"It's Not Just the Shahids Who Are Killing Business": Workers at Omega Three LLC Took Their Case to Court to Protect Their 300 Jobs

“Don’t close the factory!” — In Cherkasy, outside the District Administrative Court building, employees of Omega Tri LLC (trademark “Schaslyve Kurcha”) pleaded to keep their jobs. Meanwhile, the court is deciding whether to halt production at the company, which provides salaries to its employees, taxes to the city, and significant support to the Armed Forces. In its lawsuit against this city-defining enterprise, the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection cites a threat to life, health, and the environment, but the defense has yet to hear any specific explanations as to what exactly this threat consists of. And among the agency’s claims, according to “Omega Three” co-owner Olena Bezugla, there is even an error in the number on the bill of lading.

The court hearing on September 30 began well past the scheduled time. An air raid alert was in effect in the city, so those involved in the proceedings waited several hours to see if the court would even be able to begin the hearing that day. Ultimately, the hearing did take place, but only after the presiding judge granted special permission for it to proceed. 

“Simplified proceedings” instead of a full trial: why the court is rushing 

Shutting down production without the opportunity to rectify the deficiencies—the case has garnered significant public attention. Employees are holding protests, and Judge Larisa Trofimova herself noted the public interest in the case; she denied the attorneys’ motion to proceed under the rules of general civil procedure, leaving the case in the expedited track. The simplified procedure provides for a faster resolution of the case: the court may decide the dispute primarily on the basis of written materials, without going through all the stages of a full-fledged trial. During the hearing, Judge Trofimova explained separately the reasons why the case was kept under the simplified procedure:

“Cases challenging normative legal acts are heard exclusively under the rules of general civil procedure—that is not the case here. As for challenges to decisions, actions, or inaction by a public authority—this is also not the case here, because what is being challenged here is not a decision by a public authority.”

Separately, during the hearing, it became clear that the location of the enterprise had been incorrectly stated in the State Food and Consumer Service’s lawsuit against Omega Three LLC. The judge explained that she had tried to figure out the location on her own using a map, since the case materials suggested that the production facility was located practically in the very center of the city (specifically, the city of Zolotonosha). After explanations from the State Food and Consumer Service representative, it became clear that a different location was being referred to.

Procedural details are important, but what exactly does the state agency consider so dangerous about the company’s operations, and why must production be halted to eliminate this threat? Attorney Vitaliy Kolomiyets returned to the substance of the complaint itself several times.

“We’re reading this complaint. We’re reading it a second time, a third time. And we can’t understand what the threat to life, health, or the environment is. The judge herself told us: ‘Please explain, because I don’t quite understand what they want either,’”—the attorney explained in court.

The legal mechanism used by the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection is intended to be applied when there is a real threat that must be eliminated immediately. The attorney drew a simple analogy with a restaurant where, following an inspection, violations are discovered that could pose a danger to patrons.

“The law requires clarity: if there are violations, a specific workshop, section, or type of activity is shut down for a specific period. But they are implicitly demanding that all production be halted for an indefinite period. Just imagine a restaurant. The State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection comes in, conducts an inspection, and finds unsanitary conditions and an outbreak of salmonellosis. The establishment is closed until it is fully disinfected. It remains closed until everything is brought up to standard. If not, the case goes to court. This is a straightforward process,” said Vitaliy Kolomiyets. 

In the case of Omega Three LLC, the situation is different. The lawyer describes the events surrounding the company as a “bureaucratic steamroller”: first, criminal proceedings and actions by law enforcement; then inspections; and now a lawsuit seeking to halt production.

Waste logs and missing containers: what the company is actually accused of 

The lawyer does not dispute the fact of the inspections or the need to rectify the identified shortcomings. According to him, the problem lies precisely in the disproportion between the specific violation and the consequence that the agency is now demanding. Among the claims cited by the defense are entries in the waste log that are difficult to read, certain documents that were allegedly not provided during the inspection, and the lack of airtight containers which are necessary to ensure that animal by-products do not leak, do not come into contact with soil or water, and are inaccessible to birds, animals, and rodents. These are precisely the requirements established by the regulations governing the handling of such waste. 

“In our case, the grounds for the lawsuit are highly questionable. Government agencies arrived for an inspection immediately after the searches by the SBU and the police and demanded documents that law enforcement had already seized from us. We resolved the issue regarding the lack of sealed containers back in July; we ordered and installed them immediately. Despite this, we are being issued a second fine of 500,000 hryvnias ‘for failing to cease operations.’ We are challenging these orders in separate court proceedings, but for some reason the court is rushing to issue a ruling before those cases are resolved.

