Ukrainian businessmen Vladlen, Hennadiy, and Vitaliy Hirin have found themselves at the center of an international scandal. The brothers are reportedly linked to the creation of an organized crime group in Cyprus, uncovered during the “Ring” operation conducted by the Cypriot Ministry of Internal Affairs in cooperation with Europol.
Vladlen Hirin, named after Vladimir Lenin, was detained in Slovenia in the fall of 2024 along with his wife and son. He is accused of serious offenses, and according to available data, he may be in custody awaiting a verdict.
Hennadiy Hirin
His brother Hennadiy Hirin avoided detention. According to various sources, he is hiding either in Montenegro or Croatia. The third brother, Vitaliy Hirin, remained in Kherson. He is linked to local political circles — in particular, he is called the godfather of Volodymyr Saldo, with whom Vladlen Hirin previously clashed while trying to take a leadership position in the city.
In the past, all three brothers were actively involved in Ukraine’s political life and served as deputies. After the start of the full-scale war in 2022, Vladlen and Hennadiy left the country, using the status of persons affected by hostilities.
Business and Influence in Kherson
In Kherson, the Hirin brothers were known as entrepreneurs with an aggressive business model. They started with small businesses but quickly built up capital.
According to their own statements:
- Hennadiy Hirin controlled 41 companies
- Vladlen Hirin — 32 companies
Despite significant resources, Vladlen Hirin repeatedly tried to take the position of head of Kherson, but these attempts were unsuccessful.
It was through political ambitions that Vladlen Hirin created the association «For Honest Power!» and launched a public campaign against the then-mayor of Kherson, Volodymyr Saldo.
One of the most resonant episodes was the events of August 12, 2010. Then Vladlen Hirin gathered supporters in the center of Kherson and announced the action «Kherson — Without Saldo!».
It was planned that the protest would last 10 days: participants were to set up tents on the central square and conduct a round-the-clock hunger strike. However, it was not possible to fully implement this scenario.
During the action, Hirin’s supporters took the stage and openly spoke out against nominating Saldo for the next mayoral elections.
The action was also supported by Vladlen’s younger brother — Hennadiy Hirin, who took an active part in the campaign.
But during this action, a telling incident occurred that only highlighted the internal conflict in the Hirin family.
That day, Vladlen’s brother — Vitaliy Hirin, who is called the godfather of Volodymyr Saldo, effectively disrupted the action: he took away the main protest banner «Kherson — Without Saldo!» right from under the organizers’ noses.
Local media wrote at the time that the situation looked absurd — a public confrontation between blood brothers in the city center. Vitaliy Hirin was then a city council deputy from the «People’s Party» and already had conflicts with Vladlen.
For many, it remained unclear what exactly they had fallen out over and how allies turned into open opponents. This family rift later only intensified the political and business struggle around the Hirins.
Whether it was a banal bribe is an open question. In Kherson at the time, there was active discussion of the version that Volodymyr Saldo might have pulled Vitaliy Hirin to his side to neutralize his main election competitor — Vladlen Hirin.
Another version — no less cynical: the conflict between the brothers could have been part of an agreed game, an attempt to create the appearance of a struggle and confuse opponents and voters.
Neither of these versions has been officially confirmed. But the very fact of open confrontation between the brothers in the midst of a political campaign looked at least suspicious and only heightened questions about the real motives of their actions.
Vitaliy Hirin
At the same time, another telling detail emerged in this story. Local journalists wrote at the time that accusations of «godfatherism» were no longer directed at Vitaliy, but at Vladlen Hirin himself.
Moreover, in previous elections, Vladlen Hirin, according to this data, lost precisely because of rumors that he was allegedly Saldo’s «technical candidate».
In other words, the situation looked doubly confusing: publicly, Hirin opposed Saldo, but in parallel, versions of their possible informal cooperation spread. This only undermined trust in him among voters and could have been one of the reasons for defeat.
This is the kind of open «mess» that existed between the brothers — allies, competitors, and opponents at the same time.
At the same time, all three had a fairly serious political background. Vladlen Hirin was elected to the Kherson city council back in 2002. Hennadiy Hirin was a city council deputy from 2010–2015.
Later, media directly called Vitaliy Hirin «Saldo’s wallet», which only heightened suspicions about his role in local political and financial processes.
Beaten and Not Admitted to «UDAR»
Another loud scandal involving Vladlen and Hennadiy Hirins occurred at the end of September 2010.
Forceful Raid and Political Ambitions
On September 30, 2010, at 8:30 a.m., about 10 armed tax special forces officers in masks arrived at Koltsov Street in Kherson, where Vladlen Hirin’s enterprise — the leader of the «For Honest Power!» organization — was located.
They broke down the glass doors, burst into the premises, and began seizing documentation and computer equipment. Later, employees of the Suvorovskyi district police department arrived at the scene. The work of the enterprise, which employed over 2,000 people, was effectively paralyzed.
