Searches at Vyriy Industries: what is known about the investigative actions at the Ukrainian drone manufacturer
Oleksiy Babenko, the owner of the Ukrainian company Vyriy Industries, held a press conference after searches conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation at his place, his family members, and the company’s office. The company is engaged in the production of drones and was searched as part of investigative actions on the territory of Ukraine.
According to Babenko’s statements, the searches were conducted without an official court order, and the company was involved as a witness in the case. Despite the absence of a court decision, documents and personal belongings of employees, including phones, were seized during the searches. Babenko expressed his outrage at the lack of communication from the investigators and stated his intention to change the company’s internal security policy.
The businessman initially assumed that the searches might be related to competitive pressure, particularly from entrepreneur Seyar Kurshutov, but later rejected this version. Babenko suggested that the investigative actions were initiated due to the “petty interests” of some individuals. He noted that the company produces a significant portion of FPV drones in the country and seeks a peaceful resolution to the situation.
The State Bureau of Investigation, in its statement, presented a version of possible financial manipulations by the company related to overpricing of drones and the use of fictitious individuals to formalize dummy transactions. The investigation suspects that internal operations amounting to UAH 197 million might have been part of money legalization schemes.
Babenko denied the accusations, noting that the company’s prices are 20% lower than the market rates. According to the investigation, more than 150 individuals were identified who might have been participants in the scheme. They denied engaging in entrepreneurial activities and stated that their data were used without their knowledge.
The press conference also discussed possible links between the searches and Babenko’s activities as a co-owner of the publication “Babel”. The publishing house had previously released an investigation into the activities of the “Skelia” assault regiment. However, there is no evidence that the case of the searches is connected to the businessman’s media activities. At the same time, the connection with “Babel” did not influence the editorial policy of the publication.
Volunteer Maria Berlinska commented on the case, expressing hope that the situation would not become the beginning of systematic pressure on the drone manufacturing industry in Ukraine. She called for dialogue between law enforcement and companies, emphasizing the importance of the company’s technologies in the war.
| Date of search | July 7, 2026 |
| Number of searched locations | 40-70 |
| Volume of financial operations under investigation | over UAH 197 million |
| Number of suspected individual entrepreneurs | over 150 |
| Cash found | UAH 40 million |
