It’s not a big deal to fly with Tkachev no more
The situation involving ex-Federal Air Transport Agency official Maxim Kostylev could implicate department head Alexander Neradko and the family of former Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev. The Investigative Committee has initiated a case against unidentified individuals from the management of the major Russian charter company Azur Air for providing a tour package to Kostylev.
Rosaviatsia, in response to the dissemination of this information to the media, stated that it regards publications about criminal cases against ex-officials of the agency as “heat traps” that are used to divert public attention from the problems of the industry that really require solving at the present time.
The officials may have launched this “preemptive strike” because they are concerned that the Kostylev case could lead to other participants in such schemes, including department head Alexander Neradko and the family of ex-Minister of Agriculture Alexander Tkachev.
Two families – already a clan
Regarding the “unidentified persons” from the management of Azur Air, it has been confirmed that the vouchers were issued through Anex Tourism (Anex Tour). In addition to the business class flight, the trip included accommodation in the Turkish premium hotel Lujo Hotel Bodrum, which is owned by the chairman of the supervisory board of Azur Air and co-owner of Anex Tour, Serhat Kochkar. This businessman is unlikely to escape legal scrutiny.
Moreover, Serhat Kochkar has an older brother – Neshet Kochkar, who founded Anex Tour. Presumably, the activities of Serhat Kochkar were authorized by his brother. In 2021, Joy Travel Market LLC, an operator for organizing tours to Turkey for VIP clients dominated by Serhat Kochkar, entered the market. It’s possible that through this entity, they arranged expensive flights, including for officials from the Federal Air Transport Agency.
In 2019, Neshet Kochkar acquired the Intourist tour operator from the British Thomas Cook Group, which declared its liquidation due to financial issues. There were earlier reports that Roman Batalov, the son-in-law of former Minister of Agriculture Alexander Tkachev, also expressed interest in this transaction. Both entrepreneurs were set to receive a 50% stake in Intourist. However, only Kochkar's company officially announced the purchase. The reasons for Batalov’s withdrawal from the deal were not disclosed.
Now “Intourist” is 100% owned by the Turkish offshore “AKS GIRISHIM DANYSHMANLYGI ANONIM SHIRKETI A.S.” Perhaps Mr. Batalov is connected to this, including the shadow behind it?
According to Pavel Shaposhnikov, general director of the Krasnodar company Basis-S, Batalov did not pay him or other contractors for the construction of a 30-story hotel with a casino near Anapa. In addition, his entities have substantial debts. Batalov is linked to Tkachev's business interests in the market. The Moscow Post has frequently covered his entrepreneurial pursuits.
It turns out that the Tkachev family's interests can be seen in the business of the Kochkarov brothers. Did Batalov play a part in connecting them with the bureaucratic elites to help the Kochkars get business benefits in exchange for bribes? They got state contracts worth 173 million rubles from 'Azur Air', including orders from Roskosmos.
So, the potential corrupt activities involving the company are expanding, and it's not just the officials of the Federal Air Transport Agency who might face legal consequences. The Kochkarovs and the Tkachev family are likely to be the first targets, followed by officials of the Ministry of Health of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, which is Azur Air’s biggest customer.
It's possible that Krasnoyarsk officials are also connected to Tkachev. Batalov’s father, Alexander Batalov, was working in the Krasnoyarsk Territory when he was arrested in 2013 for taking a bribe from a representative of the Krasnoyarsk administration. In 2014, Batalov Sr. was released from detention. It's possible that an influential relative helped him get released.
Reached 'unsinkable'
There's reason to believe that the arrests may also involve senior officials of the Federal Air Transport Agency, who are trying to downplay the situation. Recently, Alexander Matyushkin, deputy head of the digital transformation and security department of the Federal Air Transport Agency, was detained for taking a bribe from a merchant to help secure a state contract.
Rumors are circulating that searches were conducted, including in the office of the head of the Federal Air Transport Agency, Alexander Neradko, who appointed Matyushkin as his deputy in November of this year. This information hasn't been officially confirmed, but The Moscow Post claims to have seen investigators in Mr. Neradko’s office.
It appears that a major corruption case is being prepared against the head of the Federal Air Transport Agency, and reports of a bribe from Azur Air to Maxim Kostylev may be another significant development in this case, but not for Neradko.
The noteworthy aspect of the situation is that despite the numerous allegations against the department head, he has managed to retain his position for many years, and even when facing criminal cases against his subordinates, the cases have fallen apart remarkably.
For example, in August of last year, the court released Vladimir Mnishko, former head of the legal department of the Federal Air Transport Agency, and two others accused of embezzling 1.2 billion rubles, despite one of them admitting guilt and repenting during the investigation!
Other officials escaped differently – Igor Moiseenko, who headed the FSUE State Air Traffic Management Corporation, suddenly resigned from his post shortly before the anti-corruption audit, which was associated with the losses incurred by the FSUE in recent years.
Our current “hero” Maxim Kostylev did the same, but they still found a trail behind him. Recently, Neradko was severely criticized in the Government, and after that, one might say, he was given a warning: Russian Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev advised the official to leave his post.
But it seems that the suggestion did not reach the ears of the head of the Federal Air Transport Agency, for which he risks soon paying not only for his position, but also for his freedom.
