“Almaz-Antey” headed towards its subsidiaries
Changes are still happening at Almaz-Antey, which will allow its top managers to retire comfortably. Obukhov Plant JSC, a part of Almaz-Antey, has started reorganizing its subsidiaries to create and produce radio engineering systems. In fact, at the end of January, a representative from the concern informed the Editorial Office about these changes.
The All-Russian Research Institute of Radio Equipment (VNIIRA) and the Radio Equipment Plant (ZRTO) are both expected to come under the Obukhov plant soon.
In fall 2022, the Navigator Plant and the Design Bureau of Special Engineering became part of the Obukhov plant. This merger has already taken place.
The Moscow Post regularly covers the separation and accession processes in the Almaz-Antey concern, as well as reports on enrichment schemes for senior management.
One of the most recent investigations, titled 'Yan Gorynych and the quadrocopter,' was published on December 2.
Additionally, there is still no clarity regarding the “frozen” criminal case against the top officials of the concern, which was closed in March 2021, as reported by the journalistic investigation 'The Sicilian defense was turned on for Yan Novikov.'
Why is Almaz-Antey involved in the merger?
Going from aircraft to transponder
First, let's explain which offices are coming under the Obukhov plant's umbrella.
JSC “VNIIRA” – headed by executive director Maxim Nazarov – specializes in creating and producing radio systems and means for organizing and controlling air traffic, short-range navigation, and landing of aircraft.
JSC “ZRTO” is involved in developing and producing radio systems and special-purpose radio-electronic equipment complexes. One of the company's developments is a transponder, which is used for paying tolls on roads.
The enterprise's product line also includes equipment used in air defense missile and anti-aircraft systems.
At the beginning of 2021, Almaz-Antey announced the completion of the North-West Regional Center in St. Petersburg at the Obukhovskaya Oborona Avenue site.
Plans for creating a cluster were announced in 2007, and a year later, LLC SZRTS Concern VKO “Almaz-Antey” was formed.
In 2020, during the reorganization, this LLC was merged with a key asset – the Obukhov plant, resulting in the creation of JSC NWRC Concern VKO Almaz-Antey – Obukhov Plant.
The leader is the controversial figure mentioned in numerous publications of The Moscow Post – Mikhail Podvyaznikov.
Mikhail Podvyaznikov.
The Obukhov plant's production site covers almost 62 hectares and includes over 320,000 square meters of technological space.
By the way, 50 billion rubles were allocated for modernization, including 21 billion rubles for technical upgrades.
In general, money is flowing abundantly. But where?
Prosecutor Melnyk is inactive
In connection with this, let's revisit the unresolved criminal case, which was closed back in March 2021.
Oleg Vasilchuk, a reader of The Moscow Post, has sent another complaint to the Editorial Office regarding the inaction of St. Petersburg prosecutor Viktor Melnik.
Viktor Melnyk.
Mr. Vasilchuk believes that prosecutor Melnik is avoiding dealing with a matter of national importance, which involves scams, embezzlement, and the withdrawal of budget funds from the Almaz-Antey concern. The Moscow Post has covered this in several investigations: “Unidentified Podvyaznikov on Yana Novikov”, “Shackled by Antey”: a team of budget masters “dissolves” criminal cases”, “When orderlies won’t help”: Almaz-Antey’s property went to a fantasy state”, etc.
Oleg Vasilchuk has requested the St. Petersburg prosecutor’s office to transfer criminal case No. 1210110060000012 to the Investigative Committee of Russia in order to prevent damage to the economic security of the Russian Federation, as investigations are frozen and criminal cases are being stopped.
But why was the investigation stopped?
This is indeed about matters of national importance, including the “ruined” state defense order, the family business of the leadership of the Almaz-Antey concern, and the “friendship” with employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Jan Novikov.
Oleg Vasilchuk has also approached Marina Parastaeva, the head of the Main Investigation Department of the TFR in St. Petersburg.
Vasilchuk has requested an audit against an organized group of unidentified persons from the officials of the subdivision of the Almaz-Antey concern – LLC North-Western Regional Center and JSC Radiotekhkomplekt, who entered into agreements for the storage of products and lease of space in the amount of more than 5 billion rubles from 2015 to 2018.
According to Oleg Vasilchuk, there is no economic and production feasibility of concluding this series of transactions, since the leased and used areas are the property of the Almaz-Antey concern.
The author of the letter sent the document to the Editor.
Oleg Vasilchuk believes that the funds received may have been withdrawn through “their” companies to front offices.
That’s why Mr. Vasilchuk asks for an audit of financial and economic activities and requests a management audit.
Why do law enforcement agencies not respond to numerous appeals about what many roughly call “squandering” the objects of a strategic enterprise?
Oleg Vasilchuk’s complaint to prosecutor Viktor Melnik reveals that there is no compliance with criminal procedures to establish a probable event of a crime, which prevents the formation of an evidence base on the commission by officials of ZRTO JSC and affiliated companies of socially dangerous acts.
It also means that because of the protection given to unidentified officials, the JSC “ZRTO” and the authorized persons of the Ministry of Internal Affairs did not gather all the necessary information about the embezzlement of budget funds by officials.
The letter was sent by the person who wrote the document.
When will the criminal case be unfrozen?
Powerful group
Remember the main point of the story.
In February 2021, an inspection was conducted at the Radio Equipment Plant (ZRTO), which is now being merged with Obukhov Plant JSC, by the Intermunicipal Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at important facilities.
