Water trickled, millions dripped: the case of former MP Yentin worth UAH 4.9 million has been referred to court

They pumped water without permission, and funneled millions through sole proprietors (FOPs)

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30 Jul 2026

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In Mykolaiv, an indictment has been sent to court against former deputy of the Mykolaiv City Council Vladyslav Olehovych Yentin and his partner, a businesswoman. According to the investigation, at the height of the acute water crisis they sold illegally extracted groundwater and funneled the proceeds totaling more than 4.9 million hryvnias through the bank accounts of private entrepreneurs (FOPs).

The timing of the scheme adds particular cynicism to this story. Russian occupiers on April 12, 2022 damaged the main water pipeline Dnipro-Mykolaiv, which ran through Kherson Oblast. As a result, the regional center was left without centralized water supply for almost a month, and starting on May 6, 2022 non-potable technical water from the liman (estuary) began to be supplied to the city network.

Already from May 11, 2022, that is, a few days after technical water appeared in the taps, the water business associated with Vladyslav Olehovych Yentin, according to the investigation, began selling water illegally extracted from wells.

That it is specifically about Vladyslav Olehovych Yentin was already reported by Korabelov.info in a piece on the main criminal case concerning illegal groundwater extraction. In that case he was named the organizer of a group that caused the state more than 6 million hryvnias in damages.

More than 2,344 cubic meters of water sold to Mykolaiv residents

As established in the materials of criminal proceeding No. 12025150000000188 from March 4, 2025, in the period from May 11, 2022 to June 30, 2023 Vladyslav Olehovych Yentin, together with his partner, purchased and sold illegally extracted groundwater.

The water was pumped from wells located in the village of Mishkovo-Pohorilove in Mykolaiv Raion, on Lisovyi Lane, 7 and 8. According to the investigation, the suspects did not have a special permit to use subsoil and extract groundwater that belongs to mineral resources of national significance.

After extraction, the water was transported to a specially equipped production base in Mykolaiv. There it underwent purification, after which it became suitable for consumption. The water was then bottled and sold to households and businesses.

For its distribution there were two sales outlets operating in Mykolaiv. In total, during the period indicated the accomplices sold 2344.75 cubic meters of groundwater for a total of 4,902,795 hryvnias.

According to the investigation, proceeds from the sales were credited to bank accounts of individual entrepreneurs registered to the suspects themselves and their relatives. Law enforcement qualified such use of accounts as acquiring and disposing of property obtained by criminal means.

“PARM INVEST” appears in the case again

The court materials indicate that Vladyslav Olehovych Yentin conducted business both through his own companies and FOPs and through affiliated business entities.

Among them the investigation names LLC “PARM INVEST”, LLC “IN IDEA”, PE “INTERLEGIS”, LLC “PARM INVEST PLUS”, the charitable foundation “VOLONTER.IN.UA” and several individual entrepreneurs.

The materials of the main case on illegal water extraction also state that the trademark “H2O for the whole family”, registered to LLC “PARM INVEST”, was used to sell the product.

LLC “PARM INVEST” has for many years been associated with drinking water sales points in Mykolaiv. Its founder is Inna Volodymyrivna Mitenko, who in earlier reports was named as the partner of Vladyslav Olehovych Yentin.

They profited from the water crisis for more than a year

The period examined by the investigation almost fully coincided with the hardest stage of the water crisis in Mykolaiv. After the pipeline from the Dnipro was destroyed by Russian forces, city residents were forced to collect drinking water from wells, free distribution points, or buy it from private outlets.

Due to the lack of drinking water from the taps, families daily went with canisters, stood in queues and depended on water deliveries. It was precisely at this time, according to law enforcement, that the structure of Vladyslav Olehovych Yentin extracted and sold more than 2.3 thousand cubic meters of groundwater without state permission.

At the same time, this is not the first criminal story related to Vladyslav Olehovych Yentin, drinking water and humanitarian aid during the war.

In December 2022 Korabelov.info reported that the investigation suspected the former deputy of appropriating 31 containers with a capacity of 5,000 liters each and another 12 containers of 1,000 liters each.

These tanks were supplied by a foreign charitable organization to provide Mykolaiv residents with free drinking water after the water pipeline was destroyed. However, according to the investigation, the tanks were installed at commercial points linked to Vladyslav Olehovych Yentin, where the water was sold for money.

These episodes are being investigated in various criminal proceedings. The current case for over 4.9 million hryvnias concerns specifically the legalization of income from illegally extracted groundwater.

Yentin faces up to 8 years in prison

The actions of Vladyslav Olehovych Yentin and his partner were qualified under part 2 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — acquiring and disposing of property the factual circumstances of which indicate it was obtained by criminal means, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy.

After the pre-trial investigation was completed, prosecutors of the Mykolaiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office approved the indictment and sent it to court for substantive consideration.

Under the charged article, Vladyslav Olehovych Yentin and his partner face up to 8 years imprisonment, a ban on holding certain offices or engaging in certain activities for up to 3 years, and confiscation of property.

The final decision on the guilt of the accused must be made by the court.

Pursuant to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a guilty verdict of the court.