Collaborating with Lavrov's son-in-law: Georgia’s Bolero wine companies labeled as war supporters

One of the group's companies collaborates with Sergey Lavrov's son-in-law, as stated by the NACP press service.

The united group of winemaking enterprises, including Bolero & Company Ltd, GVMT GROUP LLC, and GRUZVINPROM LLC, is owned by Vakhtang Karichashvili, a Russian citizen and business partner of pro-Russian oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, the cousin of the ex-prime minister of Georgia.

From January 2022 to October 2023, these companies exported over $68 million worth of goods to Russia.

“According to Bolero & Company Ltd's financial report, a significant portion of its income comes from the Russian market. Despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the company's management believes the war will not significantly impact their operations in the near future,” NACP states. 

The group of wine-making enterprises also collaborates with companies linked to sanctioned Russians, such as LLC "Logistika Alternativa," controlled by PJSC "Magnit." 

“The main shareholder of PJSC "Magnit" (29.2% of shares) is Aleksandr Vinokurov's Marathon Group, under sanctions from the EU, Great Britain, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Ukraine, New Zealand, and the son-in-law of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov,” the statement reads. 

NACP highlighted that Vinokurov was part of a meeting convened by Russian President Putin and government members to discuss international sanctions before Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.

GVMT Group LLC, part of the united group, supplies Bristol Retail Logistics LLC, founded by Mercury Retail Holding PLC associated with sanctioned individuals Igor Kesaev and Sergey Katsiev.

• Previously, Nestle, the Swiss corporation, was also identified as a war sponsor. Despite the war, Nestle continues its activities in Russia, supplying products and expanding its production base.