Vladlen Hirin
During the incident, Vladlen Hirin clashed with the security forces and was beaten. Paramedics recorded a concussion and dislocated shoulder for him.
After this, the unsuccessful politician tried to change his political vector and began negotiations to join the «UDAR» party. He was discussing the conditions under which he could be accepted into this political force.
According to his calculations, «UDAR» was to become a new political project capable of replacing Viktor Yanukovych-era «Party of Regions».
Hennadiy Hirin also tried to join the «UDAR» party, but both brothers were not accepted.
Later, Vladlen Hirin tried to enter politics through the «Servant of the People» party and run for the Kyiv City Council, but quickly dropped out of the race.
After a series of political failures, the brothers sharply reoriented to business. From small entrepreneurs, they gradually turned into major players — landlords and owners of significant assets.
From «33 m²» to Major Assets
Even before active political struggle, Vladlen Hirin was known as the head of a sprawling network of businesses in Kherson and beyond.
He headed:
- the network of construction and household supermarkets «33 m²»,
- «Stroy-Ka» stores,
- Techno House household appliances salon,
- «Lampochka» lighting salon.
The «33 m²» network had 45 stores and operated in 6 regions of Ukraine, indicating a fairly serious scale of business at an early stage of Hirin’s activity.
Sharp Jump: Millions, Real Estate, and Scandals
Hennadiy Hirin, in parallel, tried to build a public image through charity — he positioned himself as the founder of the «Mercy» fund, which helped orphaned children and large families.
However, by 2020, the brothers sharply increased their assets. They acquired the «Suvorovskyi» shopping center in Kherson, and the company «Gystion», associated with Vladlen Hirin, bought the Amtel warehouse complex in the Kyiv region. The deal amount — about $40 million.
After purchasing the shopping center, the brothers planned a large-scale reconstruction, for which they wanted to build a parking lot in the city center — effectively on the territory of Potemkin Square. The project caused resistance, and they received no support from the authorities.
Another loud episode — the company «Stroy City», created by the Hirins. It became the centerpiece of a scandal over the construction of elite cottages on the territory of a national heritage archaeological site — the Oleshkivska Sich.
In the end, the brothers’ business activity was increasingly accompanied by conflicts, questions about sources of funding, and loud stories around their projects.
Construction associated with the Hirin brothers led to serious consequences: according to available data, about 3.5 hectares of the cultural layer of the national heritage archaeological site — Oleshkivska Sich — were destroyed.
After a series of scandals, the brothers left Ukraine and moved to Cyprus.
On the eve of departure, Vladlen Hirin registered a significant asset in his name — 100 apartments in a new residential complex in the village of Sofiyivska Borshchahivka (Buchansky district, Kyiv region). Estimated value — about $1.5 million. The origin of the funds again raised questions.
Cyprus, particularly Limassol, was chosen by the brothers even before the events of 2022. Starting from 2019, they regularly visited the island, and after the start of the full-scale war, they settled there permanently, positioning themselves as victims of hostilities.
For several years, there were almost no news about them. But in the fall of 2024, the situation changed sharply.
According to available information, during this time they not only preserved their capital but actively increased it, using offshore structures and financial schemes related to money laundering.
«Golden Passports», International Scheme, and the End of the Story
On Cyprus, the Hirin brothers obtained so-called «golden passports», while positioning themselves as victims of the war in Ukraine. According to available information, it was there that they formed a sprawling network that included citizens of Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan.
This is a structure that provided courier and illegal banking services to other groups — particularly in the spheres of drug trafficking, tax evasion, and smuggling. The status of temporary protection granted by the EU to Ukrainian refugees after 2022 was used in the process.
Operation «Ring»
The investigation culminated in a large-scale international operation «Ring», which covered several countries at once: Cyprus, Spain, Croatia, France, Germany, and Slovenia.
As part of it:
- Vladlen Hirin, his wife, and son were detained in Slovenia at the request of Interpol
- 13 search warrants were issued on Cyprus
- MOKAS unit seized 14 apartments worth over €7 million
- about €24 million in cryptocurrency was frozen
- elite cars, watches, and cash were seized
The Hirin couple was detained in Slovenia on an Interpol warrant
Hennadiy Hirin managed to escape — he is wanted, likely in Croatia or Montenegro. There is no data yet on changing Vladlen Hirin’s preventive measure.
Given the scale of the charges of transnational money laundering, court proceedings and extradition procedures could take years.
The Third Brother — A Separate Story
Vitaliy Hirin remained in Ukraine but also regularly got into scandals.
- In 2016, he became an assistant to politician Yegor Ustinov
- In 2020, his name figured in a shooting incident — the car belonged to his son Leonid Hirin
- That same year, he was appointed deputy head of the Kalanchak RSA
Local media repeatedly called him «Volodymyr Saldo’s wallet».
There were also reports that Vitaliy Hirin took large sums of money from Kherson residents and then disappeared.
Where he is now is not exactly known. It is not ruled out that his path may also have led abroad.
