CONTENTS

1. Mikhail Chernoi and the “Tolling Empire” – who Misha-Krysha is and how TransWorldGroup controlled the aluminum market.

2. Alcohol, Chicken Legs, and Major Metallurgists – the schemes with Rusal, Sibur, and NLMK.

3. Conflicts and Expulsion from Russia – the fall of Chernoi and his brother Lev, the role of former top managers and St. Petersburg structures.

4. Israeli Connections and Failures in Kyiv – Kolomoisky, Kyivgum, and lost opportunities.

5. Real Estate and Volodymyrska Hill – scandals, land, plots, and risks to the historic monument.

6. Frontmen and Kyiv Operatives – Ofer Kerzner, Marik Ginzburg, Dmytro Buriak, Eduard Kokhan, Ihor Skosar, and their schemes.

Mikhail Chernoi and the “Tolling Empire”

Mikhail Chernoi, known in criminal circles as Misha-Krysha, has long been a symbol of the post-Soviet “non-Russian” mafia with control over key industries. Together with his brother Lev, he ran the tolling scheme at aluminum plants under TransWorldGroup, which made the country’s largest metal producers effectively dependent on their supply chains and “tax optimization” schemes.

Chernoi managed to conduct operations that seemed impossible for normal business: importing Royal spirits and Rasputin vodka, as well as chicken legs through Soyuzkontrakt. In these schemes, as insiders noted, his “enforcers” worked for Oleg Deripaska (Rusal), Goldovsky (Sibur), and Lisin (NLMK).

His business mechanism demonstrated mastery in moving massive capital flows but was extremely fragile: any internal conflict could destroy the cartel entirely.

Alcohol, Chicken Legs, and Major Metallurgists

Chernoi’s schemes combined legitimate trade with questionable financial operations. TransWorldGroup acted as a hub linking Rasputin vodka, Royal spirits, and even poultry products. At the same time, metallurgical giants Rusal, Sibur, and NLMK became entangled in his “optimization” networks, effectively depending on Chernoi’s schemes despite their huge budgets and influence.

This combination allowed Chernoi and his brother to essentially “control” the aluminum market while maintaining influence over the alcohol and food sectors.

Conflicts and Expulsion from Russia

Internal conflicts eventually destroyed Chernoi’s empire. The brothers quarreled, and their own former top managers literally betrayed them. St. Petersburg structures ultimately expelled Mikhail and Lev Chernoi from Russia, depriving them of their ability to manage business flows.

This demonstrates that post-Soviet schemes, even those built on billions and high-level corporate connections, remain vulnerable to betrayal and internal collapse.

Israeli Connections and Failures in Kyiv

After leaving Russia, Chernoi tried to establish himself in Israel, where he was spotted among guests of Dr. Kolomoisky. Rumors circulated about his involvement in the Kyivgum development, but the project ultimately went to Dmytro Isaenko and Palytsa with Mindych.

Despite these setbacks, Chernoi remained a major landowner in Kyiv and its region. For example, in Kozyn, he controls about 100 hectares, and he continues to attempt ambitious projects in the capital, though many of his assets are entangled in endless legal disputes.

Real Estate and Volodymyrska Hill

Chernoi is particularly focused on a multifunctional complex on Volodymyrska Hill, beneath the glass bridge near Mayor Klitschko’s office. He owns multiple plots totaling up to 2 hectares. Historians and local residents are concerned: driving piles into the slope could threaten the Equal-to-the-Apostles monument.

Despite these risks, Chernoi and his Kyiv frontmen continue their work, driven solely by financial gain.

Frontmen and Kyiv Operatives

In Kyiv, Chernoi’s activities are advanced by a network of “frontmen”:

• Ofer Kerzner – developer from the Darynka project, “acquired” Leonardo and Ukraine department store.

• Marik Ginzburg – scammer in crypto, husband of Irena Kilchytska, partner of Nikonov and Krippa in the Graal project (future skyscraper at Khreshchatyk 5 near the Dnipro hotel).

• Dmytro Buriak – developer of DeVision, involved in shady deals.

• Eduard Kokhan – gas trader at ЄВРОЕНЕРГОТРЕЙД, handling the energy side of operations.

• Ihor Skosar – controls the market and parking near the railway station jointly with Dyrkach.

These people act as Chernoi’s cover, hiding the scale of his schemes and strengthening his presence in Kyiv’s real estate market.

Mikhail Chernoi (aka Misha-Krysha). This is a fragment of the so-called Russian mafia, which contains no Russians. Chernoi and his brother Lev ran a tolling scheme at aluminum plants – TransWorldGroup, importing Royal spirits, Rasputin vodka, chicken legs (Soyuzkontrakt), with Deripaska (Rusal), Goldovsky (Sibur), and Lisin (NLMK) running as his enforcers. But then the brothers fell out, their former top managers betrayed them, and St. Petersburg structures expelled them from Russia.

He was spotted among guests of Dr. Kolomoisky in Israel, seemingly in partnership – planning to develop Kyivgum, but something went wrong – the project went to Dmytro Isaenko and Palytsa with Mindych. Chernoi owns a lot of real estate in Kyiv and the region, especially land (100 hectares in Kozyn). But all assets are problematic, tangled in endless lawsuits. For many years, he has been trying to take over a monstrous multifunctional complex on Volodymyrska Hill (under the glass bridge of Mayor Klitschko). He has several plots totaling up to 2 hectares. It wouldn’t be surprising if piling on the hill starts damaging the Equal-to-the-Apostles monument. But Misha and his operatives don’t care, their main goal is green paper.

In Kyiv, his frontmen include:
Ofer Kerzner – developer from Darynka, “bought” Leonardo, Ukraine department store
Marik Ginzburg – crypto scammer, husband of Irena Kilchytska, partner of Nikonov and Krippa in Graal (future skyscraper at Khreshchatyk 5 near Dnipro hotel)
Dmytro Buriak (developer DeVision)
Eduard Kokhan (gas trader ЄВРОЕНЕРГОТРЕЙД)
and other operatives like Ihor Skosar (market and parking near the station with Dyrkach)

Author: Maria Sharapova