A mother-and-son duo behind a sanctioned Russian drone manufacturer are also running a grain export business that ships wheat from occupied Ukrainian territory to Turkey and Egypt, according to an investigation.
The company, Nika LLC, exports tens of thousands of tons of wheat grown in the region of Mariupol, the port city that fell to Russian forces after a brutal three-month siege. Ukraine’s government has consistently described Russian export of Ukrainian grain as pillage, a war crime under international law, with independent researchers estimating losses in the billions of dollars.
The wheat from occupied territory is being supplied to a Turkish miller that counts the UN World Food Programme among its clients and also exports noodles to Ukraine. The Turkish company stated it abides by all applicable international laws and trade sanctions, and that its vendor counterparties are rigorously screened.
In 2023, Nika shipped $3.7 million worth of wheat to Turkey and Egypt. The following year, exports nearly quadrupled to 59,500 tons worth $12.9 million. The company shipped another 4,500 tons in the first quarter of 2025.
The son, Roman Gurov, also runs Roboavia, a drone manufacturing company sanctioned by the United States and Ukraine. The company produces the Sarych reconnaissance drone and the Surprise strike drone, described by defense industry observers as virtually invisible and inaudible to adversaries. Roboavia was first registered in 2015, with Gurov’s 75-year-old mother becoming the owner in July 2022 and Gurov becoming general director in November 2022. Neither had any prior involvement in drone manufacturing.
The dual businesses highlight how individuals connected to Russia’s military-industrial complex are simultaneously profiting from the exploitation of agricultural resources in occupied Ukrainian territory, with shipments passing through Turkey, a country that has previously faced allegations of importing grain from Russian-occupied land.