On March 26, the Federal Security Service (FSB) detained former Russian minister Mikhail Abyzov. The Investigative Committee accuses Abyzov of organizing a criminal group and, together with other individuals, embezzling 4 billion rubles ($62 million) from two energy companies supplying electricity to the Novosibirsk region in Siberia.
Abyzov, 46, was minister for open government affairs in Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s cabinet until 2018. He was tasked with coordinating cooperation between the government and representatives of civil society and the business community. During his time in office, he was criticized for “sabotaging” government intiatives. Besides this, Abyzov was named the richest member of the 2012-2018 cabinet with a net worth that had grown to $600 million.
Mikhail Abyzov
Abyzov is accused of founding and running the criminal group in the period between April 2011 and November 2014 and embezzling money from the Novosibirsk-based Siberian Energy Company and Regional Electric Grid.
“The co-conspirators’ unlawful actions placed the stable economic development and energy security of several regions of the country under threat,” Investigative Committee’s Svetlana Petrenko stressed on March 26 commenting on the detention.
Abyzov faces up to 20 years in prison under the charges, which he denies, according to his lawyer. On March 27, a Moscow court ordered Abyzov to be held in pre-trial detention for two months.
Data about large-scale corruption schemes and embezzlement of money in Russian energy companies circulated earlier. Often these reports were described not as rumors, but as a kind of “unofficial approved schemes” of money withdrawal. Another open secret is that these schemes as well as other major corruption schemes are linked to members of the so-called “liberal part” of the modern Russian elite. These persons are affiliated with teams of such political strongmen as Anatoly Chubais, Dmitry Medvedev, Alexei Kudrin and others. They are incorporated in the world financial elite and in fact represent its interests in the territory of Russia.
Alexei Kudrin
It is interesting to note that many businessmen point out the following aspect of the corrupt economy: bribes to officials linked to so-called “siloviki” are often two times lower than to “liberals”.
A large-scale anti-corruption campaign has been ongoing in Russia for a second year in a row. Additionally, there is a campaign against top criminal leaders, who appeared to be also linked to the “liberal part” of the Russian governing.
Former economy minister Alexei Ulyukaev was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2017 for demanding a bribe from Rosneft chief executive Igor Sechin.
Alexei Ulyukayev
Oligarch Ziyavudin Magomedov, a friend of former Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, is awaiting trial on similar racketeering charges.
Ziyavudin Magomedov
Former Deputy Minister of Energy Vyacheslav Kravchenko was detained in January. He’s suspected of fraud committed by an organized group or on a large scale.
Vyacheslav Kravchenko
To get a more detailed look at the current situation, one should check people, who defend the detained corrupt officials.
For example, the following persons publicly supported Abyzov:
- Anatoly Chubais, the architect of the privatisation drive and schock reforms, which in fact destroyed the Russian economy after the collapse of the USSR.
Anatoly Chubais
- Arkady Dvorkovich, a hard-core pro-liberal economist with pro-Western views. He has been holding various government and government-linked posts since the 1990s. In the period from 2012 to 2018, he was the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia.
Arkady Dvorkovich
- Alexander Voloshin, one of the most infamous characters of the 1990s. He was an assistant to the chief, a deputy chief and the Chief of the Russian presidential administration under Boris Yeltsin. In this period, he created a wide corruption network within the Russian government. His behavior was widely covered by multiple monographs of the witnesses, including former ministers of Yeltsin’s government, like Mikhail Poltoranin, who was the minister of information and later the deputy prime minister for the sphere of the press and news. Yevgeny Primakov, who served as Prime Minister of Russia from 1998 to 1999, and became one of the few politicians not involved in corruption scandals, criticized Poltoranin in own remarks.
Alexander Voloshin
- Natalya Timakova, a former press secretary of Medvedev, and a deputy chief of Vnesheconombank. She is a well-known pro-western official, who, according to some reports, is responsible for coordination of liberal opposition media.
Natalya Timakova
- Chulpan Khamatova, a film, theater and TV actress, who recently found herself involved in a media scandal over a leaked video from Mikhail Gorbachev’s birthday. In the video, she is prising Gorbachev for actions, which then led to the destruction of the USSR.
Chulpan Khamatova
At a first glance, it could look that the Putin regime is purging liberals, oppressing freedom of speech, freedom of enterprise and other freedoms. This point of view is especially popular in mainstream media outlets. However, if one takes a more detailed look at the “oppressed” persons, he will find that they and their supporters are just using the “democracy-style” rhetoric in order to avoid a fair criminal prosecution. Therefore, high-sounding words are just a tool to defend criminals.
Another question is why Putin and his circle have so far allowed open enemies of the strong Russian state to hold key posts in the government bodies.
Another question is why Putin and his circle have so far allowed open enemies of the strong Russian state to hold key posts in the government bodies.
As ex-libertarian can explain my point of view. I think it’s because so-called “siloviki” in majority are authoritarian leftist. And you can not build a strong economy with marxist ideology unless it’s Gulag-like system. Explanation! Gulag is the pure communism: no money, no private property, state gives you food and clothes while you are working in communes. So you can do nothing without economists who are understanding how laissez-faire works. PS “siloviki” comes from Russian world “sila” which means “force”. In this particular case “siloviki” means all the representatives of the army, law enforcement, FSB, prosecutors, investigation committee, national guard etc.
