Titanium ores are returned to the country. The Ukrainian government revokes the oligarch's license

The Ukrainian government has withdrawn licenses for the exploitation of three titanium ore deposits linked to the sanctioned businessman Dmytry Firtash and intends to put them up for auction again, the head of the Ukrainian government, Yulia Svyrydenko, said on Tuesday.

“The government has restored strategic natural resources to the state. Special permits for the use of the Malyshevsky deposit in the Dnipropetrovsk region, as well as the Valky-Hatsky and Mezhyrich fields in the Zhytomyr region have been canceled taking into account the sanctions applied to the ultimate beneficial owner, Dmytro Firtash,” she said on social media platforms.

Svyrydenko explained that these deposits have been included in the list of areas for which special permits can be granted through transparent electronic auctions.

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This opens the possibility of attracting reliable investors and developing mining on competitive and open principles, she emphasized.

The resources are intended to contribute to Ukraine's security

She also informed that the State Service of Geology and Mineral Resources of Ukraine is inspecting the so-called “dormant” special permits for the use of strategic minerals. There are 38 licenses in total.

“Strategic minerals are a resource for economic development and state security. They should work for Ukraine: create jobs, attract investments and develop thanks to fair competition and transparent rules for business,” Svyrydenko said.

Dmytro Firtash – from an influential businessman to problems with extradition

Firtash, one of the most influential Ukrainian oligarchs, was detained in March 2014 in Vienna at the request of the American authorities, but was soon released on bail of EUR 125 million.

The oligarch, who invested in the gas industry in Ukraine, accumulated enormous wealth during the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych (2010-2014). In the past, he financed Yanukovych's Party of Regions, but later distanced himself from the politician, who was overthrown in February 2014.

In December 2024, the court of appeals in Vienna blocked the extradition of Firtash, who was found guilty of bribery in the United States. According to the court, this is a final decision that is not subject to appeal.

In 2013, Firtash was found guilty of paying bribes worth many millions of dollars to the Indian authorities in exchange for the right to exploit titanium deposits in that country. The oligarch denied the allegations.

In April 2015, a lower court rejected the US authorities' request for his extradition, finding that the evidence presented by US law enforcement agencies was insufficient and considering the request for Firtash's extradition to be politically motivated. In February 2017, the Vienna Higher Regional Court ruled that his extradition to the US was possible, and in May 2019, the Supreme Court upheld this decision. However, because the defense lawyers filed an application to reopen the court proceedings, which had to be considered, Firtash remained in Austria.

From Kiev Jarosław Junko (PAP)

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