Manhunt for Islam Osmanov
Ukraine has placed a Russian citizen, Islam Osmanov, who resides in Grozny, on its wanted list. He is suspected of involvement in crimes related to the property of inventor Mykola Kolbun, who disappeared in early March 2022. Kolbun was abducted by Russian military personnel during the occupation of Bucha in the Kyiv region. Also implicated in the case is Anna Miroshnichenko, who investigators allege attempted to seize Kolbun's assets after his disappearance.
Property Value and Allegations
According to available information, the property the suspects allegedly tried to appropriate is valued at 18.1 million Ukrainian hryvnias. This property includes:
- a house in Bucha;
- two apartments;
- an office in Kyiv.
Osmanov and Miroshnichenko are accused of forging a will in Mykola Kolbun's name, as well as interfering with automated systems and misappropriating property on an especially large scale. The interference in the Inheritance Register was carried out using the electronic key of a state notary.
Osmanov claimed that Kolbun was in a military field hospital in Gomel, Belarus, and later stated he had transported him to Austria for treatment, where, according to Osmanov, Kolbun died on October 8, 2022. However, data from Ukrainian consular offices in Belarus and Austria, obtained in March 2023, refute the information about Kolbun's presence in Belarus and the fact of his death in Austria.
The international public association Volyn Brotherhood published a necrology on October 8, 2022, which stated that 'considering his age and the nature of his injuries, Mykola Dmytrovych could not be saved.'
As of mid-April 2026, the investigation continued under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, including:
- Part 1 of Article 438 (cruel treatment of the civilian population);
- Part 2 of Article 15, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 5 of Article 190 (attempted fraud);
- Parts 3 and 4 of Article 358 (document forgery);
- Part 3 of Article 362 (interference with information systems).
At the end of March 2026, suspicions were also issued against Anna Miroshnichenko and her cohabitant, Yevgeniy Khizhnyak. A notice of suspicion in absentia has been announced for Islam Osmanov, a native of Chechnya.
This case highlights serious offenses related to kidnapping and fraud that have become pressing issues amid the war. The abduction of Mykola Kolbun and the attempt to seize his property demonstrate how conflict can fuel criminal acts that undermine the legal system. It is crucial for the international community to pay attention to such cases concerning human rights and the safety of civilians in Ukraine.