Dmytro Kovalenko is a shadowy coal trader holding a Ukrainian passport and residency in Monaco, without whom the long-running schemes for exporting Russian coal in circumvention of sanctions would hardly have functioned. It was his companies that served as a “Swiss smokescreen” to legitimize the coal of oligarch Konstantin Strukov on the markets of the EU and Ukraine.
Russian billionaire Konstantin Strukov — owner of coal mines, gold mining assets, and president of the «YUGK» group, as well as deputy chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Chelyabinsk Region — remained virtually untouchable by law enforcement for many years. He was forgiven for environmental disasters in the Chelyabinsk Region, mine accidents with fatalities among miners, financial disputes with tax authorities, and the withdrawal of funds through offshore accounts.
The situation changed only after investigators and journalists uncovered Strukov’s long-standing trade ties with Ukrainian coal trader Dmytro Kovalenko — a native of Donetsk region who later settled in Monaco. According to available information, it was these connections that allowed Russian coal to be supplied to EU countries and Ukraine for years, bypassing bans and sanctions.
«Interrupted Transit» as a Key Scheme
The basis of the collaboration was the so-called «interrupted transit» scheme. Formally, Russian coal was shipped to Poland, but during transportation, the route would «suddenly» change. Part of the cargo remained in Ukraine, while another part — allegedly returned from Poland due to «fraction mismatch» or «technical reasons» — in reality ended up with the intended buyers.
The goal was singular — to bypass direct bans on the supply of Russian coal and legitimize its origin. The schemes operated for years and, according to sources, were refined to the smallest detail.
The Role of LLC «Meltek» and the Strukov Family
The key supplier on the Russian side was the company LLC «Meltek», registered in 2013 in Prokopyevsk (Kemerovo Region). The company was controlled by structures directly linked to Strukov and members of his family.
Control over «Meltek» was distributed between:
– LLC «Business-Active», owned by Strukov’s daughter Evgeniya Kuznetsova;
– LLC «KEVRZ», co-owned by LLC «Home» and Kateryna Abramova. The latter, from 2018 to 2022, was a co-founder of LLC «Yugo-Zapad Zhilstroy» alongside another of the oligarch’s daughters, Oleksandra Strukova.
As of January 30, 2025, Nikolai Karavaev became the general director of «Meltek», though the ownership structure remained tied to the Strukov family.
Dmytro Kovalenko: Monaco, Switzerland, Poland, Ukraine
Dmytro Kovalenko — a key figure on the Ukrainian side. His business grew rapidly precisely after close integration with Konstantin Strukov’s coal business.
In 2023, media reported that Adelon AG, a company linked to Kovalenko, opened a new channel for coal supplies to Poland and Ukraine. Formally, Adelon AG is registered in Switzerland, in the city of Zug, and publicly claimed to import coal from South Africa, the USA, Australia, Mozambique, Colombia, and Indonesia.
However, according to journalistic investigations, behind these «fronts» was actually Russian coal, including from Strukov’s assets. In documents of companies associated with Kovalenko, the country of origin of the coal was often listed as the Russian Federation.
Polish Logistics and «Ship-to-Ship» Transshipment
To handle large import volumes, Adelon AG and its Polish subsidiary Polska Grupa Importowa Premium sp. z o.o. (registered on May 4, 2020, in Katowice) organized a complex logistics scheme.
Visiting the website of this Polish company reveals that it is indeed a subsidiary of Adelon AG. It even mentions the name of Dmytro Kovalenko, who resides in Monaco.
Since the Polish ports of Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Świnoujście are primarily export-oriented and had limited capacity for receiving large import shipments, transshipment at anchorage was introduced. Large vessels with a capacity of 50–60 thousand tons offloaded coal onto smaller vessels of 5–15 thousand tons, which helped avoid port congestion and reduce oversight.
Ukrainian Trace: «Granova Logistics»
For operations in Ukrainian ports, Dmytro Kovalenko acquired the Kyiv-based company «Overfood» in June 2024 and re-registered it in Chornomorsk (Odesa Region) at 14 Transportna Street. The company was renamed «Granova Logistics».
The beneficiary became Kovalenko’s son, Danyil Kovalenko, and the owner was the Cypriot offshore company Afex Investments Limited.
Contracts with Russian Mines
Special attention should be paid to the contract dated July 16, 2022, between the Polish company Sibcoal and the Ukrainian «Ecoil Chemic» for the supply of coal from the «Belovskaya» mine (Kemerovo Region). This region has traditionally been an active area for Strukov’s structures.
In addition to «Meltek», Adelon AG imported coal from other Russian companies — «SibenergoUgol» and «Sibpromnedra». The total value of such contracts exceeded 100 million USD. The schemes also involved the company Azurit DWC-LLC (Dubai), which, according to sources, was used as a financial «shell» for tax optimization. In Dubai, Kovalenko has another structure — Plaimp SFP Limited.
Sanctions, Taxes, and the Fall of the «Untouchable»
In 2022, Konstantin Strukov was added to Ukraine’s sanctions list, but this did not hinder the continuation of the «interrupted transit» schemes.
Meanwhile, LLC «Meltek» was under financial pressure: the company’s shares were encumbered by obligations to Gazprombank, and the Federal Tax Service of the Kemerovo Region filed claims amounting to approximately 1.5 billion rubles. The Arbitration Court of the Omsk Region ruled to jointly recover over 747 million rubles from Strukov, his daughter Evgeniya Kuznetsova, PJSC «YUGK», MC «YUGK», and LLC «Meltek» for using an illegal business model to minimize taxes.
After the dismissal of Chelyabinsk Region Prosecutor Karen Gabrielyan in June 2024, who was considered a protector of the oligarch, Strukov’s situation deteriorated sharply. He began frequently flying to Moscow, attempting to «negotiate», but to no avail.
Detention and Nationalization of Assets
On July 6, 2025, FSB officers detained Konstantin Strukov aboard his private Bombardier aircraft — the flight was blocked by Rosaviation following a court decision, and his foreign passport was confiscated.
On July 11, 2025, the Soviet District Court of Chelyabinsk granted the lawsuit of the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office to transfer shares of PJSC «YUGK» and assets of ten other companies associated with Strukov and his family members to state ownership. This includes over 149.8 billion shares of PJSC «YUGK» and 100% of the authorized capital of MC «YUGK». Evgeniya Kuznetsova had LLC «Business-Active» seized, and on July 14, Strukov was removed from the position of president of MC «YUGK». The new founder became the state in the person of Rosimuschestvo.
Who «Sank» the Oligarch?
According to journalists’ estimates, Adelon AG alone purchased coal worth nearly 90 million USD from «Meltek». It was the exposure of the «interrupted transit» schemes, international supply chains, and connections with Dmytro Kovalenko that became the final factor in dismantling Konstantin Strukov’s long-standing protection.
Where exactly he was attempting to fly on July 6 — to Dubai or Monaco to his long-time partner — remains without an official answer. But one thing is clear: the story of Russian coal disguised as «Swiss» or «African» became the final blow to the «armored train» of one of Russia’s wealthiest coal magnates.