Andrey Matyukha and his PR campaign – an attempt to “preserve” Russian citizenship in the shadow of Favbet’s success

Journalistic reports have linked the FavBet Group of Companies to possible cooperation with Russia and the "Yanukovych clan," and now the company seems to be attempting to legitimize itself in Ukraine’s media landscape.

In recent months, the gambling brand has been featured in several prestigious events, and the owner of the gambling empire, Andrey Matyukha, accused of holding Russian citizenship, seems to have launched a large-scale campaign to "cleanse" his media image.

In just the past week, the network was flooded with news related to the companies of the FavBet Group owned by Andrey Matyukha, in which the scandalously known brand appears positively—as a sponsor, patron, and participant in events important for the country’s life and development:

- The FavBet company served as the ⦁ title sponsor of the Ukrainian Basketball Cup, which starts on November 30 – December 1, and launched a massive promotion;

- The FavBet Tech structure ⦁ became a partner of the Forbes Tech 2024 technology forum, held on November 24, with the participation of founders and leaders of leading domestic IT companies, investors, and the Ministry of Digital Transformation;

Новости по теме: SportBank и фонд N1 Никиты Измайлова — “финансовая прачечная” для российских денег под прикрытием финтеха и благотворительности

- The FavBet Foundation charity organized free martial arts classes for children of military personnel and internally displaced persons, as ⦁ reported to the news agency on November 25.

These events were preceded by Andrey Matyukha’s appearance on television during the "Shakhtar" match in London—the controversial businessman was spotted in the VIP section among distinguished guests, officials, and diplomats from Ukraine, as previously reported by StopCor. At that time, journalists speculated that the blatant posing for television cameras might be Matyukha’s attempt to "legitimize" his presence and the presence of the FavBet brand in the informational field

And it seems this hypothesis continues to find confirmation. Strangely, materials mentioning the possible Russian citizenship of the FavBet beneficiary and containing screenshots of a Russian passport in the name of Andrey Matyukha continue to "evaporate" from the network.

Let’s recall that in the spring, despite the ambiguous reputation and potential long-term cooperation with Russia, by order of the Ministry of Economy, the FavBet company was included in the list of those whose employees could receive deferment and avoid mobilization. Subsequently, the Ministry of Economy responded to the public outcry caused by this order, and the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Yuliia Svyrydenko, reported that it would be canceled.