Today, some companies from the SMART-HOLDING group, including Kherson Shipyard and SMART GROUP LLC, have once again been subject to unjustified searches. Such actions by law enforcement officers repeatedly disrupt the business activities of the enterprises.

The Legal counsels of the affected companies are clarifying the purpose of the law enforcement officers' 'visits'.

It appears that these systematic ‘visits’ are orchestrated by someone in power to destabilise the work of the Group's enterprises. It should be recognised that such actions affect thousands of employees, cause direct damage to the companies business reputation and disrupt their relationships with foreign counterparts and investors.

We once again declare that the management and employees of the Group's companies have never avoided giving information to the law enforcement agencies: any documents that are requested are immediately provided to any investigation.

We call on the President, the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine to put an end to the law enforcement and security agencies' arbitrary behaviour. We intend, by all available legal means, to protect our business reputation and will appeal against any illegal actions by representatives of the law enforcement agencies in relation to the Company, its employees and property.