BRZ: Chinese Motorcycles Were Shipped Cheaply To Russia Via Belarus For Military Purposes
- 14.07.2026, 10:42
Companies affiliated with Sheiman were involved in the supply chain,
Chinese motorcycles were entering Russia via Belarus at prices at least 10 times lower than market value—companies registered in Switzerland and Hong Kong were involved in the supply chain, some of which are linked to the inner circle of Viktor Sheiman, a close associate of Lukashenko, reports the Belarusian Investigative Center.
Such a scheme could not only reduce customs duties but also create additional advantages for Motovelozavod’s Chinese competitors in one of its key markets, noted the author of the investigation, Svetlana Yatskova.
It is also noted that the shipping route appeared atypical: the vehicles did not go directly to Russia, but rather from China to Kazakhstan, then to Russia, to Belarus, and back to Russia. It was in Belarus that the motorcycles underwent customs clearance, after which they were shipped once again to the Russian market.
“According to the documents we obtained, in November 2025, one of the Chinese manufacturers shipped about a hundred of these enduro motorcycles to Belarus at $200 each,” the investigation states. — A month earlier, a shipment of motorcycles weighing a total of more than 15 metric tons was imported into the country: the average cost per motorcycle was about $60. In another shipment, 108 motocross bikes, along with parts, were cleared through customs for less than $9,000—about $80 per unit. Over two years—from 2023 to 2025—nearly $3 million worth of vehicles were imported using this scheme.
It is noted that underreporting the value of the equipment allows for a reduction in customs duties and VAT, which are calculated based on the declared value of the goods.
The BRC established that the shipments were routed through the Belarusian company “Brandshandel,” registered in February 2023. Its founder and director Andrei Feoktistov had previously worked for nearly ten years at companies linked to Sheiman’s inner circle, the BRC notes. Prior to that, Feoktistov worked at “Motovelo.”
“Nearly half of the company’s current employees previously worked at ‘Globalkastom.’ At various times, both companies were registered at the same address on Nemiga Street in Minsk. Formally, “Globalkastom” was owned by a graduate of the Academy of Arts and a hairdresser from Odessa. However, as the BRC previously established, the graduate was in a relationship with Viktor Sheiman at the time, and the hairdresser was the wife of his first wife’s nephew. “Globalkastom,” like “Brandshandel” today, made money by processing imported shipments through Belarusian customs and minimizing customs duties—including during the period when Sheiman served as the president’s chief of staff,” — writes the author of the investigation.
After “Globalkastom,” some of its employees moved not only to “Brandshandel” but also, earlier, to “Alexvit LTD,” which also acted as a customs broker for “Brandshandel” shipments at least once. From 2021 to 2025, it was owned by the former deputy chairman of the State Customs Committee of Belarus Sergei Borisyuk. On the day Borisyuk became the company’s owner, Kirill Zhukov—a man who had previously worked within Sheiman’s inner circle—was appointed its director.
The investigation notes that the scheme involving the supply of Chinese motorcycles unfolded at a time when the Russian market was experiencing rapid growth. According to industry statistics, while approximately 15,500 new motorcycles were sold in Russia in 2022, by 2025 that number had risen to over 51,000.
It has been suggested that one of the reasons may be the full-scale invasion of Ukraine: experts from the U.S. Institute for the Study of War noted that enduro motorcycles, suitable for off-road riding, began to be purchased for the needs of the Russian army. In addition, as car prices have risen, Russians have increasingly turned to motorcycles.
The Minsk Motorcycle and Bicycle Plant manufactures enduro motorcycles similar to those mentioned in the investigation. However, the plant was unable to capitalize on this growth in demand. According to state media, it produced only about 6,000 motorcycles in 2024.
Instead of strengthening the Belarusian manufacturer’s position in the growing market, companies linked to Viktor Sheiman’s inner circle profited from the supply of Chinese motorcycles, the investigation emphasizes.