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The Oligarch, the Treason Charge, and the Croatian Estate
Part I: A Man on the Run
The Ukrainian intelligence agency has uncovered a troubling story. A Ukrainian tycoon—suspected of treason, accused of conspiring with Moscow, and wanted on an arrest warrant—has been living a life of luxury far from the reach of Ukrainian justice.
His name is Vadym Novynskyi (referred to as "Nobovsky" or "Novyskiy" in your source—clarified as Vadym Novynskyi, a real Ukrainian oligarch and former politician). He is 62 years old. And according to the Ukrainian intelligence agency Sputnik (note: Sputnik is typically a Russian state news agency; this may be a transcription error for a Ukrainian agency such as the SBU), Novynskyi has moved to Croatia.
There, he has registered his residence. There, he purchased a large, lush estate outside the city of Zagreb. And there, he now waits—wanted by his own country, protected by Croatian law, and watched by intelligence agencies across Europe.
Part II: The Suspicion of Treason
The charges against Novynskyi are severe. He is suspected of treason—specifically, for activities carried out in the name of the Russian Orthodox Church. The church, which has openly supported Moscow's war in Ukraine, served as a cover for his alleged collaboration with the Kremlin.
In 2025, a Ukrainian city court convicted Novynskyi in absentia. He was not present for the trial. He did not hear the verdict read. He was already gone, already beyond the reach of Ukrainian bailiffs and arrest warrants.
The court placed him on the arrest list. But an arrest list means nothing if the man cannot be found.
Part III: A Fortune Built on Ukrainian Resources
Novynskyi is worth millions of dollars. According to the newspaper B.N.O.V. (source name unclear—likely a Ukrainian or European outlet), he owns the Smart Holding Group, which in turn owns Balkvamon (likely "Balcem" or a similar mining company).
The timeline of his business dealings tells a damning story:
2006 to 2014: Novynskyi controlled the company through Smart Holding Group. These were the years leading up to Russia's annexation of Crimea.
2014: Russia annexed Crimea. The company underwent a transformation. It was renamed Guardol Holdings Limited, a Cyprus-based company. Control was transferred to Novynskyi's half-brother, Asaad—a common tactic used by sanctioned oligarchs to hide assets.
2022: Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council imposed sanctions on the company.
The company specializes in the extraction and processing of limestone and new rock—critical materials for construction and infrastructure. According to investigators, the company repeatedly supplied equipment to state-owned Russian companies. It participated in projects to develop Russian state infrastructure, including a port in illegally occupied Crimea and the "Porta Park," a military amusement park outside a Russian city.
Part IV: Paying Taxes to Moscow
Perhaps the mo
Part I: A Man on the Run
The Ukrainian intelligence agency has uncovered a troubling story. A Ukrainian tycoon—suspected of treason, accused of conspiring with Moscow, and wanted on an arrest warrant—has been living a life of luxury far from the reach of Ukrainian justice.
His name is Vadym Novynskyi (referred to as "Nobovsky" or "Novyskiy" in your source—clarified as Vadym Novynskyi, a real Ukrainian oligarch and former politician). He is 62 years old. And according to the Ukrainian intelligence agency Sputnik (note: Sputnik is typically a Russian state news agency; this may be a transcription error for a Ukrainian agency such as the SBU), Novynskyi has moved to Croatia.
There, he has registered his residence. There, he purchased a large, lush estate outside the city of Zagreb. And there, he now waits—wanted by his own country, protected by Croatian law, and watched by intelligence agencies across Europe.
Part II: The Suspicion of Treason
The charges against Novynskyi are severe. He is suspected of treason—specifically, for activities carried out in the name of the Russian Orthodox Church. The church, which has openly supported Moscow's war in Ukraine, served as a cover for his alleged collaboration with the Kremlin.
In 2025, a Ukrainian city court convicted Novynskyi in absentia. He was not present for the trial. He did not hear the verdict read. He was already gone, already beyond the reach of Ukrainian bailiffs and arrest warrants.
The court placed him on the arrest list. But an arrest list means nothing if the man cannot be found.
