Father of Latvian PM candidate linked to Russian military suppliers

Investigations have revealed that Sergejs Fedotovs, the father of Latvian prime ministerial candidate Julija Stepaņenko, owns construction companies in Russia that have supplied the Russian military. One of his companies, ‘Forma ŽBI’, reportedly produced approximately 2,000 ‘dragon teeth’ (anti-tank obstacles) and concrete tetrapods for use in the Belgorod region following the invasion of Ukraine.

Fedotov owns majority stakes in two family-run companies based in Solnechnogorsk, ‘Forma ŽBI’ and ‘PLK Forma’. These enterprises have reported annual profits between 5.7 and 7.05 million euros from 2021 to 2024. According to state official declarations, Stepaņenko has received significant financial gifts from her father, including nearly 240,000 euros in cash in 2022 and a Riga apartment valued at 180,000 euros in 2024. Stepaņenko has declined to comment on the origin of these funds.

Additionally, reports indicate that convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout visited Fedotovs' production facility during a Russian State Duma election campaign. Footage from Russian television shows Bout participating in a campaign event alongside Fedotovs, where Bout discussed the necessity of protecting critical infrastructure amidst Western sanctions.