Conclusion, if you want to build a hard core capitalist economy with oligarchs steeling the national resources and buy extraordinary luxury yachts for their beautiful Marinsky theater ballerina and Vilas in south France, while the education system and health care are fading, then employ Chubais and Kudrin!!! What a satanic plan for Putin !
@Seawolfinblue:disqus and @disqus_5i07oBp9hH:disqus could you please present your realistic plan what Putin had to do? And I really mean REALISTIC! The general phrases like “he should fight corruption” or “he should reorganize money fluxes” are NOT accepted as answer.
Conclusion. Putin is still hanging on to the Jeltsin area where liberal JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs Economists are needed to turn the Sovjet system around.
So nothing has really changed, Gorbachov and Russian Oligarchs are still fooling around in France, Spain, NYC with shiny eyes “I am also European like you, I have always had West in my heart”. Just a little more organised……………………………….LOL.
Most of them look Anglosaxon rather than Slavic
These should pay for new Russian super weapons…
” Putin regime ” ????? Who wrote this? Ah, it doesn’t matter. This article should be presented to the president of usa as a manual for MAGA.
Well, the meaning of the word regime originally had a neutral connotation, only in recent decades it was used as a propaganda slur. So if one uses the word in the sense of western propaganda makers, i understand your comment, but the author most likely has a Russian background, not a western.. So language barrier at play here IMHO..
Nooo. I am not buying this. It was deliberate. Putin is draining the swamp in Russia. Some are not happy about it.
keep your enemies closer. with the west slapping sanctions, Russians feel they are attacked hence they build anti-western sentiments which causes such pro-western Russian politicians get discredited and hated by Russians. since the pro-western block of Russian politicians gets a blockade due to sanctions which makes them not attaining their goals,it gives them no choice than working hard to bypass sanctions which in turn it makes Russia economy resilient to western sanctions and make it self sufficient.in a long political game of chess, pro-western faction will fade as more nationalistic politicians get groomed and attain positions with people’s support. another reason you should never judge PUTIN softly without critical thinking.
so you consider yourself a critical thinker?
Representativeline up of those who I call ruzionic “elites”.
Jews, Jews and more plundering Jews….
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@Southfront: Thank you! In the last weeks you provided some articles such as this one, where you take a more critical look at Russia and Putin. This is the best protection against the MSM allegations of you being biased pro-kremlin source.
As i said before, while most Russians i know personally certainly approve Putins foreign policy in general, his pro-liberal bias is mostly despised. While i don’t want to draw the conclusion that the Russians i know are representative for whole Russia, most polls confirm this. Dont believe me? Look at the so called Pension reform and the debate. That Putin tries to blame Medvedjev for this is laughable when everyone knows that it is Putin who pulls the strings.
Do i think that there is an alternative for Putin now? No. But does his protection of neo-“liberal” oligarchs need to be criticized? Of course!! And that Putin also values Israel as a more important “Partner” than his official allys Iran+Syria, is now understood by most neutral observers. How guys like the Saker still believe Putin would be against his neoliberal friends and against Israels aggressions, speaks of their ignorance and hypocrisy. And to expect that Putin would be anti-Neo-liberal when in fact he owes his rise 100% to the “liberals” and Yeltsin clique, is speaking volumes about the delusions of many.. Maybe the current broad opposition against putins neoliberal “reforms” that are shared throughout the whole of russian society will lead Putin to change course, and finally fight the oligarchic cliques that hold the Russian people down. And if now, maybe a leader will emerge that not only has a foreign policy that defends Russian interests, BUT ALSO protects the Russian people from oligarchic parasites and their political protegees. Lets hope..
the only one is Lavrov
“And that Putin also values Israel as a more important “Partner” than his official allys Iran+Syria, is now understood by most neutral observers.”
yeah, the most neutral zionist observers.
Putin is not an Oligarch, he is appointed as an Administrator to bring together two opposing forces within Russian society so that civil war doesn’t break out and Russia can improve as a whole. The corruption will be weeded out, and as shown, no one will be spared to matter who or how rich they are. That saying I heard recently comes to mind: “Slowly, slowly, catchee monkey….”
Well said James.
Guess what! It looks like you can not see further than your Nose. 1.Putin is the President of RF. HE DOES NOT AND CAN NOT ACT ON HIS OWN. ( I would like to insert here that unlike his partner from hell aviv he is not the minister of everything plus a PM. He has a government , ministers, senators. It’s really easy to wipe one’s ass with your statement. The so called pension reform has been applied to most citizens of the world. Most responded like the Russians but MSM is not mad to share it. 2. I don’t know how Putin feels about israhell, however I can see that Putin feels strongly against a new world war. 3. Saker? Who? Is he even popular or relevant? Woops. I burst your bubble, didn’t I? I can burst some more! This should be enough for you for now.