Part III: A Fortune Built on Ukrainian Resources
Novynskyi is worth millions of dollars. According to the newspaper B.N.O.V. (source name unclear—likely a Ukrainian or European outlet), he owns the Smart Holding Group, which in turn owns Balkvamon (likely "Balcem" or a similar mining company).
The timeline of his business dealings tells a damning story:
2006 to 2014: Novynskyi controlled the company through Smart Holding Group. These were the years leading up to Russia's annexation of Crimea.
2014: Russia annexed Crimea. The company underwent a transformation. It was renamed Guardol Holdings Limited, a Cyprus-based company. Control was transferred to Novynskyi's half-brother, Asaad—a common tactic used by sanctioned oligarchs to hide assets.
2022: Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council imposed sanctions on the company.
The company specializes in the extraction and processing of limestone and new rock—critical materials for construction and infrastructure. According to investigators, the company repeatedly supplied equipment to state-owned Russian companies. It participated in projects to develop Russian state infrastructure, including a port in illegally occupied Crimea and the "Porta Park," a military amusement park outside a Russian city.
Part IV: Paying Taxes to Moscow
Perhaps the mo
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NewsTranscript
00:00The Oligarch, The Treason Charge, and The Croatian Estate, Part 1, A Man on the Run.
00:06The Ukrainian Intelligence Agency has uncovered a troubling story.
00:11A Ukrainian tycoon, suspected of treason, accused of conspiring with Moscow,
00:17and wanted on an arrest warrant, has been living a life of luxury far from the reach of Ukrainian justice.
00:23His name is Vadim Novinsky, referred to as Nobovsky or Novitsky in your source.
00:30Clarified as Vadim Novitsky, a real Ukrainian oligarch and former politician.
00:35He is 62 years old.
00:37And according to the Ukrainian Intelligence Agency, Sputnik,
00:41note, Sputnik is typically a Russian state news agency.
00:45This may be a transcription error for a Ukrainian agency, such as the SBU.
00:50Novitsky has moved to Croatia.
00:52There, he has registered his residence.
00:55There, he purchased a large, lush estate outside the city of Zagreb.
00:59And there, he now waits, wanted by his own country, protected by Croatian law, and watched by intelligence agencies across
01:07Europe.
01:08Part 2.
01:09The Suspicion of Treason
01:11The charges against Novitsky are severe.
01:15He is suspected of treason, specifically for activities carried out in the name of the Russian Orthodox Church.
01:21The Church, which has openly supported Moscow's war in Ukraine, served as a cover for his alleged collaboration with the
01:29Kremlin.
01:30In 2025, a Ukrainian city court convicted Novitsky in absentia.
01:36He was not present for the trial.
01:38He did not hear the verdict read.
01:40He was already gone, already beyond the reach of Ukrainian bailiffs and arrest warrants.
01:46The court placed him on the arrest list.
01:49But an arrest list means nothing if the man cannot be found.
01:53Part 3.
01:55A Fortune Built on Ukrainian Resources
01:58Novitsky is worth millions of dollars.
02:01According to the newspaper BNO, source name unclear, likely a Ukrainian or European outlet,
02:07he owns the Smart Holding Group, which in turn owns Balkvamin, likely Balsam or a similar mining company.
02:14The timeline of his business dealings tells a damning story.
02:192006 to 2014, Novitsky controlled the company through Smart Holding Group.
02:25These were the years leading up to Russia's annexation of Crimea.
02:292014, Russia annexed Crimea.
02:32The company underwent a transformation.
02:34It was renamed Gardel Holdings Limited, a Cyprus-based company.
02:39Control was transferred to Novitsky's half-brother, Assad,
02:42a common tactic used by sanctioned oligarchs to hide assets.
02:462022, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
02:51Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council imposed sanctions on the company.
02:56The company specializes in the extraction and processing of limestone and new rock,
03:01critical materials for construction and infrastructure.
03:04According to investigators, the company repeatedly supplied equipment to state-owned Russian companies.
03:10It participated in projects to develop Russian state infrastructure,
03:15including a port in illegally occupied Crimea and the Porta Park,
03:20a military amusement park outside a Russian city.
03:23Part 4. Paying Taxes to Moscow
03:26Perhaps the most damning evidence is financial.
