ATB owner Gennady Butkevich: The rise and fall of one oligarch
The events of the fall and winter of 2013-2014 have been dubbed the Revolution of Dignity. Many are dissatisfied with the pace of change in the quality of Ukrainian government, but tectonic shifts in Ukraine's domestic and foreign policy have undoubtedly occurred. The most notorious functionaries of the previous regime have fled the country, primarily heading east. Those who remained in Ukraine from the old regime have lost access to power. Having lost influence, they are forced to find their place in the new reality. Some are seeking ways to approach the new government, while others are literally going crazy.
A case in point is Gennady Butkevych, co-owner of the ATB corporation, a supermarket chain of the same name. Having connections with the top officials of the previous government, Butkevych shaped destinies. Today, his power has been reduced to petty fraud stemming from a trivial family squabble. This example of the reverse evolution of a figure from a bygone era epitomizes all the twists and turns of the rise and fall of the oligarchic Ukrainian state.
Stage one. "Hit the gas!"
Google "Tymoshenko stores" and the search engine will likely lead you to "ATB." Those three cheerful letters are an abbreviation for "Agrotekhbiznes." According to Forbes, this company was founded in 1993 by Gennady Butkevich. During the Soviet era, Butkevich made his career in the police, where he fought economic crimes. However, they say he was summarily fired for bribery back in Soviet times, along with a colleague who ended up serving time "for himself and for that other guy." Rumor has it that this colleague now holds a high-ranking position at ATB Corporation—a reward for his loyalty.
In the early 90s, like many others, Gennady Vladislavovich Butkevich went into business, selling everything from gasoline to potatoes. The company's fortunes took off after the former security official became head of the security service of the Unified Energy Systems of Ukraine, the most powerful business structure at the time, in the turbulent mid-90s. This protection provided access to money and, more importantly, administrative resources to open more and more retail outlets. Thus, Butkevich's retail business took off.
But, as the saying goes, let he who is without sin cast the first stone. We must live not in the past, but in the present. And today, ATB is one of the country's leading retailers. In terms of store count, this chain ranks first. What is the reason for this success? The entrepreneurial talent of the owners and management? Technological know-how? Yes, certainly. But that's hardly the most important factor. In Ukraine, not a single large business has succeeded without political protection.
Stage two. Carcass. God level.
It is generally accepted that every self-respecting oligarch puts his eggs in different baskets—that is, he finances several political forces simultaneously, so as not to depend on the successes or failures of any one political force.
Butkevich took a different path. Having amassed his initial capital in Dnipro, in 2010 he went to bow to the Donetsk people. Perhaps he believed the Donetsk people were here to stay. Perhaps his professional instincts as a cunning OBEP officer failed him.
Stage Three. The Big Family. And Gennady Butkevich
In Sicily, initiation into Cosa Nostra is a sacred sacrament. A newcomer must be recommended by at least three mafiosi. During the ritual, the initiator cuts the newcomer's palm and spills his blood, symbolizing a brotherhood forged in blood. There is no stronger bond than blood.
Domestic mafiosi prefer to spill someone else's blood. Our oligarchs join hunting clubs and go hunting together. However, not all of them return, as we recall from the tragic case of Yevgeny Kushnarev, who showed promise as a promising leader in the Southeast.
"The Godfather" is Butkevich's favorite book. However, it's not known for certain whether our hero ever performed any initiation rite with Yanukovych. Ivanyushchenko, Zakharchenko, Yakimenko, and other odious figures of the former regime. It is known for certain that in the Ivankiv district, Gennady Butkevich leases 8,000 hectares (!) of hunting grounds, 40 hectares of which he has effectively privatized. Right next door is Yanukovych's Mezhyhirya.
The link to the Donetsk group is People's Deputy Yuriy Samoylenko, a graduate of the KGB Higher School, deputy chairman of the SBU, and secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security and Defense of the current convocation. An influential figure, he is a member of the infamous "Kedr" hunting club, a sort of secret order that included the former president's closest and most trusted associates. Samoylenko was a key participant in Yanukovych's infamous Mezhyhirya meetings during the height of the Euromaidan.