The main task of Putin is to protect and to improve the military-industrial-energy complex of Russia in order to create a powerful armed forces… to preserve Russia…. second task to improve the economic and financial system…third to Invest in I+D and comercial networks…and Putin has made a good Job along these years….for other side…The growth of economic activity always entails the appearance of corrupt…as we have seen in Spain, Baltic countries, east of Europe, Italy..etc…if the judiciary acts againts them..its a sign that things are going well!
My understanding is that the PM elects the ministers not the President who elects the PM only. Putin is in a catch 22 situation but any charges and convictions against individuals is a positive move.
Putin must arrest them all seize all their assets ASAP and put them on public but fair trial and use their money to give grants an loans to encourage small and medium sized Russian businesses. This will be done immediately after control of the Russian central bank is restored to Russia and all Zio media outlets are seized and sold to Russian only private for profit and public and not for profit companies in open bidding. Oh and the Zio Russian zio mafia is totally destroyed in a massive country wide operation by all security forces and the army in a massive operation
Most of the thinking here assumes that Putin is more powerful than he is. He doesn’t even control half of the power in Russia, including the banks, which are always on the Rothschild side. If he was as powerful as most think Medvedev would have been history a long time ago.
No country that is using money is ever going to be free of coruption and traitors. https://www.thevenusproject.com/
Until Russian politics. media. schools and historians publish in very wide manner a history of Khazaria Empire and consequences of their conversion to judaism and later fall of empire, there will be no progress. More blabs, more appeasement to https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7f3bf64ba45cf4a93687a21b4144816440e3949add2ed3dc77f0093018b5cac2.jpg war criminal “Israel” etc.
The following article sheds good light on an un/lesser known reality among the elite of Russia.
The Russian assets in the west could be divided into New Money, assets of Putin’s people, and the Old Money, assets of Yeltsin’s people. The sanctions are supposed to deal with Putin’s people, but Russian experts think the Old Money is more vulnerable, for a good reason. The New Money is under Putin’s protection. If the US or any other western authority grabs it, the Russian government may seize Western shares in Russian companies and properties.
But what about the Old Money? Its owners, elder oligarchs, are extremely worried about Putin’s nonchalance. Putin takes it easy, they say. Ma’alish, the Arab in Putin says. Que sera sera, says his inner Frenchman. And this nonchalant attitude drives the oligarchs crazy. They want him to fight and save their money. They insisted on his meeting with President Trump in Vietnam; some say the meeting took place in the depth of the night, far from prying eyes, and didn’t bring results. Now Putin says to the Old Money: if you want to save your money, repatriate it to Russia. We aren’t that mad, they reply. You have to defend us anyway! That was the Deal!
Now we are coming to a difficult part. The Deal. Connected people, in-the-know, claim that a top-secret agreement was reached between the late Mr Yeltsin and his cronies, on one side, and The West, on the other side, in 1991. Yeltsin et al had sold Russia’s interests down the river, and in return, The West allowed the bastards to hoard their ill-gotten gains in the Western financial system. Yeltsin et al had promised to let the Soviet republics go; to disarm; to follow the Washington Consensus, i.e. to stick to the liberal economic model; to allow the free import of consumer goods; to allow Western access to the Russian military complex; to let the West write Russian laws; to permit the free outflow of capital from Russia. The West promised to bring investment, to let Russia live in peace, to keep NATO away from Russian borders.
Mr Putin inherited The Deal. Slowly, the Deal has been eroded from both sides. NATO troops moved eastward, no sizeable investment came in, the West supported Chechen rebels. Russia limited Western access to its military-industrial complex; took Crimea; regained some of its international independence.
Putin was elected, or you may say, he was appointed to stick to the Deal and to serve as the Supreme Arbiter among the oligarchs, with very little of a power base of his own. Slowly, he created his own oligarchs (they are described as “siloviki”, though not all of them have some security forces background), and he had built up a limited power base; though many important positions, in particular in the economic sphere, remained in the hands of the Old Guard, Yeltsin’s men. This, too, was a part of the Deal.
The powerful personalities of Yeltsin’s era remained embedded in the upper echelons of Putin’s state. Chubais and Kudrin were and are untouchable. They are connected with the FRS and the IMF, they go to Bilderberg and Davos, they are often described as ‘the colonial administration’. They steal with both hands, and do it with impunity. Just last week it was revealed and published that Mr Chubais and Mr Kudrin appropriated a cool billion dollars of Russian state money while repaying the Soviet debt to the Czech Republic. The worst Putin can do about them is to give them a fat chunk of the Russian economy to chew on, while limiting their access to the rest. So he gave Mr Chubais the Rusnano company that made no profit but embezzled billions. This was the Deal.
Yeltsin’s oligarchs remained as rich as they were; Yeltsin’s family still possesses immense riches. And Putin does not dare to touch them. He goes hat in hand to open a Yeltsin’s Memorial Centre; he is courteous with Yeltsin’s widow and daughter. Putin’s establishment cautiously avoided celebration, or even mention of the Revolution centenary, in keeping with Yeltsin’s anticommunism. This is the Deal.
The Rich Also Cry http://www.unz.com/ishamir/the-rich-also-cry/
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