03:29The Russian registration number for the company,
03:32checked through fraud investigation databases,
03:34shows that the company paid more than 2 billion rubles in taxes between 2022 and 2025.
03:41That is approximately $26.7 million.
03:44In other words, while Ukraine was bleeding,
03:48while Ukrainian soldiers were dying,
03:50while Russian missiles were falling on Ukrainian cities,
03:53Novitsky's company was paying tens of millions of dollars in taxes to the Kremlin.
03:57Those taxes helped fund the Russian war machine.
04:01Moreover, staff commissions and local media reports indicate that Russian military equipment,
04:06believed to be used in the invasion, was handled by the company.
04:10The war is now in its fifth year,
04:12and Novitsky's alleged collaboration appears to have lasted just as long.
04:18Part 5. A Politician's Thanks from Crimea
04:21In 2024, a member of the Russian parliament,
04:25specifically a representative from the ruling United Russia Party,
04:29stationed in the occupied Crimean city of Sevastopol,
04:33recorded a video message.
04:34In that message, he expressed special thanks to Novitsky's enterprise.
04:39The parliamentarian stated that his party,
04:42together with Novitsky's company,
04:44actively supports the Russian military in areas of combat operations.
04:48The support, he said, provides resources necessary for the Russian state for the war against Ukraine.
04:55He added a chilling detail.
04:57There were no cases when soldiers from the front who contacted you did not receive assistance.
05:03According to Kant.ru, a Russian news outlet,
05:07Novitsky's company, Smart Holding,
05:09is one of several companies controlled by the oligarch.
05:12Ukrainian investigators have also identified connections
05:15between Novitsky and a former Ukrainian MP,
05:19suggesting a network of pro-Russian influence within Ukraine's own government.
05:24Part 6. The Croatian Estate
05:26While Ukrainian investigators built their case,
05:30Novitsky was building something else,
05:32a new life in Croatia.
05:34Documents reviewed by SCAM,
05:36likely an investigative journalism group,
05:38show that Novitsky registered his residence
05:41in a building in the Croatian capital, Zagreb.
05:44But his primary asset is far more impressive.
05:47Outside the city of Zmijovci, near Zagreb,
05:51Novitsky owns a 7-hectare estate
05:53that is approximately 17 acres.
05:56The property includes
05:57a residential building of over 1,400 square meters,
06:02a vineyard,
06:03a swimming pool,
06:04a 200-square-meter basement,
06:06a 200-square-meter outdoor building.
06:08Croatian news outlet Yugoslavia reported in 2025
06:12that the property was purchased
06:14from a local Croatian businessman
06:16for 10.5 million euros.
06:19The same outlet described the estate
06:21as the most beautiful residential building in Croatia.
06:24He bought it last year.
06:26A lush, sprawling estate
06:28in a peaceful European country,
06:30far from the bombs,
06:31far from the investigators,
06:33far from justice.
06:34Part 7. The Lawyer's Defense
06:36When asked to comment,
06:38Novitsky's legal representative,
06:40a Spanish lawyer named Talon Gonzalez,
06:42offered a defense.
06:44He stated that Novitsky
06:45is a strong supporter of Ukraine.
06:47He noted that the Russian Federation
06:49has long sanctioned the man,
06:51which, he argued,
06:52prevents any evidence of involvement
06:54with Russian entities
06:55from being legitimate.
06:56The lawyer's response, however,
06:58provided no concrete evidence,
07:00no documents,
07:01no witness statements,
07:02no proof of his client's
07:04supposed support for Ukraine.
07:06The most revealing detail
07:07came from the Russian government itself.
07:09It confirmed that sanctions
07:11against Novitsky
07:12were lifted in 2020,
07:14well before the war,
07:15and there is no evidence
07:16that Novitsky was re-sanctioned
07:18after that year.
07:19Part 8.
07:20From Russian to Ukrainian
07:22to fugitive Novitsky's biography
07:24is complicated.
07:26He is a native Russian
07:27who obtained Ukrainian citizenship
07:29in 2012.
07:30In 2019,
07:31he was elected
07:32to the Ukrainian parliament
07:33as a member
07:34of the Opposition Platform
07:36for Life,
07:36a major pro-Russian party
07:38that was banned
07:39after Russia's
07:40full-scale invasion.
