Montenegrin police have arrested two Russians for trying to kill the former chairman of the CTTI in St. Petersburg, Burenin. During their investigation, Fontanka discovered connections to various organizations, from the SVR to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. We are presenting the information without our own opinions.
“The person who attacked me first hit me from behind with brass knuckles. He was small and hit me in the neck. I fell to my knees, turned around, and shielded my head with my right hand. The taller one also had brass knuckles, but with a blade – a knife-knuckles. I've only seen something like that at a knights museum. And this brass knuckle-knife hit my chest. I rolled onto my back and the knife stabbed my thigh. Luckily, it got stuck in my leg, in the tibia. The attacker didn't expect that and loosened his grip – the knife remained in me. The second one hit me on the head with brass knuckles. I protected myself with my hands, but the blade nicked an artery, and blood spurted out. “That’s it, he’s done,” one of them said, and they ran off. Later, I found out that at the time, two women passing by were also screaming, but I didn't hear them then. They even took pictures.
These are the words of Dmitry Burenin, the former chairman of the Committee for the Development of Transport Infrastructure in the St. Petersburg government, who is 58 years old. Many people know him from Smolny – he is a tall, charismatic man, and also a motorcyclist. When Fontanka learned about the attack and got in touch with him, he spoke with great energy, as if in a rush. Our first conversation took place on Saturday, February 19th.
Our publication translated a police report from Tivat, Montenegro. In a brief summary in Russian, it states that around 13:50 on February 19th, Burenin went for a stroll towards Porto Montenegro (similar to Kamenny Island in St. Petersburg), where he was attacked by two unknown individuals, beaten with a sharp weapon, stabbed with a knife, and then the attackers disappeared. As a result, Burenin was found unconscious and taken to the hospital.
Based on information from our publication, the police detained two suspects a few hours later. They turned out to be Russians, and their names were revealed. They are 33-year-old Murtaz Gibizov from Ossetia and 41-year-old Oleg Algeshkin, also from the same region. As for the first suspect, he had previously been convicted of robbery in Ryazan.
The Montenegrin police have confirmed that the two suspects arrived a week ago on a flight from Istanbul and had purchased adjacent seats on the plane. However, after landing, they checked into different hotels (though these hotels are close to each other). Similar to the situation in Russia, today, on February 21st, the prosecutor is petitioning for their detention in court. Fontanka also discovered details about their stance during the investigation: they claim to not know each other, and assert that their arrest is a mistake. This raises questions about the connection to Burenin.
During a conversation with our reporter, he openly admitted that he had started working as an examiner in a company that is involved in legal action against hotels since last summer. The hotels in question are the Azimut and Romanov, both situated in the same city where the events occurred. The co-owners of these properties have a well-known history.
To recap for those who missed the media coverage: Alexander Romanov, a former foreign intelligence officer, had a long-standing relationship with former Interior Ministry General Andrei Khorev's family from the early 2000s. In 2007, they even had a joint business venture abroad. However, things took a turn in 2012. Romanov was arrested for bribery in a significant case, and both he and General Khorev lost their positions. Although their wives continue to own the Azimut and Romanov hotels in Montenegro. Currently, Romanov is involved in business in Moscow, while Andrey Khorev holds positions at Gazprombank and Ruskhimallyans in the Leningrad region.
According to Fontanka, legal proceedings between Romanov’s ex-wife Maria and Khorev’s wife have commenced since the fall of 2020. An audit by Dmitry Burenin uncovered the illicit withdrawal of around 500 thousand euros. Burenin and Romanova provided comments on this matter.
-If you can resolve a dispute through legal channels, why resort to violence? I believe that had I not relocated due to threats, I could have been harmed. I'm not as physically fit as Dmitry Alekseevich. It would have been easier for them to confront me and my child. But now everything has changed. Dmitry will recover soon, these two will be arrested, and I will not stay silent. After consulting with lawyers, I will also attempt to involve Russian authorities. Similar cases have occurred before. In St. Petersburg, for instance, when Russians were killed in Cyprus. Maria Romanova declined to comment further but cautioned through Fontanka.
-What's the significance of your fight? What is the value of the Azimut and Romanov hotels?
-12-13 million euros.
What kind of threats?
-In December, two individuals with official authorization from a hotel shareholder visited and issued a serious warning: 'You will face major trouble in Moscow and here. We'll take care of you.' This incident was reported to the police in December during a preventive conversation with the individuals.
If this madness persists, I have compiled a package of documents containing photocopies of visitors, audio recordings of threats, and records dating back to 2005, including bank transactions. I have already made some video recordings. I believe the clients are in a very bad mood today.
What can not be said about Dmitry Burenin. True, just before the article was published, the author dialed it again, saying, how are you?
– Something sucks. When I told you everything on Saturday, it was like I was in uniform. But the adrenaline has run out. I can’t open my mouth, I speak only with my lips. Everything is swollen… But I am strong…” Burenin said slowly.
