Mindich left Ukraine in a Mercedes-Benz S-class with a "VIP taxi" – Schemes

Entrepreneur and suspect in the new anti-corruption operation Midas Timur Mindich left Ukraine in a "VIP taxi" on the night of November 10. About this declares Radio Liberty's Schemes project with reference to its own sources.

According to him, Mindich used the services of TimeLux, a Lviv-based premium transportation service, to leave Ukraine.

The schemes claim that the businessman drove to Poland in a Mercedes-Benz S 350 belonging to one of the owners of the company: "The journalists learned the license plate number of this car from sources with access to the border crossing data. Later, we found this car on social media and identified the owners."

The journalists claim that this car belongs to 38-year-old Lviv entrepreneur Maksym Vovk, who is the head and owner of TimeLux. According to the YouControl service, the man owns a fleet of three cars used for transportation – a Hyundai Avante, a Mercedes-Benz S 350, and a Hyundai Sonata.

The aforementioned firm was registered in Lviv in May 2025, less than six months ago.

"The company does not own any real estate or vehicles, only a valid license for domestic and international passenger transportation, and its social media shows that the services were provided even before formal registration, probably within the framework of Maxim Vovk's specialized sole proprietorship. The journalists found that Vovk had repeatedly received fines for driving a Mercedes-Benz S 350, mostly for speeding," the publication says.

The service's website states that the company offers premium transportation to Poland, Moldova, and Romania, and in commercials the company promises "fast border crossing," "full support," and "individual routes according to the client's wishes."

The media notes that the other co-owner of TimeLux is Eldar Asadulaev, who worked in the Western Regional Department of the State Border Guard Service: in one of the license plate checking applications, the man is listed as "Head of the Anti-Smuggling Department of the Border Guard Service."

Journalists did not find any public declarations of Asadulaev.

"In 2025, he filed a lawsuit against his unit because he was not paid extra money during his service in 2016-2018. Asadulayev demanded a calculation and payment, and the court sided with him," the media outlet adds.

TimeLux's commercials show that the interior of the Mercedes-Benz S 350 has leather seats, a separate climate zone, and premium trim. Representatives of the service noted that in November, a trip in a Mercedes-Benz S-class on the Kyiv-Warsaw route costs 1300 euros.

Schemes contacted the company's co-owners. Vovk said: "The company does not check passengers' documents. This is done by the relevant state authorities at the border crossing. I have no information to comment on your question."

Asked whether he knew Mindich, the man replied: "Thank God, no."

His business partner, Asadulaev, said briefly, "I've never heard of this before," and hung up.

• On November 10, the day the NABU and SAPO announced Operation Midas, the source LIGA.net in law enforcement agencies reported that Mindich's place was also searched as part of the case. However, the co-owner of the "Kvartal 95" and friend president Zelenskyy managed to leave the country before that. At the same time, the SAPO reported on data leakage in the case of a businessman.
• The State Border Guard Service claimed that Mindich had left Ukraine legally because he had three minor children. The businessman left the country before the announcement of suspicion (read more here).