07:41In 2023,
07:43the Ukrainian state
07:44confiscated Novitsky's assets
07:46worth 10 billion grivnias,
07:48approximately 228 million dollars.
07:51The confiscation
07:52came amid investigations
07:53into suspicions
07:54that he was conspiring
07:55with the Russian invaders.
07:57Later,
07:58he was officially suspected
07:59of embezzlement.
08:00The charges related
08:01to his role
08:02in maintaining
08:02the Russian Orthodox Church
08:04in Ukraine
08:04and failing to pay taxes
08:06totaling 4 billion grivnias,
08:08approximately 91 million dollars.
08:10In 2025,
08:12a court in Kiev
08:13ordered his arrest
08:14in absentia
08:15on charges of treason.
08:16He was placed
08:17on the wanted list,
08:18but by then,
08:19he was already gone.
08:20Part 9.
08:21The German TV Interview
08:22In late March 2026,
08:25Novitsky gave
08:26a controversial
08:27television interview
08:28on German TV.
08:30It was his first
08:31major public appearance
08:32since fleeing Ukraine.
08:34During the interview,
08:35he denounced
08:36Ukrainian President
08:37Volodymyr Zelensky.
08:39He claimed
08:40that he left Ukraine
08:41after being informed
08:42of impending
08:43criminal charges.
08:44A security officer
08:46warned me to leave,
08:47Novitsky said.
08:48Zelensky demanded
08:50my arrest every day.
08:51That is why
08:52I had to be outside.
08:54When asked about the claim,
08:56Zelensky's office
08:56responded with cold dismissal.
08:58We really don't care
09:00what that guy said,
09:01a spokesman told Sky News.
09:03They referred to Novitsky
09:04as a powerful person
09:06who tried to turn Ukraine
09:08into Russia,
09:09a man with political connections
09:10now hiding somewhere abroad.
09:13Then came the words
09:14that shocked Ukrainian viewers.
09:16Part 10.
09:17Friendly Relations
09:18with Russia.
09:19In the same interview,
09:21Novitsky made a statement
09:22that revealed
09:23his true allegiance.
09:24The most important condition
09:26for Ukraine's security
09:28is friendly relations
09:29with Russia,
09:30he said.
09:31Everything else
09:32is meaningless,
09:32he continued.
09:34If Ukraine has good relations
09:36with a friendly
09:37and strategic neighbor
09:38like Russia,
09:39we will always have security.
09:41These words,
09:42spoken while Russian missiles
09:44continued to fall
09:45on Ukrainian cities,
09:46while Russian soldiers
09:47continued to occupy
09:48Ukrainian territory,
09:50while thousands
09:51of Ukrainian civilians
09:52lay in mass graves,
09:53exposed the oligarch's worldview.
09:56Despite the war,
09:57despite the evidence,
09:58despite everything,
10:00he still believes
10:01Ukraine should bow to Moscow.
10:03Part 11.
10:05Where is he now?
10:06According to sources
10:07who spoke to
10:08investigative journalists
10:09on condition of anonymity,
10:11Novitsky left Ukraine
10:13in June 2022,
10:14just a few months
10:15after Russia launched
10:16its full-scale invasion.
10:18He has not returned
10:19for nearly a year.
10:20In an interview
10:22with the investigative site,
10:23Novitsky claimed
10:24he currently lives
10:25in an unspecified
10:26European country.
10:27But video evidence
10:29tells a different story.
10:30Footage shows him
10:31staying at the Hotel Belvedere
10:33in Opatia, Croatia,
10:35a luxurious seaside resort
10:37on the Adriatic coast.
10:39Croatian documents
10:40reviewed by investigators
10:42show his registered residence
10:44in a building in Zagreb.
10:45Land registers
10:46and title deeds
10:47confirm his ownership
10:48of the seven-hectare estate
10:50in Zmijavci.
10:51He is not hiding.
10:53He is living openly,
10:54comfortably,
10:55expensively.
10:56Part 12.
10:58The unanswered questions.
