The area around the state residence on Valdai attracts friends of the President, government officials, security officials and businessmen earning on public contracts
Photo: RBC
Along with the state residence on lake Valdai in recent years have settled many people from the entourage of Vladimir Putin. RBC found out who owns the land at Valdai and who coexists here with the President
Between St. Petersburg and Moscow
State residence “Dinner” (with the accent on the second syllable) in the Novgorod region many people mistakenly call a dacha of Joseph Stalin. In fact, it was built in the early 1980s, the years of Leonid Brezhnev, and to be at Valdai often only became the first President of Russia Boris Yeltsin. Dachas located on a Peninsula between lake Valdai and lake Dinner, Yeltsin loved to fish there, recalls the former head of the presidential security service Alexander Korzhakov.
Then the residence was a two-story brick house with an area, according to Korzhakov, “about 1,500 sq m. In addition to KPP, Marina and helipad and other buildings were not. Protection of Yeltsin lived in the cottages of the rest house “Valdai” nearby. Under the first President of the territory of giving away land children’s camp “Space” and pension “Cote d’azur”, says a resident of a nearby village a Long Beard. Under the new President, he said, along the shore, around the perimeter of the Peninsula has built a metal fence with cameras. Then began a lot of construction, which does not stop now.
Putin has several times been on the” back in the 1990s, being samoupravlanja Affairs of the President (1996-1997), argues a former employee of the Administration of President (UDP). But when he became President, I have not forgotten about this place. In August 2000, as follows from the official reports, he spent a great meeting with the leaders of the Northern regions, in 2001, visited the neighboring Iberian monastery, and in January and July 2002, adopted at a meeting of members of the government.
About the visit of Putin in the Valdai Iversky monastery in 2001, wrote “Interfax”: instead of the planned 45 minutes, Putin stayed in the monastery for almost two hours. After the Liturgy the President gave the monastery a copy of the Iveron icon of the mother of God of the nineteenth century. The arrival of the President of the monastery refectory chef prepared the fish in Valday, hash Browns and gave Putin grown on a farmstead apples Photo: kremlin.ru
By 2004, Valdai has become so popular a place that Putin supports the creation of discussion club of the same name, designed to conduct “an unbiased discussion of current world problems”. However, to hold the first meeting in Valdai did not. “Then there is almost no heating broke in the main building, immediately everything was replayed, and we went to another place”, — says the first President of club Valdai, Sergei Karaganov.
Putin often staying on the lake, the locals are already accustomed to the constant noise of helicopters overhead. “He’s here several times a month there — sure the resident closest to the dachas of the village Roshchino. — When in Egypt, our aircraft blew up, here in the second half of the day was a real gathering, a dozen helicopters flew in, no less.” The fact that Putin is often at Valdai, confirmed the interlocutor of RBC familiar with the schedule of the President. Members of the helicopter detachment — special guests located next to the residence of the rest house “Valday” (included in the structure of UDP): for them in the dining room there is a separate table with a sign.
Behind the fence
A fence with cameras, encircling the entire Peninsula, as it turned out, surrounds not only the residence of Putin. According to the public cadastral map, the whole area is divided into two sections. One of them on the 151 hectares in the ownership of the Russian Federation and perpetuity of the Federal security service (FSS), follows from the data of the Unified register of rights to real estate (EGRP) and the second is about 98 hectares in the ownership of a company “Prime” from St. Petersburg.
From the Windows of the holiday home of the office of the President overlooks the fence and pontoon railing gosrezidentsii “Dinner”; in the terminology of the FSO, the residence is called “object “Valdai” Photo: AP
“Prime” is 100% owned by non-commercial partnership “Support for business initiatives” (PIP), which since November 2004, according to SPARK, is owned by father and son Yuri and Boris Kovalchuk (one of them is the main shareholder of Bank “Russia” and Chairman of “inter RAO”). Prior to 2004, the founder of PPI was listed as a partner of Kovalchuk-senior Viktor Myachin (according to “Novaya Gazeta”, he is one of the first stockholders of the famous cooperative “Lake” and former co-owner and head of the Bank “Russia”). The PPI is also a shareholder of “Russia”: according to the Bank, he owns nearly 2.5% of the credit institution. The Bank in their documents calls the participants of PPI Yuri Kovalchuk and his wife Tatyana.
