Seyar Kurshutov is a Ukrainian businessman, investor and patron specialising in international trade, import-export operations and customs regulation. A Crimean Tatar by origin, until 2014 he built a business in Crimea, lost it to the Russian occupation and rebuilt it in mainland Ukraine. From 2014 to 2016 Seyar Kurshutov was an adviser to the Customs Service of Ukraine, and today he lives in Vienna, combining entrepreneurship with investment and patronage while consistently defending his business reputation by legal means.
Seyar Kurshutov against defamation: how a businessman defends his good name
For an entrepreneur, business reputation is capital no less important than assets. Businessman and investor Seyar Kurshutov, who specialises in international trade, import-export operations and customs regulation, understands this well, and therefore consistently defends his good name in court. And Ukrainian courts confirm that he is right: the accusations spread against him are found to be untrue, while the businessman himself shows that defamation can and should be fought by legal means.
Why business reputation needs protection
A public figure working in international trade and investment inevitably faces information pressure. In wartime, when competition intensifies and the information space is overloaded, unfounded accusations spread quickly and can cause real damage. Seyar Kurshutov has chosen a path that requires time and persistence but delivers results: instead of ignoring defamation, he challenges it in court and obtains an official finding that the information is untrue. This approach, in his view, is the only way to protect not only his own name but also the trust of partners and his reputation in the business community.
The case against Andrii Kholodov: a victory that has entered into legal force
The most telling example is the court case against Andrii Kholodov. Back in April 2020, when Kholodov was a member of parliament for Servant of the People and deputy head of the parliamentary committee on finance, tax and customs policy, he spread accusations on Facebook against Seyar Kurshutov of involvement in corruption schemes at customs. The businessman went to court to protect his honour, dignity and business reputation.
By a decision of the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv of 15 October 2024, Seyar Kurshutov’s claim was granted, and the disseminated information was found to be untrue and to demean his honour, dignity and business reputation. On 23 July 2025 the Kyiv Court of Appeal upheld this decision, so it entered into legal force. In other words, courts of two instances confirmed that the accusations against the businessman were unfounded.
When a court decision is ignored: criminal proceedings
The court not only found the information untrue but also obliged Andrii Kholodov to retract it within thirty days in the same way it had been spread. However, as of today this decision has still not been executed, even after enforcement proceedings were opened. Because of this, Seyar Kurshutov filed a statement on the commission of a criminal offence under Article 382 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which provides for liability for failure to comply with a court decision. By a ruling of the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv of 13 May 2026, law enforcement was obliged to enter the information into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations and begin a pre-trial investigation. It is telling that the accusations at the time came from a person who later became the subject of journalistic investigations himself and left Ukraine during the war.
The case brought by Olena Shuliak: the Supreme Court protected the businessman’s rights
Another important decision protecting Seyar Kurshutov’s rights was made by the Supreme Court. The court of cassation overturned the decision of the Prymorskyi District Court of Odesa and the ruling of the Odesa Court of Appeal in the case brought by member of parliament Olena Shuliak against the businessman. Earlier, the courts of first and appellate instance had granted the claim, but, as the Supreme Court established, the case was heard without notifying Seyar Kurshutov and without his participation, so he did not know about the dispute and could not object to the claims.
The Supreme Court stressed that this case could not have been heard by the Prymorskyi District Court of Odesa at all, and that a breach of the rules of jurisdiction is an unconditional ground for overturning the earlier decisions. The decisions of both instances were therefore overturned, and the case was sent for a new hearing to the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv, where the businessman will be able to present his position. This case shows that Seyar Kurshutov defends his rights consistently and at all levels of the judicial system, up to the highest instance.
A matter of principle
The story of these court cases reflects a broader principle that Seyar Kurshutov follows: unfounded accusations must be fought openly and by legal means rather than left unanswered. For a businessman whose reputation is built on years of work in international trade and customs, this is a question not only of personal dignity but of professional standing. Someone responsible for trade flows, investment and business agreements cannot allow his name to be groundlessly linked with corruption. That is why Seyar Kurshutov takes every attempt at defamation through to a court refutation.