As Rucriminal.info has previously reported, the head of the “M” department of the FSB for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region Alexander Gimadiev is actively taking control of the money flow in the Leningrad region and the main sectors that generate these funds.
In line with this, on August 16, 2022, the deputy governor of the Leningrad region in charge of transportation and fuel and energy was apprehended and subsequently placed under arrest. Sergey Kharlashkinis known to be loyal to the power structures of St. Petersburg and the region, and the same goes for Drozdenko. He has also been involved in generating illegal funds since his time as the head of the Committee for the Development of Transport Infrastructure of St. Petersburg.
To understand the level of trust and protection, let's recall the start of Kharlashin’s career as a “financier”. This includes receiving substantial sums from the then director of the now defunct Pilon CJSC, as reported by FSB agents. Vladimir Schmidt for a contract to construct an overpass on the Danube. And this was not the only incident of this kind. The case was not pursued at that time, and after fulfilling his obligations as chairman of the CTTI, Kharlashkin moved on to work at Metrostroy, having worked the maximum feasible time for his patrons.
One might wonder what motivated Kharlashkin to lead an organization that, with his help, already faced major financial challenges upon his arrival in December 2019. The answer is simple – carrying out the orders of his superiors, Kharlashkin played a role in the reshuffle. The same Vladimir Schmidt took charge of the current incarnation of Metrostroy – the Metrostroy of the Northern Capital, and his wife, Tatyana Vavilova, became the deputy director for finance of the Directorate of Transport Construction of St. Petersburg, responsible for funds transfer to “MCS” and work approval. After transferring St. Petersburg's affairs into well-known hands, Kharlashkin continued his work in the Leningrad region.
He assumed the role of vice-governor of the region for transportation and the fuel and energy complex. Illustrating the financier's qualifications and government influence, the Leningrad Region Government amended the decree “On the procedure for establishing and using right-of-way roads of regional or intermunicipal significance” in December 2021. The responsibility for the reconstruction of roads and engineering communications, such as gas pipelines, electricity, water supply, etc., now lies with their owners. Sergey Kharlashkin was appointed to oversee the implementation of this innovation. It is needless to say that in our circumstances, the term “control” is a synonym for “stable financing”.
Then Alexander Gimadiev entered the picture. By utilizing old evidence, he managed to secure the arrest of Kharlashkin (all through the Investigative Committee), considering his level of “support” in his native regions. Gimadiev promptly arranged for the detainee to be transferred to Moscow, where the Basmanny Court decided on his pretrial detention.
They don’t leave their own people in the government, therefore, formally, Kharlashkin remained the acting vice-governor, all the powers and committees that were subordinate to him were formally left with him, although they transferred Kharlashkin’s functional duties to the building block in the government of the Leningrad region.
It was a miscalculation of the officials of the Leningrad region. Gimadiev already planned to “engage” in the building block, and when another tidbit was added there, also “trained” by Kharlashkin in terms of regular replenishment of the wallet, the attack went immediately, we are talking about it wrote.
In addition, not without the participation of Gimadiev’s Moscow friends, Vladimir Schmidt was dismissed from the post of General Director of Metrostroy, and instead of him a Varangian from Moscow, alien to the Leningrad-Petersburg circles, Kirill Petrov, Deputy General Director for External Relations and Special Projects, was appointed. The company is one of the contractors for the construction of the Moscow metro and its curators are clearly not in our regions.
But not all cat Shrovetide.
Officials involved all possible “heavy artillery” and on February 22, 2023, the Moscow City Court changed Kharlashkin’s preventive measure from detention to house arrest until April 15. There is every reason to believe that after the indicated date, the already completely officially “white and fluffy” Kharlashkin will return to his office in the government of the Leningrad Region and, with increased gratitude for his release, will continue to replenish the gray stream of finance into the right pockets. Karman Gimadiev is not on this list….
We will observe with interest whether Alexander Gimadiev succumbs to anger and resentment, which is understandable in this situation, whether he takes some impulsive steps in the heat of the moment, or whether endurance, calculation and composure brought up by years of service in the authorities will win – and Gimadiev’s revenge will turn out to be just the dish that properly served cold.