“Prime” has a few notable subsidiaries. One of them — “Biznesros OOO — own homes in a luxury house on Kamenny island in St. Petersburg, where neighbors old friends of the President Gennady Timchenko, Nikolai Shamalov, Yury Kovalchuk and Arkady Rotenberg. Another “daughter” — “Arkonn” — co-owner of a private ski resort “Igora”: according to sources of Reuters, there were married estimated Putin’s daughter Katerina Tikhonova and co-owner of “SIBUR” Kirill Shamalov.
As “Prime” became the owner of the land at Valdai — is unknown. For the first time of his right to land here was registered in December 2003: the basis of the specified contract of purchase and sale. One “Prime” bought the land, in an extract from the unified state register does not say.
According to the public cadastral map, the entire territory of the state residence is divided into two sections. One of them is 151 hectares in the ownership of the Russian Federation and perpetuity of the FSO, and the second with an area of about 98 hectares is in the ownership of PRAJJM, OOO, which is owned by the Kovalchuk Photo: RBC
If this land was in state ownership, the decision on the sale could only take in the Kremlin, says the interlocutor of RBC familiar with the rules of sale of state property. When funds for maintenance and facility development is not enough, then why not engage someone who has the money, he says.
The representative of the Manager did not respond to a request to RBC about the sites at Valdai, as “both not in the registry of property in respect of which the UDP carries out powers of the owner”. The head of the centre for media relations FSO Alexander Risk has also declined to provide information about dachas and its facilities, saying that these data “refer to information constituting a state secret”. “The competence of the presidential administration does not include the collection and provision of information on transactions with a particular real property located in the territory,” he responded to the request, the press Secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov. “Objects belonging to OOO “praym”, located in the region, acquired in compliance with all requirements of the current legislation”, — wrote in response to a request to RBC Director of “Prime” and PIP Elena Klavina.
Allergic to birch
The inhabitants of the state and plot by Kovalchuk, as it turned out, closely connected and can even maintain a common household.
In open sources of information about the area that is used by FSO, a little bit. Of documents on public procurement management “In the” SBP, the FSO, which is based on this site, you can learn only that on it there is a pool, a pontoon fence, garage cabinets, hotel complex with dining area and gym, pumping station and electrical installations. This year through the public procurement system passed the order on the stove in grey with jade stones and a decorative housing with a total weight of 7600 kg, worth 2.3 million rubles. the Purchase was based on “the functioning of the objects of state protection, including the provision of outreach events conducted by the President, the Federal Assembly and the government.”
But the life on the Peninsula goes beyond the holdings of the Federal security service, says one of the locals, pointing to the plot of “Prime”: after cutting of birch trees behind fences became visible brick walls and the roof. Someone of the regulars are allergic to these trees, instead they plant the cedars — make the likeness of the Alps, he says.
The main social life on the Peninsula goes beyond the holdings of the FSO, the plot of “Prime”, according to locals Photo: RBC
Public information on the property “Prime” Valdai little. Online procurement is only mentioned a helipad, leased unit 66631. But the data of the unified state register testify that belonging to the “Prime” real estate leases management of buildings in the North-West district Manager of the President. That is, buying land, Kovalchuk passed standing on her lease to the Kremlin.
Among leased facilities to open documents lists: the residence area of 3443 sq m, an indoor ice rink (2485 m) and a single-storey swimming bath area of 1898 square meters, sauna (805 sq m), guest house (1096 sq ft) and two restaurants (1146 sqm and a beer 523 sq m), two multi-purpose sports area (706 sq ft and 670 sq m), dressing room with bath for baptism, Russian log hut and a bath at her house beekeeper (200 sq m), a Chinese pavilion, a gazebo and barbecue pavilion for trainers, “training ground (driving range), Golf course (5500 sqm), two landing pads for helicopters Mi-8, closed Parking for eight cars, a boathouse with a pier, a floating pontoon bridge, outbuilding agronomist and even the Church. The lease on all objects until the end of 2019. The terms on which the “daughter” UDP rents this property is unknown.