The judge’s position is also puzzling. She herself noted that the case has generated enormous public attention, but when we proposed switching to a standard trial procedure—to open the courtroom doors, allow the public to attend, and examine each piece of evidence in detail—the judge refused, stating that she would review everything under a simplified procedure.” We ask the court: What specific threat do we pose? To whom, exactly? They remain silent. They say, “You have committed many violations.” Yes, there is illegible handwriting in the logbook. Yes, there are documents that are not formatted quite right in some places. Yes, there were issues with the containers. But where is the threat to life here? Where is the threat to health? Where is the threat to the environment that is so serious it requires shutting down the entire enterprise? Moreover, the court called in the Air Quality Center, which took measurements 27 times and found no exceedances of permissible limits or threats to health,” the attorney stated.

If the violations can be rectified without shutting down the entire production, the defense does not understand why the state is choosing the most severe option. Another argument from the defense concerns previous inspections and orders. Based on their results, the company has already corrected the identified deficiencies, and “Omega Three” is appealing the decisions to hold it liable. In the lawyer’s opinion, the courts must first resolve these disputes and only then draw conclusions regarding the necessity of halting production. Separately, the defense points out that the lawsuit calls for halting production without a clearly defined time frame.

“The plaintiffs are asking to halt production. But which production exactly? For how long? Which specific workshop? Which specific type of activity? For what period? The complaint does not specify this in the manner it should,” emphasizes Vitaliy Kolomiyets. 

This distinction is important for the company. After all, “suspending a specific operation until the violation is remedied” and “suspending production” are two things with entirely different consequences. During the hearing itself, the company’s attorney filed a series of motions in an attempt to steer the proceedings into a legal and objective framework; however, the judge consistently rejected them all. The defense emphasized that, under the Code, such claims to suspend operations are granted only in cases where there is a real, visible, and immediate threat to human life, health, or the environment—such as in cases of mass poisoning or disasters. Instead, the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection accuses the company of formal, paperwork-related violations, such as the sloppy maintenance of a waste log or the temporary absence of certain certificates. At the same time, a specialized air quality center, which the court called to testify in the case, provided official data showing that, based on the results of 27 inspections, no exceedances of permissible limits for pollutants or infectious threats were found.

“It’s Not Just the Shahids Killing the Company”: Workers and Veterans Outside the Courthouse 

A large group of employees came out in defense of the company, for whom working there is their primary source of livelihood during the war. Video surveillance operator Valentin shares his unpleasant experience looking for work: “It was very difficult to find a job after graduation. Employers aren’t keen on young candidates without experience. I got lucky with Omega Three LLC. They hired me and taught me everything. A stable salary and good working conditions.”

Security guard Mykola had a similar experience trying to find work. He’s a combat veteran and older than Valentin, but who needs an employee approaching retirement age? “That’s why it’s important for me to stay at my job and protect the company,” Mykola complains. The man holds a piece of cardboard in his hands: “It’s not just suicide bombers that are killing our company.” 

120 million in investments: how “Omega Three” is recovering during the war 

“Omega Three” LLC (trademark “Happy Chicken”) in Zolotonosha has been hit by enemy missiles and shahids more than once. Infrastructure and production facilities were destroyed. And every time after the shelling, the team quickly cleaned up the damage, repaired the damaged premises, and rebuilt the production lines without halting operations for long.

The company was registered in 2018, and its primary business is the production of poultry meat. According to its 2025 financial statements, the company generated 650.15 million UAH in revenue and employed 178 people. Publicly available data for the first two quarters of 2026 already shows 321.8 million UAH in revenue and 257 employees. In other words, in just one year, the number of people officially employed by the company increased by nearly a hundred.

After acquiring a meat-processing facility in Zolotonosha in the spring of 2022, the new owners inherited not only neglected and outdated infrastructure but also a complex environmental legacy. However, thanks to a consistent investment strategy during the war, the company underwent a large-scale transformation.

120 million hryvnias in investments: that is exactly how much was allocated to modernizing production facilities, restoring damaged structures, upgrading processing lines, and renovating the sausage-making shop. Over the years of its operations—which began and have continued throughout the full-scale invasion—the company has paid over 65 million hryvnias in taxes. Omega Three LLC is one of the key revenue-generating entities in Zolotonosha and the Cherkasy region, ensuring stable revenue for local and national budgets.

The company provides nearly 300 jobs, remaining an important social pillar for the community by guaranteeing people employment, social protection, and stable wages.

The company has built its own solar power plants, which reduce the load on the general power grid and ensure the uninterrupted operation of production processes during blackouts. In addition to modernizing and rebuilding the complex in Zolotonosha, the company carried out major repairs and resumed operations at additional poultry houses in the villages of Starosillia, Mekhedivka, and Khudaki.

