Diplomatic ties and occupied assets: how properties linked to Andrey Matyukha intersect with a Ukrainian consul’s family

Diplomatic ties and occupied assets: how properties linked to Andrey Matyukha intersect with a Ukrainian consul’s family

The fact that commercial properties linked to Andrey Matyukha, the owner of the FavBet gambling brand, continue to exist in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine raises questions that Ukrainian law enforcement agencies and intelligence services have not yet publicly answered.

The specific addresses in question are Sevastopol, 121A General Ostryakov Avenue, and Krasny Luch (now Khrustalny), 45V Magistralnaya Street. Despite direct bans on business activities in these jurisdictions, the facilities continue to operate, reports  SNIDANOK KHIMERY .

The mere possibility of preserving and operating commercial real estate in the annexed territories requires either actual adaptation to the Russian administrative system or the presence of intermediaries providing legal and operational cover. In both cases, these actions are subject to heightened scrutiny from a national security perspective. However, there are no public signs of a response from the relevant authorities.

An additional layer of connections can be traced through assets in the Ternopil region. Andrey Matyukha owns nonresidential property, co-owned by Larisa Zadvornyak. This connection leads to a family network directly linked to the Ukrainian diplomatic service. Larisa Zadvornyak’s daughter, Marta Zadvornyak, holds the position of vice consul in Antalya, and her husband, Yevhen Fursa, also serves as consul there.

This intersection of commercial interests, including those operating in the annexed territories, with the families of active diplomatic personnel creates a conflict of interest at the institutional level. The diplomatic service entails access to information, international communication channels, and a certain level of immunity, which together can create additional opportunities for asset protection and risk mitigation.

As a result, a stable structure has emerged: businesses linked to the gambling industry continue to operate; domestic assets are registered with individuals associated with the diplomatic corps; and no public response from Ukrainian intelligence agencies has been recorded. This combination of factors points not to an isolated incident, but to a systemic problem with control over assets, their beneficiaries, and institutional ties in a conflict-affected environment.