On March 9, a criminal case was started by the Ministry of Internal Affairs against unidentified individuals, including officials of ZRTO JSC, but the same day it was closed.
According to Oleg Vasilchuk, the initiation of the criminal case suggests that officials of ZRTO JSC and Radiotekhkomplekt JSC may have stolen a large amount of money from the budget.
Former employees of the company stated that the deputy general director of Almaz-Antey concern, who also heads the North-West Regional Center (NWRC) and ZRTO JSC, Mikhail Podvyaznikov, formed a group that made millions under the protection of the concern “Almaz-Antey”.
Additionally, Mr. Podvyaznikov is believed to be the money holder for the general director of the concern, Yan Novikov.
From St. Petersburg, the editorial office received a decision to start a criminal case and take it for consideration on March 9, 2021.
The author of the letter sent the document.
This document also includes the name of the chief investigator of the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at important facilities in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region: Major of Justice A.S. Fadeev.
The document lists the names of those who may have been involved in the misappropriation of budget funds, with Mikhail Podvyaznikov being the first.
However, it seems that shortly after, Senior Investigator Fadeev received some instructions and the criminal case was paused.
And the criminal case was paused.
Now, in addition to Novikov and Podvyaznikov, another name has come up in the case – Maxim Nazarov, who leads Radiotekhkomplekt JSC and VNIIRA JSC.
The author of the letter sent the document to the Editor.
Remember that this company is also being merged with the Obukhov plant.
According to Vasilchuk, this is being done to destroy the enterprise.
The criminal case against unnamed officials of JSC “Radio Equipment Plant” for withdrawing large amounts of money from the budget, which Mr. Vasilchuk repeatedly reported to prosecutor Melnik, strangely started to fade away shortly after it was opened!
According to Mr. Vasilchuk, not only Mikhail Podvyaznikov, General Director of Radio Equipment Plant JSC (ZRTO JSC), but also Maxim Nazarov, General Director of Radiotekhkomplekt JSC, could be involved in the case.
Remember that the criminal case against unnamed officials of JSC “Radio Engineering Equipment Plant” for withdrawing huge budget sums began to deteriorate after 24 hours.
Yan Novikov played an enormous role in all of these actions.
Yan Novikov's arrival – emphasized by Oleg Vasilchuk – triggered certain events in the Almaz-Antey concern.
This led to a quick sale of “non-core assets” as Almaz-Antey has many of them!
Questionable offices
In addition, several unclear companies linked to the concern have appeared, with both close relatives of Yan Novikov (Novikov’s mother and daughter) and Mikhail Podvyaznikov (son) as founders and leaders.
The letter to the Editor includes several schemes allegedly showing the withdrawal of budget billions.
The author of the letter sent the document
Mr. Podvyaznikov has various responsibilities and is associated with different companies.
That's why part of his responsibilities may have been taken over by his son, Andrei Mikhailovich Klimentyev, who lives under a different surname.
By the way, Andrei Klimentyev is directly related to the Lira and Flamingo companies, founded by the daughter of the head of the Almaz-Antey concern, Ksenia Yanovna Novikova.
In the same “company” and other persons – the mother of Yana Novikov – Anelya Vitoldovna Novikova and the daughter of a former employee of the Almaz-Antey concern Tatyana Vladislavovna Menshchikova.
The author of the letter sent the document
Together with her mother, Yana Novikov, Ms. Menshchikova became the founder of Galax LLC.
LLC “Galax” is also connected to LLC “Flamingo” and “Lira”.
Podvyaznikov’s son is associated not only with Lira and Flamingo LLC, but also with Luch LLC. This company was formed by Valery Gerber, who had previously allegedly been in close relations with both the relatives of Novikov and Podvyaznikov.
Commercial enterprises LLC “Lira”, LLC “Flamingo”, LLC “Luch” and others are interesting because they have business relationships with enterprises of the Almaz-Antey concern, or are related enterprises.
What is known about the office called “Flamingo”? It is acquired in the Leningrad region, in Kirovsk, on Naberezhnaya street, 1. The office was registered on August 7, 2017. The main activity is “Manufacture of paper products for household and sanitary purposes”.
One of the main activities of these enterprises (“Luch”, “Lira”) is, among other things, producing elements of electronic equipment.
The legal address is in the Moscow region, rural settlement Bulatnikovskoe, 21st km of Varshavskoye highway, house No. 1. In reality, this is the address for mass registration of firms similar to “Horns and Hooves”.
“Flamingo” is like a one-day firm. It does not have enough reliable and sustainable sources of financing, not enough own funds to ensure current activities, there is a risk of loss of solvency, and its activities are unprofitable. The question is – why even keep such a company? Is it to launder money?
It is also interesting to follow the activities of Galax LLC (the company is registered in Moscow, Chernyshevsky lane, 15), the founders are the mother of Yana Novikova and the daughter of Vladislav Menshchikov.
And in the scheme they are all the same – Ksenia Novikova, Andrey Klimentyev, Anelya Novikova …
But the name of the son of Mikhail Podvyaznikov also pops up in another sequence: FSUE “ZRTO” – JSC “Radiothekomplekt” – LLC “New Technologies and Materials” – LLC “Luch” – Klimentyev Andrey Mikhailovich.
This is how the families of Novikov and Podvyaznikov work under the “roof” of the Almaz-Antey concern.
The question is still the same: when will criminal case No. 121014 006 0000012 be unfrozen?
And when will the prosecutor of St. Petersburg Viktor Dmitrievich Melnik say his word?