Questions RBC neither “Prime” nor the Manager in essence has not responded. The lease of the property of OOO “praym” signed “for the public events”, and such transactions are “legitimate to the regular practice carried out in the framework of implementation of the Administration of their powers,” explained in his response, the adviser to the Executive Secretary of the President Elena Krylova.
A helipad used by the state residence of the President, were owned by the company “Prime”. Buying land, the company of Yuri Kovalchuk passed standing on it facilities rent Administration of President Photo: AP
Felling of birches — not all work at the site of Kovalchuk. Construction is even in the winter, operate heavy machinery, drive trucks with building materials, said a few locals. In January alone, according to extracts EGRP, the “Prime” in the property came from three automated diesel generator power station and three transformer stations.
To the South of the Peninsula (see map) Prime rents (to 2062) more than 58 hectares belonging to the national Park “Valdai”. The whole plot is also fenced, and the passage to it is closed. “Before there was the nursery, we went to the small Christmas tree weed,” — says a resident of Roschino.
“Prime” received this land, which won the competition in Novgorod of the Russian property Fund in 2013, the annual rental price of 6.5 million rubles under the contract to use the leased land is “the organization of recreational activities. “No large-scale construction is not there, the tenant ennobles territory, — says the Director of the national Park Viktor Sokolov. To ensure that I can’t, but it was assumed that after completion of the work access for certain categories of citizens, such as students, there will be opened”. Legally Park to this site now has nothing to do, but under contract with the tenant, the Park’s staff have the right to verify use of land, emphasizes the falcons. Chapter Roschino settlement Vladimir Myachin declined to comment on the terms of the lease of the former arboretum.
In recent years the residence has unfolded large-scale construction. Were purchased diesel generators. In the lake are divers Photo: RBC
Middle shore the middle circle
On the other side of the Dinner on the lands of “Prime,” another once popular among tourists area. This is the base of rest “the Shore of Valdai” in the village of Shuya. In the summer of 2006, the land has changed the owner and the base was closed to visitors. New owner — Moscow, OOO “Tvorcheskaya studiya “New look” — to explore the territory began only five years later, when the Studio came under 100% control of another friend of the President — the billionaire Arkady Rotenberg.
The area of the Rothenberg more modest than that of Kovalchuk, only 8.2 ha.
Next — two more attached to the possession of land with a total area of about 2 ha. Their owner, according to the unified state register, listed Cyprus “Apofirm partisipeyshn limited”. According to SPARK, this firm has had representation in Russia, was in the village of Shuya Novgorod region (here there is a plot). Representation no longer exists — it was removed from the register of economic entities, but the Trustees “Apofirm” at different times, was the former Director of the “New look” Sergey Melnikov and Irina Elesina (Alesina ceased to lead the company in June 2016).
To the query whether “Apofirm” Rothenberg and how it plans to develop its hold, and the representative of the businessman did not answer.
Apparently, the owner of the “New look” at Valdai like the President. In April 2016, the company acquired here another 2.3 ha of land on the territory of the former recreation center “Valdai”. The seller was a namesake of the wife of a large St. Petersburg businessman Igor Minakov.
In 2013, OOO “Prime” became the winner of auction on the right of rent for 49 years nearly 58,2 ha national Park for the recreational activities”. In the fall of 2015 in the concession area were conducted large-scale construction work Photo: AP
At least 3.7 hectares of land at the entrance to the residence of Putin — to 100-percent “daughter” of the insurance company SOGAZ — OOO Valday compound”. There, according to statements EGRP, is a guest house with an area of 1080 square meters and several houses on 131-156 sq. m. To the extent that in 2014 the sanctions list of the owners of the SOGAZ was the structure of the Bank “Russia” Yuri Kovalchuk, Volga Group Gennady Timchenko, Gazprom, and first cousin of Putin — Mikhail Shelomova. The representative of SOGAZ declined to comment in respect of the Valdai company’s assets.
In 2006 the structure Arkady Rotenberg has acquired 8.2 acres of the recreation center “the Shore of Valdai”. Subsequently, his tenure at Valdai expanded Photo: RBC
Star neighbours
Even the geographical proximity to the head in Russia can play a major role: over time, near the residence of Putin and plots with his friends at Valdai began to settle the new state elite.