“We took responsibility for the site, which we inherited in a state of disrepair, and are rebuilding it even in the wake of Russian attacks. Our focus is on development, restoration, the implementation of modern environmental standards, and preserving jobs for the residents of the Cherkasy region,” notes the management of Omega Three LLC today, while people gathered outside the Cherkasy District Administrative Court repeat: “We’ve come to defend the company and ourselves.” 

In contrast, a small group of young men gathered nearby, identifying themselves as veterans and declaring on camera their concern for the environment and complaints about the stench, although they did not put forward any specific legal demands. Andriy, head of the “Cherkasy Region Veterans’ Corps,” explained the presence of his people outside the court by citing appeals from local residents who allegedly complain about waste and environmental issues. He says that flies and the stench have been plaguing residents for “about five years,” and that the company ignores the city government’s advice and refuses to build wastewater treatment facilities. 

“I’m in favor of everything operating in accordance with current legislation. The court has all the relevant documents regarding violations—both environmental and those related to the connection of treatment facilities. Instead of correcting these issues, the business owners try to either bribe someone or intimidate people. They were offered the chance to launch a new treatment plant and build hangars, but they refuse to do so,” the activist stated.  

It all started with two reports

Criminal case No. 12026250000000199 was entered into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations on May 15, 2026. According to rulings by the Prydniprovsk District Court of Cherkasy, the investigation was initiated based on two reports from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Office in Cherkasy Oblast. One report stated that, according to law enforcement officials, officials of Omega Three LLC were allegedly transporting waste to unauthorized rural landfills and dumping it into dug-out pits. Investigators believe this could have led to the contamination and degradation of land by substances that pose a danger to the environment. This aspect of the case is being investigated under Part 1 of Article 239 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The second report concerned a possible abuse of official position. According to investigators, officials from “Omega Three” and the municipal enterprise “Agroecology Production Enterprise” may have acted in collusion regarding the use of land plots. Initially, a separate case was opened regarding this matter under Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, but the prosecutor later merged it with the case involving possible land contamination.

Traces on the Ground: KAMAZ Trucks, Waybills, and Seized Soil 

One of the central episodes in the case files was the removal of waste. According to the investigation, the waste was transported from the “Omega Three” site in Zolotonosha to a land plot with cadastral number 7124989000:03:003:0756. This land belongs to the Chervonoslobodsky Village Council and is under permanent use by the municipal enterprise “Production Enterprise ‘Agroecology.’”

The court documents mention a KAMAZ truck driver who, according to investigators, was given instructions regarding the transport of waste. Before each trip, as noted in the court rulings, he was issued waybills. And it was precisely these documents that raised questions for investigators. On paper, the cargo’s destination was listed as the state-owned enterprise “Ukrvetsanzavod,” while the unloading location was an address in Talne. At the same time, investigators claim that the actual route of the waste was different—it was allegedly delivered to a plot of land belonging to “Agroecology.”

In July, the court ordered the seizure of a phone confiscated during a search of the residence of one of the individuals involved in the case. Another court order pertains to a search of the municipal enterprise “Agroecology,” where investigators seized the director’s phone, Contract No. 72 dated June 1, 2026, for the provision of solid household waste removal services, concluded with “Omega Three,” as well as draft notes and personnel documents.

The mere existence of a contract between the companies, of course, does not prove illegal waste management. But it is important for the investigation because it allows investigators to verify exactly what services were ordered, who was supposed to receive the waste, and where it was supposed to go in accordance with the agreements.

On August 26, investigators conducted searches related to the activities of “Omega Three.” Documents were seized and soil samples were taken on the company’s premises and in its offices. On September 1, the Prydniprovsk District Court of Cherkasy issued a seizure order for these samples.

The ruling explains this as follows: the investigation planned to use the soil and documents as physical evidence, and without a seizure order, they could have been damaged, destroyed, or lost.At the same time, the court specifically emphasized that during the pretrial investigation stage, the investigating judge does not evaluate evidence in terms of its sufficiency or admissibility, as is done during the trial on the merits. In other words, the seizure of the soil samples means that the court agreed with the need to preserve them for the investigation, not that the fact of soil contamination has already been proven.

Another ruling dated September 1 concerns Case No. 711/9157/26. It pertains to soil samples and dead poultry seized during a search on August 27. According to investigators, dead birds may have been buried on the poultry farm’s grounds. The property itself is associated with Cherkasy Poultry Farm LLC, while “Omega Three” is mentioned in the ruling as the mortgagee.

Further investigation and court proceedings are needed to definitively determine whether anything was indeed illegally buried on the premises, what exactly it was, who did it, and whether it caused environmental harm.

