Well-Connected Allies of Ukrainian Oligarchs Poised to Secure Lithium Rights Without Competitive Tender
Political scientist Marian Oshchanovskyi published an analysis of the situation with the license for Ukrainian lithium extraction in his blog on the Censor website.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has yet to announce a date for the licensing competition to extract lithium at the Dobré deposit, but Ukrainian media outlets are already circulating reports of a de facto "victory" by a select group of individuals who appear to have secured control over "Ukraine’s lithium." The circumstances are made more notable by the fact that the key players have maintained close ties for decades, and this is far from their first joint venture in Ukraine.
Viktor Medvedchuk and Vadym Rabinovich, former shareholders of a «one Ukrainian television channel», are longtime associates and are believed to have access to the services of a highly influential 81-year-old lobbyist within Donald Trump’s inner circle. This same lobbyist, Ronald Lauder, was also a co-owner of the same «one Ukrainian television channel», and was named in a U.S. federal investigation into bribery of Ukrainian officials.
The reference is to Ronald Lauder and his undocumented partnership with TechMet, a South Africanfounded corporation registered in Dublin, which Ukrainian media — somewhat curiously — describe as "American" and treat as the de facto winner of the upcoming tender.
In the context of Ukraine’s lithium reserves, media reports describe the 81-year-old Lauder as one of the "key investors" and a political player in the country’s extraction strategy — a vague designation that might best be understood as "a friend of Trump who promised to deliver Ukrainian lithium to the South Africans."
There is no public or official record of any actual investment by Lauder in either Ukrainian lithium or TechMet—only promotional statements issued by TechMet itself. These circumstances warrant examination by U.S. law enforcement, particularly in the event of a potential violation of the Lobbying Disclosure Act (2 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq.), should Lauder’s involvement and influence over U.S. government decisions have gone undisclosed.
The PR campaign led by TechMet and its South African CEO, Brian Menell, projects an image of the company as a quasi-extension of the U.S. State Department, advancing American resource policy abroad. In reality, TechMet’s only tangible connection to the United States is the presence of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) as a passive investor in certain projects, with a total commitment of $105 million. While the DFC is indeed affiliated with U.S. government institutions, it plays no active role in TechMet’s operations.
Former OPFL deputy Vadym Rabinovich, who is wanted in Ukraine on treason charges, and who once co-owned the same «one Ukrainian television channel» with Ronald Lauder, is also named in U.S. Department of Justice documents related to a $1.2 million bribery scheme. Prosecutors allege that funds were funneled through offshore intermediaries to Ukrainian officials in order to obtain a broadcasting license for that «one Ukrainian television channel».
Today, Vadym Rabinovich openly and with undisguised cynicism officially represents Ukraine in the European Jewish Parliament (EJP), where he is considered a key figure. Ronald Lauder was present at the EJP’s opening, and the funding for the creation and operation of the EJP was provided by Ihor Kolomoisky, another co-owner of that same «one Ukrainian television channel».
Notably, Ukrainian media previously reported that Volodymyr Ihnashchenko, a notorious former deputy minister of economy under Yanukovych, was acting in Ukraine on behalf of Lauder and TechMet. It was he who once inserted an intermediary linked to Yanukovych’s son into a production-sharing agreement between Shell and Ukraine. As a result, Shell lost over $100 million and exited the country.
Today, Ihnashchenko is once again "representing interests" — and once again operating according to old schemes. According to media reports, he forged his official status, allegedly issued by the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, in order to act on behalf of TechMet.
The alleged involvement of Borys Lozhkin, who resides in Monaco and serves as another official representative of Lauder, in this international "lithium" fraud scheme, requires thorough investigation. According to available information, a group of individuals connected to TechMet’s activities, including Rabinovich and Lozhkin, allegedly drew Lauder into a large-scale fraudulent scheme aimed at securing a lithium extraction license in Ukraine — specifically for the Dobré deposit in Kirovohrad Oblast. Given that Rabinovich and Medvedchuk are reportedly living comfortably in the aggressor state, Russia, this consortium has allegedly already been promised the license for the Shevchenkivske deposit, located in temporarily occupied territory.
This entire situation bodes poorly for Ukraine’s lithium sector and could jeopardize the country’s mineral resources agreement with the United States. As of now, the Dobré deposit is nothing more than an empty field: launching extraction would require several times more investment than the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has committed to TechMet to date— hundreds of millions of dollars, all under the conditions of a full-scale war.
The most realistic estimate for extracting the first ton of lithium from this deposit is no sooner than seven years from now. By that time, the esteemed Ronald Lauder will be 88 years old. The project is not expected to break even or generate profit for at least 15 years.
My personal conclusion is this: we are witnessing yet another fraudulent scheme — the goal being to secure a license, raise money from the market, and then abandon the investors, citing force majeure caused by the war. All of it is unfolding in the finest traditions of the Yanukovych era.
All of the information presented here can be easily verified through open sources. Even amid a fullscale military invasion, certain figures — active since the Kuchma and Yanukovych eras — continue to operate freely across Monaco, Russia, Ukraine, South Africa, and the United States.
The new Cabinet must exercise extreme caution to ensure that, under the guise of launching a lithium industry, it does not end up funding the return of a "Party of Regions 2.0" — especially if the facts laid out here are not thoroughly investigated.