Photo: https://www.ratm.ru/
Eduard Taran’s business interests may be concealed behind the controversy surrounding the Khilok market in Novosibirsk.
According to the correspondent DOPsChairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia Alexander Bastrykin personally took control of the investigation into a criminal case involving the violation of sanitary and epidemiological standards at a solid domestic waste dump located near the well-known Novosibirsk Khilok market.
The cause was an unauthorized rally by local residents. In the summer of 2022, they complained about living near the market with illegal trade between the Kleshchikhinsky cemetery and the Levoberezhny landfill. After preliminary inspections, a criminal case was initiated. Until now, no sanitary protection zones have been established there, which would reduce air pollution.
Taran enters the scene
The situation may turn out to be much more complex than just the conflict between ordinary citizens and authorities. On the territory for which they are protesting, there is a shopping center called “Khiloksky” or the Khiloksky market. Its main competitor, the Mandarin distribution center owned by the controversial businessman Eduard Taran, is also located there.
Possibly, Eduard Taran's business interests are actually concealed behind the public figures, and this is a convenient way to eliminate a competitor. Various Telegram channels previously published information suggesting that Mayor Anatoly Lokot does not want to establish sanitary zones, supposedly because it is not profitable for him to close the Khiloksky market. In reality, he likely just does not want to deal with the resettlement of people.
While this entire situation was generating attention, law enforcement agencies began investigating the general director of “Mandarin,” Sergei Belousov. Allegedly, he offered bribes to the former prosecutor of the Novosibirsk region, Vladimir Falileev, and his former deputy, Andrey Turbin. Perhaps part of the funds were used to advance the situation with the sanitary zones.
On the brink
Eduard Taran himself is a well-known and controversial figure, as he is the head of RATM Holding. The holding includes several strategically important enterprises, such as JSC Screen-Optical Systems. For many years, this company has been supplying image intensifier tubes to America, which are used for military purposes. This may raise concerns for Mr. Taran.
Let’s recall 2010 businessman implicated in a bribery case. And more recently didn’t go imprisoned for failure to pay taxes on the sale of a 24% stake in the Lytkarinsky Optical Glass Plant (LZOS). It's important to note that their products are purchased by the Ministry of Defense and Roscosmos.
Escape and failure
Many other companies within the “RATM Holding” structure were closed due to losses or had no real activity indicators at all. Eduard Taran himself has registered more than 30 firms, most of which are no longer operational. However, there is a possibility that some of the firms are merely a front for withdrawing finances.
But the bankruptcy of Taran’s companies mass media found an explanation. They say that a businessman seizes enterprises by force, and later all the money is pumped out of the conquered structures.
For example, in 2006, representatives of the RATM openly attempted to seize Angarskcement OJSC using the brute force of 40 private security companies. A year earlier, the holding bankrupted Alttrak, a manufacturer of tractors.
Recently, Oleg Utiralov, co-owner of the Novosibirsk Sibelektroterm plant, even stated that businessman fraudulently forced him to part with the assets. However, due to lack of evidence, Utiralov was left with nothing, and Taran with Sibelektroterm, on the sites of which he placed the capacities of companies controlled by RATM Holding.
Now Taran does not appear in the media, it is possible that the real state of his affairs is not so rosy. It can be assumed that he will “fly away” from Russia. After all, he does not appear on the sanctions lists, and in his homeland, due to the history of the sale of elements for weapons to a NATO country, he may be under the attention of the security forces.