A Double Blow: Government Agencies Simultaneously Shut Down the Business 

As the criminal case unfolded through searches and asset seizures, another case was filed with the Cherkasy District Administrative Court.

On August 10, the court opened case No. 580/8433/26 based on a lawsuit filed by the State Environmental Inspectorate of the Central District against Omega Three LLC. The inspection’s demand was worded in the strongest possible terms: to impose remedial measures on the company by temporarily and completely suspending its operations until an environmental impact assessment report is received.

And a month later, in September, another administrative lawsuit was filed. The plaintiff was the State Food and Consumer Service in the Cherkasy region. In Case No. 580/9753/26, it requested a halt to the production of animal by-products at the company’s facility in Zolotonosha.

Moreover, as early as September 16, the court noted an important detail: the State Service’s claims contained ambiguity regarding the production address and the location of business operations, since a similar issue is already being considered in another case—Case No. 580/8433/26—in which the Environmental Inspectorate is seeking a complete ban on Omega Three’s operations until an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report is received.

Management’s Position: The Fight for 300 Jobs and Suspicions of a Hostile Takeover

Olena Bezugla, co-owner of Omega Three LLC, explained to reporters outside the courthouse why the staff decided to come out in defense of the company and emphasized that the conflict must be resolved exclusively within the legal framework:

“We learned that a rally was being organized by supporters or those who want to make demands or exert pressure on the court. Therefore, the staff of ‘Omega Three’ approached me as their leader with the initiative to hold a peaceful demonstration. We are standing up for our right to work, and I cannot allow the company to be shut down, which would leave nearly 300 people unemployed. We want to resolve this conflict solely through the law and the courts. It is important to us that our voices are heard and that the court is not subjected to pressure. We expect the judge to make the right decision and not to shut down the production site in Zolotonosha.”

Responding to a question about addressing the concerns and environmental issues raised in the complaints, the manager assured that she was ready to fully cooperate with the regulatory authorities:

“Yes, absolutely. We have responded to all inspections conducted by the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection or the environmental agency—where minor violations were noted—by correcting them, inviting the relevant authorities, and demonstrating what has already been done and what we plan to do next. We address all orders within the timeframes provided to us by government agencies.”

Olena Bezugla also emphasized that the company has no plans to cease operations and will fight for its rights, relying on the support of its staff and the community:

“It won’t close! We will defend our company. We understand that there are many people who care and who see the work we do. The company employs 300 people, and we feel that support. Since we began operations in 2022, we have already paid 65 million hryvnias in taxes and invested 120 million hryvnias in the production facility.”

In addition, the CEO highlighted the large-scale environmental and technological upgrades the company has already implemented, addressing the legacy issues left by the site’s previous owners:

“We opened modern wastewater treatment facilities directly on-site, built two solar power plants to conserve energy, renovated the processing plant, and opened a new sausage production facility. A great deal has been accomplished. Unfortunately, our predecessors, who operated production facilities on this site, contaminated the soil. We inherited this problem, but we are doing everything we can to change it. We want to stay, continue working, improve production, and do everything we can for the Cherkasy region.”

As a reminder, it was previously reported that the sister of the main suspect in the NABU “Carthage” investigation was involved in a “crackdown” on a chicken producer in the Cherkasy region

This refers to Viktoria Didych, the now-dismissed head of a department at the Cherkasy Regional Prosecutor’s Office, who is the biological sister of Serhiy Kropiva. Given the circumstances surrounding “Omega Three” LLC and the revealed connection between Viktoria Didych and Serhiy Kropiva, a key question arises: Could Judge Larisa Trofimova or individuals associated with her have ties to the figures involved in the high-profile NABU investigation “Carthage”? 

However, according to sources at UA.News, these procedural and personal claims may mask a much larger conflict—an attempt at a hostile takeover of the business in the interests of the MHP agricultural holding.

The Battle for the Market: Who Benefits from Shutting Down the Factory?

Cherkasy Oblast is a region where a powerful poultry production industry has long been established. Among the largest players is Yuriy Kosyuk’s MHP (in particular, the “Peremoha Nova” enterprise in the region is 100% owned by PJSC “MHP”).

There’s never a vacuum in business: if one player loses production capacity, another instantly takes its place, along with its contracts, logistics, and customers. It’s easy to shut down an operating enterprise by court order. It is much more difficult to explain to nearly three hundred people why they are losing their jobs, to suppliers where to sell their products, and to the city budget how to compensate for the loss of a major taxpayer.

In the following articles, we will examine this scheme in detail, revealing the family ties, influences, and the real beneficiaries behind the pressure on the “Omega Three” enterprise.