Nikita Mazepin removed from Swiss and EU sanctions lists thanks to intensive&expensive lobbying efforts

Following the European Union, Switzerland has removed Nikita Mazepin, son of the controversial Russian oligarch Dmitry Mazepin, from its sanctions lists. Rumours suggest that this was achieved through the extensive efforts of highly paid lobbyists hired by Dmitry Mazepin. The first attempt by Mazepin to get himself and his son out from under the sanctions was unsuccessful, prompting the use of PR and other more discreet strategies in a renewed effort.

Switzerland, following the EU’s lead, removed Nikita Mazepin, a racing driver and son of businessman Dmitry Mazepin, from its sanctions list. This was reported by the driver himself in an interview with TASS.

Nikita Mazepin had been under European sanctions, imposed due to the war in Ukraine, since March 2022. The EU lifted these sanctions on September 13.

“I am, of course, happy with this news. The fight dragged on for a long time. You could say that justice has prevailed,” Mazepin noted.

According to Nikita, this week Switzerland also removed him from its sanctions list.

“This is also a significant victory for me. I will certainly share my future plans, but a little later,” he added.

Mazepin the junior competed in Formula 1 for the Haas team. A few days before the start of the 2022 season, the American team unilaterally terminated his contract. The pilot spent one season in Formula 1 in 2021, failing to score any points and finishing last in the standings, in 21st place. Currently, Nikita Mazepin is no longer considered an active athlete.

In 2023, Nikita Mazepin initiated a challenge against the sanctions imposed by the EU, UK, and Canada, aiming to revive his career in Formula One. His efforts included a June 2023 appeal to the UK High Court to temporarily suspend the sanctions, which would have allowed him to travel to the UK to negotiate with Formula One teams. However, this interim request was rejected by the court.

Despite this setback, Mazepin experienced a partial victory in September 2023 when the EU’s general court ruled in his favour, permitting him to visit EU countries for motor sport related activities. Although this ruling eased some restrictions, Mazepin remains under broader EU sanctions and is still barred from entering the EU for purposes unrelated to motor sport.

Dmitry Mazepin is a much more interesting type

Dmitry Mazepin is known as the former owner and CEO of the United Chemical Company “Uralchem.” According to some media reports, the assets on which Mazepin’s business was built were taken from the Russian state-owned company Gazprom.

Dmitry Mazepin was first notably involved in a significant conflict in the early 2000s, which revolved around the control of the “Krasnoye Sormovo” shipbuilding plant between the management and the “United Machine-Building Plants.” By 2000, Mazepin had taken on the role of chairman of the board of directors at this enterprise.

In the mid-2000s, Mazepin became embroiled in another controversy, this time concerning Gazprom assets. These assets had been sold by Nikolai Gornovsky, the director of “Mezhregiongaz,” without the knowledge or permission of Gazprom’s leadership in late 2002. Some of these assets later came into Mazepin’s possession, but Gazprom successfully reclaimed them through legal action in 2006, including an 18% stake in the “Azot” chemical company.

Since 2007, Mazepin has faced accusations of attempting to orchestrate a hostile takeover of “Togliattiazot” (TOAZ), a public company. Sergey Makhlai, the CEO of TOAZ, alleged that Mazepin made personal threats, warning him of potential criminal prosecution if he did not agree to sell the company on Mazepin’s terms. However, these allegations were dismissed by “Uralchem” as defamatory and harmful to both Mazepin’s reputation and the company’s business.

In May 2014, Mazepin resigned from his position as a deputy in the Kirov Region Legislative Assembly. His resignation was linked by some media to a political scandal involving the production of a fake political video targeting his competitors, which aired on REN TV. Other reports suggested that his decision was influenced by emerging information about his business activities in Ukraine during the tense Russian-Ukrainian political conflict. “Uralchem” attributed his resignation to his heavy workload.

Later, in late 2015, a controversy arose when an 18-second video surfaced online showing Odessa Region Governor Mikheil Saakashvili and Dmitry Mazepin, with accompanying text claiming they discussed the sale of the Odessa Portside Plant. This episode led to a scandal between Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov and Saakashvili during a National Reform Council meeting in December 2015. Both “Uralchem’s” press service and Saakashvili’s spokesperson denied any such meeting or acquaintance.

In June 2021, Mazepin denied any involvement in financing the Belarusian opposition Telegram channel Nexta. This denial came after opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, who had been detained after a Ryanair flight was forced to land in Minsk, suggested in an interview that Nexta was funded by a company owned by a well-known Russian oligarch connected to the Urals and mining, though he did not name the company or the oligarch.

Following Russia (*country sponsor of terrorism)’s invasion of Ukraine in March 2022, Dmitry Mazepin and his son Nikita were among the numerous Russian businessmen and officials who were sanctioned by the European Union and the United Kingdom. During this period, Mazepin also sold a controlling stake in “Uralchem” and stepped down as its CEO.