Oligarch Yuri Zadvorny: plagiarism fisherman from Murmansk
Successful journey to sea and power caused the Murmansk businessman Yuri Zadvorny to become overly ambitious and try to obtain a doctorate. However, he was caught for plagiarism. Nonetheless, he did not end up with nothing.
This is the first article in a series about powerful fish businesspeople with political connections in the Northwest of Russia.
Let’s talk about Murmansk, the primary fishing town in the Northwest of Russia (NWFD). It has an ice-free port, a strong fleet since Soviet times, and a university and college that train sailors for all necessary specialties—an assurance of its status. This region has the most fishing companies and employees in this industry.
Murmansk fishermen, like other big businesspeople, occasionally interact with the authorities. The 'Chronicles' will feature four “fish admirals” who have influenced politics in 51 regions at different times.
Entering into power
The most experienced and wealthy of these figures is Yuri Zadvorny. He served as a deputy of the Murmansk Regional Duma of another III convocation, from 2001 to 2007.
Zadvorny's biography appears to be straightforward. Born in 1952 in Kuibyshev (now Samara). He claims to be baptized and Orthodox. According to a flattering biography, the Zadvorny family, based on the surname, is equated with Belinsky, Lermontov, Ushakov, and Radishchev. However, Zadvorny asserts that he descends from the noble Vorontsov family, forced to conceal this under Soviet rule.
The future fisherman graduated from the Murmansk Higher Marine Engineering School as a navigation engineer. Despite being Orthodox, he joined the CPSU and worked as the Komsomol local committee secretary. Not the most prestigious position at the end of the Soviet era.
Regardless, Zubarev advanced to the rank of captain and left the Murmanrybprom company for Kepromar in 1991. Later, Kepromar employees formed their own company and purchased three ships. According to Zadvorny, the ships were distributed by lot, and he acquired the Andromeda, after which he named the new company.
Zadvorny then returned to Murmanrybprom as the general director and in 1999, he took over the new Murmanseld-2 enterprise. The former Komsomol member appointed his daughter Karina as the first deputy. She is now involved in an important task – assisting in the court's sanctification.
Zadvorny became tired of being the sole ruler of the sea and was elected as a deputy of the regional parliament, where he advocated for the fishermen's interests—though, it's worth noting, he did not receive a salary for his work. He was known, for example, for urging the elimination of drug dealers. However, he was not re-elected in 2007 or 2011.
Upon close examination of the assets of the now-defunct Murmanrybprom company, it is revealed that Zadvorny’s Murmanseld-2 company, as per Rosstat, was established by the same Murmanrybprom where Zadvorny was the director. Furthermore, of all the companies founded by Murmanrybprom, only two are thriving—one belonging to Zadvorny and the other acquired by the structures of Russia’s main fish oligarch, Vitaly Orlov.
Unsuccessful Scientist
In 2006, Murmansk State Technical University granted Zadvorny an honorary doctorate. And, it seems, the doctor enjoyed his status.
In 2011, our fisherman defended his dissertation and became a doctor of economic sciences. In one overly flattering interview, they described him as follows: “Zadvorny is a scientist, author of three monographs and 46 scientific articles. Professor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of MSTU. On June 15, with a “dry” score of 19:0, he defended his doctoral thesis in economics. However, the greeting “hello, doctor!” meticulously added: “It’s too early – the VAK has not yet approved the dissertation.”
From there:
– Yuri Vasilyevich, why do you need all this – monographs, dissertations – do you need?
— Well, and why not! First, if a person wants to live and work longer, he must develop. Why do great scientists live so long? Their brains are constantly at work. And I want to live long. And happily.
Secondly, there is some experience, understanding. And devotion to this land, which has become a second home. Therefore, I want Murmansk not to decay, but to develop. What are the possibilities for this? Only due to its unique position. Hence the theme of the doctoral thesis – “Management of the development of the transport infrastructure of the northern regions.”
A remarkable individual. The only thing is, the dissertation he plagiarized. This was uncovered by the Dissernet community of scientists. In 2022, Zadvorny was stripped of his doctoral degree. Thus, Zadvorny does not possess a legitimate degree, but he still has three fishing companies.
Business for a long happy life
Zadvorny’s main asset, Murmanseld-2, received in 2021 quotas for catching at least 11.5 thousand tons of cod, which brought the company 1.5 billion rubles. revenue, from which the oligarch, who cares for the prosperity of the Murmansk region, paid about 8% of taxes (118 million rubles). The company’s net profit amounted to 836 million rubles.
His long-standing company, Andromeda, which Zadvorny owns jointly with his wife, got less cod quotas – by 3.5 thousand tons. This did not prevent the company from making a net profit of 330 million rubles. The fishing collective farm Zarya (yes, Zadvorny is also a prominent collective farmer) got about 6.2 thousand tons of cod. The net profit of the company is 490 million rubles.
At the same time, Zadvorny does not conceal the fact that salaries in the company are not the highest, believing that employees do not value money, but, in his own words, stability. For context, the median per capita monthly income of residents of 51 regions is just over 38 thousand rubles. (approximately $500)*. The consumption of fish in Russia is steadily declining, and this is due to the fall in incomes of the population. Because of the sanctions, the stocks of tin for cans are running out, which means that the prices of canned fish are rising. Furthermore, according to the chairman of the Association of Coastal Fisheries and Farmers of Murmansk, Anatoly Evenenko, the fleet is worn out by 80%. After the start of the war with Ukraine, foreign shipyards refuse to repair Russian ships, and their capacities are not enough.
What about Zadvorny? In 2021, plagiarist fisher companies got 20 thousand tons of cod and a profit of 1.65 billion rubles. Distinguished career of a former captain, deputy and doctor of economics.