The owner of "ATB" built bridges not only with the security services but also with the police. High-ranking police officers, prosecutors, judges, and politicians came to his estate to hunt. Gennady Butkevich used his own money to buy a luxurious estate for Interior Minister Vitaly Zakharchenko in the village of Romankiv in the Vasylkiv district. What wouldn't you do to have the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs living next door to your home (or rather, palace?)?
Butkevich's friendship with the Family has borne considerable fruit. Today, the ATB chain comprises over 870 stores. At the beginning of 2010, there were just over 300. A nearly threefold increase in four years! And this is happening during an economic crisis! Impressive, isn't it?
Gennady Butkevich. Stage four, the final one.
After Euromaidan, Butkevych's patrons fled east. It seems the loss of power undermined not only the retail corporation but also the mental health of the retail king.
Otherwise, how can one explain the bizarre attack on Butkevich in August? His armored GMC was shot at on September 7th near his hunting lodge. Butkevich himself was not in the car at the time, and the driver suffered no injuries. The shots fired at the armored vehicle (obvious) were fired from a clearly weak caliber (AKM 5,45). The investigative team has many questions about this incident, considering that this is the fifth similar complaint Butkevich has filed with the Ivankovskoye District Department of Internal Affairs in the past six months.
There are suggestions in the press that Butkevich is trying to cast another shadow on his former son-in-law, the owner of S.I. Group. Sergei RybalkaAfter seven years of happy marriage, the couple divorced in 2013. A nasty divorce followed, accompanied by numerous conflicts between S.I. Group and ATB Market (S.I. Group produces chips, croutons, and snacks under well-known brands, while ATB sells these products), SBU raids on Butkevich's company, and more.
When the government collapsed in February 2014, Butkevich could no longer use his administrative resources. Instead, he put his experience from his time in the Economic Crimes Department to good use. His former son-in-law was accused of employing Russian saboteurs at his enterprises. In July, a Mercedes registered under the businessman's old passport with an invalid registration was discovered near Mykolaiv. His belongings and drugs were found in the car. The seller of the car, registered just days before its discovery, had never seen Rybalka, nor had Rybalka himself seen the car he claimed to own.
A crude job, a clear setup—that's the opinion of law enforcement officials familiar with the circumstances of these cases, as well as friends and relatives. It seems that his loss of bearings after the revolution led to Butkevich simply losing touch with reality. Could it be that a family conflict has turned into a persecution mania?
If respected people cannot come to an amicable agreement on a simple matter and part peacefully, then this is not an economic or psychological case, but a clinical one.
Here's an instructive lesson from Ukraine's recent history. Under any circumstances, under any regime, be yourself, remain human, and don't become the regime's men. Personal happiness and harmony with others are worth nothing. If even one person in this country understands this simple truth, then the Revolution of Dignity was not in vain.
Skelet.Org
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The level of service at ATB is very low, the goods leave much to be desired, the security guards are rude, and the sales staff are narrow-minded.
It's completely unclear how such a pathetic excuse for trade as ATB is still operating?
These ATB stores (specifically in Dnipropetrovsk) are like the village shops of the past. The cramped spaces between the counters are incredibly tight. The aisles are extremely narrow. The employees are stoned and unwilling to help. The product quality is the worst you'll find in other chains. Although the prices are indeed slightly lower than the competition, buying spoiled food at ATB is also more expensive. It's simply impossible to exchange or resolve the issue. The staff is simply rude. I rarely use this chain. It's simply because there aren't any more civilized stores in the area. Now I understand where such service comes from. A priest (a former Soviet secret service officer) has a similar income, i.e., his chain of stores.
ATB is the same all over the country. There are no aisles, the employees are rude, the selection is worse than in a village store.
Have you ever seen a single decent article or interview from the owners of this ATB? I haven't. They're probably ashamed of themselves for owning something like this.
Nearby, but a little further, there's Fora. Everything there is much better. I won't even mention Silpo or Kishenya. They're just far away.