In the village Yascherovo, 15 minutes from the residence on the water “on the motor”, when something was written only 20-30 people. The most famous local resident was “Lelik” Bortnichuk, the brother of rock musician Pyotr Mamonov and co-founder of the group “Sounds of Mu”. Now the “first line” — the fiefdom of former and current employees of the FSO and the business Manager. “Not the people, and the inhabitants of heaven” — describes its neighbors with one of the owners of land in Yascherovo. According to him, “they call themselves the Kremlin-3”.
To buy land in Yascherovo became more expensive, say local realtors: there are only a few vacant lots, recently one of them has an area of 20 acres — asked for 4 million rubles (the price of weave in Yascherovo not in the elite place 18-20 thousand).
Several acres of land base “Valdai podvore”, located at the entrance to the state residence, has acquired the structure of the insurance company SOGAZ Photo: RBC
One of the first (according to the documents at the disposal of RBC) in 2004 — right to land on Valdai has received the full namesake of the new head of the national guard, former commander of the interior troops and chief of the presidential security service Viktor Zolotov. In April 2009 immediate neighbors Zolotov became the namesake of his wife and son, Valentina and the Novel (names of relatives Zolotov opened the magazine The New Times). Now the three of them belongs to the main plot on the “front line” area of almost 1.5 hectares under a common address on the street. To a request to RBC nor the gold, nor the interior Ministry (from his composition distinguished national guard) did not reply, but his returns for the years 2014 and 2015 provided that at least two sites (his and wife), the square of which coincide with the land in Yascherovo (read more about this property Zolotov read here).
The first line along the shore of Valdai in the village Yascherovo — patrimony
current and former employees of the FSO and the Executive Secretary of the President Photo: AP
About the Zolotov son is little known. For example, the media wrote that in the mid 2000-ies of Roman gold along with Yuri Chechikhin was made by the producers (among them the work — series “movers and Shakers” and “movers and Shakers. To be together”, shown on “the First channel”). According to “Novaya Gazeta”, at least until 2014 Zolotov Jr. held an Executive post in the Federal state unitary enterprise “Okhrana” of the Ministry of internal Affairs of Russia which render commercial services for the protection of property of citizens and organizations.
The tradition of people power to live together with Soviet-era roots, when property was not, and the apartment was given from above, said political analyst Alexei Makarkin. In the House on the Embankment lived state officials under Stalin, when Boris Yeltsin moved into an apartment on Autumn street, he himself, according to the memoirs of Korzhakov, who will be his neighbors from among the companions. “With the country towns the same. Elite it is important to be close to the leadership, to be on the eyes. The neighbor in the country more difficult to dismiss,” says Makarkin.
Nearest neighbor Solomovich outside the Star in the village near the village Yascherovo — Alex Dyumin, which in February 2016, was appointed acting Governor of Tula region. Before Dyumin has made a career of the bodyguard to Putin’s Deputy, Sergei Shoigu at the defense Ministry. In an interview with “Kommersant” he admitted that he had actually been acquainted with the President and even once saved Putin from the bear. According to the documents, Dyumin joined the country club in Valdai in April 2012, after the presidential election. The presence of his plot 31 weaving confirmed in a letter to the employee of the press service of the government of Tula region.
© OpenStreetMap Participants
Have Dyumin and Zolotov another important neighbor is Alexander Kolpakov, a full namesake of the administrative Department of the President. In the Declaration, the heads of UDP for 2014 (link to it instead of answering the questions sent Advisor Kolpakova, Elena Krylova) is a plot of the same area, but without specifying the exact location. Kolpakov also a native of the FSO. After service in army worked in the 9th Department of the KGB and then headed the FSO is the control “b” of the presidential security Service, which owns the plot at Valdai.
Here, surrounded by several namesakes of high-ranking officers of the FSO almost 40 acres of land owned Nadezhda Ushakova. Full namesake Ushakova, the wife of ex-presidential adviser Sergei Ushakov (plot of the same area as in Valdai, was last Declaration Ushakova, 2011). Ushakov — the native of KGB of the USSR in Leningrad region, where he served since 1975. In 2001-2002, he served as Deputy chief UFSB across St.-Petersburg and the region, and in 2002-2003 — Deputy Director FSO, from which he transferred to “Gazprom”. There, as a Chairman of the Board, Ushakov headed the security service of the holding company and, according to “Kommersant”, in charge of communication with senior lobbyists abroad. He has also joined the Board of Directors of “Gazprom-Media” and headed NPF “Gazfond”.
