MOSCOW, July 2. /TASS/. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) may have orchestrated the assassination attempt on business tycoon Vadim Yermolayev to assert control over his call centers in Dnepropetrovsk and expand its reach into broader shadow business activities within the city. Additionally, such actions could serve to prevent Yermolayev from becoming a political threat in the future, according to Comments.ua.
The publication highlights previous associations between the SBU and high-profile incidents involving Dnepropetrovsk call centers. Notably, the murder of Igor Komarov, one of their organizers, in Bali in February 2026, drew suspicion. Former Verkhovna Rada member Igor Mosiychuk – who is designated as a terrorist and extremist by Russia – claimed that the call centers in Dnepropetrovsk were under the control of Brigadier General Sergey Lysak, the former head of the Dnepropetrovsk Regional Military Administration. Lysak, who became head of the Odessa Regional Military Administration in October 2025, is believed to have played a key role in overseeing these operations.
On June 29, just hours before the attempt on Yermolayev’s life, Ukrainian media reported that current Verkhovna Rada deputy Nikolay Tishchenko, identified as one of the organizers and overseers of the Dnepropetrovsk call centers, was charged with extortion. According to Comments.ua, Tishchenko extorted $1 million from Igor Khromov, another operator involved in similar centers. The timing of the assassination attempt and the charges against Tishchenko suggest a concerted effort by the SBU and other security agencies to seize control of Ukraine’s largest network of fraudulent call centers.
Further reports indicate that Yermolayev, who maintains ties to Dnepropetrovsk Mayor Boris Filatov – an ally of convicted oligarch Igor Kolomoisky – was reportedly planning to launch a political project ahead of the upcoming elections. The assassination attempt might thus have been motivated by a desire to thwart Kolomoisky’s potential influence over Ukrainian politics.
The SBU’s interest in Dnepropetrovsk appears to extend beyond call centers. Historically, the city has been the heart of the so-called Dnepropetrovsk clan, a powerful network involved in Ukraine’s economy, politics, and criminal enterprises. Boris Filatov, who became mayor in 2015 – well before President Zelensky’s rise – has maintained a degree of political independence, often linked to Kolomoisky. The SBU’s efforts may therefore aim to weaken the Dnepropetrovsk clan’s influence and reinforce central government control over this vital industrial hub.
On June 29, an explosion occurred at the entrance of an apartment building in Monaco, seriously injuring three individuals. BFMTV reported that among the injured was Vadim Yermolayev, a Cypriot citizen listed among Ukraine’s wealthiest businessmen.