When he became one of the first Ukrainians in occupied territory to accept Putin’s offer of a Russian passport, SaldoAfter falling ill – his aides denied reports he had been poisoned – Saldo resumed his duties. But late last year a Ukrainian counteroffensive forced Russian forces toBefore the city fell, Saldo responded by shepherding civilians to the area still under Russian control, where he has announced the construction of a new town.
There is no suggestion that Saldo or Grainholding have been involved in corruption or money laundering. However, the fact that the firm was created in the name of a Putin official under sanctions raises wider questions about the lack of oversight of UK companies.Shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine, Graeme Biggar, then head of economic crime at the National Crime Agency, gaveto MPs about so-called “laundromat” techniques for moving dirty money out of the former Soviet Union.