Elite settlement residents close to the Administration of the President,
appeared in 2007 through the efforts of the former Director of the rest house “Valday” Gennady Kolupaeva Photo: RBC
Kremlin-Country
At a little distance from the village guards of the President was built by another, and it is also missing the officer’s stars.
A mini-village with an area of approximately 4 hectares on the Suburban street appeared on the map back in 2007, when the former Director of the rest house “Valday” Gennady Kolupaev scored a couple of plots on the vacant lot next to the lake, and then handed over to the neighbours — Director of the FSO (now former) Murowa Eugene, business Manager of the President (now also ex), Vladimir Kozhin, his former Deputy Ivan Melusine and full namesake of the Director of the Fund “Constantine” Gennady Juniku. All areas indicated in the declarations of civil servants based their identity confirmed by one of the owners of land and real estate in Yascherovo, personally acquainted with senior neighbors). The exception is Avnik, who is not required to publicly report their income.
Almost all sites of the same area (just over 70 acres) with a common fence located on a hill with views of the lake. Them five houses in the style of an Alpine Chalet. The most spacious area of 280 sq m, as follows from statements USRR, — Kozhin. He, however, is almost four times smaller than the suburban house of the former Kremlin supply Manager.
Kozhin in 2014 — presidential aide on military-technical cooperation. And Melusina press remembered recently he was mentioned in the publication “Novaya Gazeta” as the only beneficiary of the Panama Anttrin Services Corp., which, according to the newspaper, was eliminated three weeks late, after the ban on the ownership of offshore companies.
Fund “Konstantinovsky”, which is headed by the fifth neighbor Gennady Yavnik, was established in 2001 to raise funds for the restoration of the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna near St. Petersburg. In 2001, the Palace and its grounds included in the structure of UDP as “Palace of congresses” and became the seat of government, and in 2003 opened after restoration. According to the website “Constantine”, the Foundation participated in the restoration and Valday Iversky monastery (it is here, on the Valdai, on the other side of the lake) and the intercession Church in the village Turginovo Tver region. In the parish of the Church of the intercession included the village of Pominovo, which is considered the ancestral village of Putin. “Pominova father met my mother,” said the President in the book “first person”. According to the Agency “Interfax”, in Turgenevskoy Church baptized parents-to Putin, in recent years, Putin twice visited Christmas service in the Church in 2011 and 2016.
In addition to shares in “Constantine”, Avnik, as follows from the register, owns 20% in the group of companies “intarsia”, which among other things is one of the largest restoration companies in Russia. Over the past ten years she won state tenders for restoration and construction work of more than 16.8 billion rubles In 2013, 75% included in the Intarsia construction company, how to write “Vedomosti”, has acquired Boris Rotenberg.
To connect with Kozhin, Melusine and Avicom failed. Kolupaev refused to talk with RBC. “Information about the financial situation of officials FSO of Russia, having in the ownership of land and other property not connected with the activities of the FSO of Russia”, stated in the the service response to a request to RBC. It also says that these data are personal data protected by law and can be obtained in the prescribed manner.
In 2015 Yascherovo began construction of another luxury home in the style of Russian towers. The owner of the land, according to rosreestra, it is Kuznetsov Nikolay Sergeyevich, a namesake of the owner of holding “K-groups” that receive major government contracts Photo: RBC
Business elite Valdai
The proximity of businessmen to officials also has topographic measurement: areas Rotenberg and Kovalchuk are close to giving first-person and Avnic adjacent to those whose departments are working in his company.
There are other examples: from 2007 to 2009 near Zolotov lived full namesake Nicholas Negodov and Dmitry Mikhalchenko. These businesses were related to the company “Baltstroy” and many other enterprises in St. Petersburg, wrote earlier RBC. Negodov besides Murov former colleague at FSB. Partners won tenders FSO and the Ministry of culture, while in March this year, Mikhalchenko was arrested for smuggling (investigation about the case Mikhalchenko and his business here). The representative Mikhalchenko refused to comment on his former country.
