letting offices in the building, and that its seizure has practically stalled the company’s financial transactions and damaged its reputation.
She said, moreover, that the last time Elite Holding transferred money abroad was in March, and “so one can by no means claim that the rent from the offices has been used to finance illegal armed units.”
An investigator asked for Elite Holding’s appeal to be turned down. He said Russia accused Kolomoisky of serious crimes and financing armed criminal groups.
At the request of investigators, a court on Sept. 2 seized the building on Povarskaya Street and other Russian assets of Kolomoisky.