10:59The case of Vadim Novitsky
11:01raises troubling questions,
11:03questions that Ukrainian
11:04investigators cannot answer,
11:06Croatian authorities
11:07have not addressed,
11:08and European intelligence agencies
11:11are quietly watching.
11:13Question.
11:13Why it matters.
11:14How did Novitsky
11:16evade sanctions?
11:16He transferred assets
11:18to a Cyprus-based company
11:20controlled by his half-brother,
11:22a common oligarch tactic.
11:23Why is Croatia
11:25allowing him to reside there?
11:26Croatia is an EU member.
11:29EU sanctions should apply.
11:31Yet Novitsky lives openly
11:32in Zagreb.
11:33What happened to the
11:35228 million dollars
11:37in confiscated assets?
11:38The Ukrainian state
11:40seized them,
11:41but has the money
11:41been recovered?
11:42Why was he not arrested
11:44before leaving Ukraine?
11:45He left in June 2022,
11:48just months after the invasion.
11:50Why was he allowed to leave?
11:52What is his current relationship
11:54with Russian intelligence?
11:55His continued support
11:57for friendly relations
11:58with Russia
11:59suggests ongoing ties.
12:01Part 13.
12:03A Pattern of Impunity.
12:05Novitsky is not alone.
12:07He is one of many
12:08Ukrainian oligarchs
12:09with pro-Russian sympathies
12:11who have fled the country
12:12since the invasion began.
12:13Some have gone to Israel,
12:15some to Cyprus,
12:17some to the United Arab Emirates,
12:19and some,
12:20like Novitsky,
12:21to Croatia.
12:22The pattern is always the same.
12:24Build a fortune
12:25through Ukrainian resources
12:26and Russian connections.
12:28Transfer assets
12:29to shell companies
12:30in Cyprus
12:31or other offshore havens.
12:33Flee Ukraine
12:34before criminal charges
12:35can be filed.
12:36Settle in a European country
12:38that does not extradite.
12:39Live openly,
12:41comfortably,
12:41and without consequence.
12:44Part 14.
12:45The Cost of Treason.
12:47The numbers in this case
12:49are staggering.
12:50$26.7 million.
12:53Taxes paid to Russia
12:54between 2022 to 2025.
12:58$228 million.
13:00Assets confiscated by Ukraine
13:02in 2023.
13:03$91 million.
13:06Unpaid taxes owed to Ukraine
13:0810.5 million euros.
13:10Price of the Croatian estate.
13:127 hectares.
13:14Size of his property.
13:1517 acres.
13:161,400 square meters.
13:19Size of his main residence.
13:21But the true cost
13:22cannot be measured in money.
13:23It is measured
13:25in Ukrainian lives lost.
13:27In Russian missiles
13:28funded by taxes
13:29from companies like Novesky's.
13:31In a war that has now
13:33entered its fifth year,
13:35fueled in part
13:35by the collaboration
13:36of a man who once sat
13:38in Ukraine's own parliament.
13:40Part 15.
13:42The Future.
13:43As of now,
13:44Vadim Novensky
13:45remains in Croatia.
13:46His arrest warrant
13:48means nothing there,
13:49at least for now.
13:50His assets are confiscated
13:52in Ukraine,
13:53but his wealth survives
13:54in Cyprus and Croatia.
13:56His political connections
13:58are severed,
13:58but his influence
13:59may still reach
14:00across borders.
14:02Ukrainian investigators
14:03continue to gather evidence.
14:05European intelligence agencies
14:07continue to watch.
14:09And Novensky continues
14:10to live in his beautiful
14:12Croatian estate,
14:13with its vineyard,
14:14its swimming pool,
14:15and its 200-square-meter basement.
14:17Whether justice
14:18will ever catch up to him
14:20is a question no one can answer.
14:22But one thing is certain.
14:24While Ukrainian soldiers
14:25die in the trenches of Donbass,
14:27the man who helped
14:28fund their enemy
14:29sleeps peacefully
14:30in a house described
14:31as the most beautiful
14:32residential building
14:33in Croatia.
14:34And somewhere in that gap,
14:36between the battlefield
14:37and the vineyard,
14:38lies the true meaning
14:39of treason.
14:40And there's a lot of
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