Here until 12 December 2011 owned site Andrei Molchanov, a full namesake of the former Senator from Leningrad region. In the Declaration on incomes and property for 2011, which was filed by Senator Molchanov, no information about the land similar area. But in the fall of 2011 on the elections to the legislative Assembly of the Leningrad region, among other property, he pointed out that owns two land plots and house in the Novgorod region.
Molchanov — stepson Yury Molchanov, who, as wrote Forbes, studied at the physics Department of Leningrad state University together with Yuri Kovalchuk and together with the future President Putin, “at one time was responsible for international relations in the University” (Molchanov Vice-Chancellor on the issue, Putin — the assistant to the rector).
Molchanov Jr. — the owner of a building company LSR, which is one of the largest in Russia. In last year’s Forbes interview he insisted that his success in business to her stepfather and his acquaintances have no relationship.
The first two sites in the capital, where LSR came in the early 2000-ies, — a house on Davydkovskaya street and the residential complex “Grunwald” on the SKOLKOVO highway company Molchanov was built with FSO. “FSO was a developer, we investor and gave them about 30% of the apartments,” — explained the publication of a top Manager of the Moscow branch LSR.
In 2015 Yascherovo began construction of another luxury apartment building. From behind the fence made of palisade, see the log house in the style of Russian towers. The land on which the construction takes ten land plots with a total area of about 3 hectares.
According USRR, before these areas belonged to a small St. Petersburg Bank of investments, but in October 2014 the owner of the land was Nikolai Sergeyevich Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov is the owner of the holding with the inconspicuous name of “K-groups”. In recent years, this firm became a major contractor for the construction of facilities for law enforcement agencies and state-owned companies. According to the website of the holding company, composed of eight companies, some of which, according to “SPARK-Interfax”, received loans in the Bank “Russia”. The company’s motto Kuznetsova — quote from Karamzin: “to Think, to dream can in Germany, France, Italy, and to do business only in Russia.”
Over the past few years, the company “K-groups” has won state contracts worth more than 15 billion roubles from the Railways, the RAC “MIG”, “Rosatom” and “Gazprom”. Among the objects construction in the Murmansk region and Komi complexes of administrative and technical buildings, which the local news sites called the buildings Directorate of the FSB, the reconstruction of the Khabarovsk border Institute and 60 of the platforms of the far Eastern railway, points of border control at the airport Pulkovo, the objects of “Gazprom” and the port of Ust-Luga. In particular, in the summer of 2015, the newspaper “Kamchatka Express” reported that “K-groups” leads to the reconstruction of the naval base’s North-Eastern border control coast guard FSB, located in Salt lake Bay of Avacha Bay of the Pacific ocean, costing about 10 billion rubles.
The owner of the number of legal entities included in a “K-group” is Natalia Vladimirovna Kirillova. The same name is a neighbor Kuznetsova in Yascherovo, which owns eleven parcels with a total area of 17 sq. m. 410 Its full namesake was registered in an apartment house FSO on Udaltsova street in Moscow, together with some Kirillova Nina Alekseevna. Nina also revealed in Yascherovo — she is also the owner of the land next to the plots Kuznetsova.
According to government documents from the mid-zero, FSO worked as a senior officer Vladimir Kirillov, he was head of Service for security activities of the FSO. Representatives of the FSO did not respond to a request about how does Kirillov still aren’t Nina and Natalia Kirillova his relatives. So did the holding the “K-groups”. With Kirilowii could not be reached.
By the way, “K-groups” builds here, the government dacha in the Valdai. At the end of 2015, the company won the tender FSO 170 million rubles., which must perform “works on designing, reconstruction and maintenance of supervision on the project “Valdai”. Under the object means the tyre.
Starring: Ilya Rozhdestvensky, Elizabeth Antonova, Polina Khimshiashvili’s Grobovoy, Anastasia Napalkova, Anastasia Alrewas, Anfisa Voronina
* former journalists of RBC
More information on the RBC:
http://www.rbc.ru/investigation/politics/13/07/2016/57861ba69a79474ef0fbe48fаз
