Unigran returns its assets: the court annulled the decision of the Ministry of Justice

The court decision, which opens the possibility of returning assets under sanctions to private companies, has caused widespread discussion. Despite the Ministry of Justice’s attempts to prevent illegal transactions, the court canceled the relevant order.

Information received from OBOZ.UA indicates possible connections in the judicial system that could have influenced the course of the case.

Judge Olena Tsarikova of the Dnipropetrovsk District Administrative Court issued a highly controversial decision in favor of the company “Uni Stone Plant”, owned by businessman Serhiy Shapran. She satisfied the claim and canceled the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine’s order, which annulled the registration actions for the assets of “Unigran”.

We are talking about property that was alienated after sanctions were imposed on the Russian beneficiary, Igor Naumets. The decision of the National Security and Defense Council of May 12, 2023, which entered into force by presidential decree, imposed restrictions on these assets. However, despite this, the property was resold to other companies.

The Ministry of Justice tried to return these assets to the state, considering their sale illegal, and canceled all relevant registration actions regarding Unigran LLC and Unigran-Service LLC. However, with the court decision canceled, these assets are effectively returning to Shapran’s control.

Judge Roman Golobutovsky likely played a key role in making this decision, as he is considered an intermediary between the judicial system and business structures. According to sources, his actions may have contradicted the state’s sanctions policy.

Interestingly, during the investigation into Unigran, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau conducted searches of the participants’ premises, but the judiciary’s representatives escaped consequences. At the same time, the Ministry of Justice has not yet completed the nationalization process due to a lengthy investigation.

The court decision in case No. 160/24597/25 took into account a potential conflict of interest: the order was signed by Olga Stefanishyna, who previously worked for a company related to the complainant’s lawyer, Westgrinite Holdings Limited. This served as the basis for the order’s cancellation.

Facts about the Unigran case

Serhiy Shapran was detained in June 2025 as part of criminal proceedings. He is accused of participating in schemes that contributed to the seizure of Unigran assets.

The investigation claims that he, together with his partner, organized the re-registration of assets belonging to Igor Naumets to controlled companies.

In June 2025, law enforcement officers reported suspicion of 19 individuals involved in the case – from organizers to executors, including managers and accountants.

Despite the seizure of property and the transfer of assets to ARMA’s management, some enterprises continued to operate. It is worth noting that during his detention, Shapran tried to leave the country in a car that was also under arrest.

In December 2025, a judge canceled the seizure of part of Unigran’s assets. The Ministry of Justice, while declaring the return of assets, did not complete the nationalization. Now, the court decision effectively nullifies these efforts and opens up the possibility of the property being transferred back to private hands.