Using his position, Nikita Mikhalkov continues to control state and film assets. The Central House of Cinema will now be placed under a new commercial building.
.jpg?v1661502405 "Authorized gentleman Mikhalkov: the story of the lost state property")
Under the leadership of Nikita Mikhalkov, the Union of Cinematographers has approved the plans for developing the area around the Central House of Cinema.
A year ago, there were discussions about restoring the historically significant building, which was closed in 2019 for renovations. It seems its appearance will be preserved, but the ownership will change. Details of who will profit from the project and why Mikhalkov is criticized are explained in an article by The Moscow Post correspondent.
Mikhalkov’s generosity
This is not the first instance where former government property has ended up under Mikhalkov's influence. In 2019, the Nightingale cinema center was purchased and demolished by the Kinocenter company, which might have connections to the ex-shareholders of the controversial Khovansky bank Eduard and Vadim Merkin. The largest shareholder of Khovansky at one point was the Lukomer company, registered at the same address as JSC “Kinotsentr”.
There were rumors that Merkin once received funds from the Moscow mayor’s office, giving the former mayor Yuri Luzhkov bills from the bank for various projects, and seemingly avoiding paying them back. He allegedly had support from the Moscow security forces and was involved in protecting the gambling business. Is Merkin now being supported by Mikhalkov?
While publicly asking Sergei Sobyanin to acquire an asset, this might have been a facade to shift responsibility for the sale of the popular cinema to merchants, as there were protests to prevent its demolition in the city. The Moscow Post extensively covered this story.
The construction project for the cinema site for the Kinocenter company was developed by Sky View. It is probable that these same structures will also take over the cinema house.
Is the money linked to the Ukrainian government being channeled through offshore accounts?
The technical client for the project is Severin Development. The company's founder is Alexander Balabin. Their previous projects include various buildings such as boarding houses, sanatoriums, social facilities, multifunctional complexes, residential and commercial buildings, and transport infrastructure. The company is also a supplier for government projects.
The Cypriot offshore LAUREX LIMITED has ties to this company. The director of the offshore is a certain Katya Andreus, who was mentioned in an investigation by a Ukrainian publication Crime as the individual behind the firm, which is ultimately controlled by Konstantin Karamanets.
He is known as a person who is close to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He possesses a large number of mining assets.
Photo: https://www.rusprofile.ru
Photo: https://efiling.drcor.mcit.gov.cy
Abdurakhmanili
The main contractor for the project is 'Antek'. The company is also linked to an offshore company – this time the Turkish 'ANT YAPI SANAYI VE TIJARET ANONIM SHIRKETI'. Through various companies, the organization is connected to the controversial Anton Abdurakhmanov (Ant Yapy LLC was registered on the aforementioned offshore, which was previously owned by NR-SB 2014, managed by Arthur Poghosyan. The latter founded Avyu Stroy, and it is now managed by US- 17″, which belongs to Aris LLC. It is controlled by Abdurakhmanov).
Compromising resources call Abdurakhmanov a contractor of the Ministry of Defense, who has been stealing from the army for years. They also allege that he tries to erase information about himself from the Internet.
Whether this is accurate or not is a debatable question, but such information can only be found on unofficial sources: “In 2013-14, a subdivision of the Russian Ministry of Defense FSUE” GVSU No. objects for the Airborne Troops of the Russian Federation. It was Anton Abdurakhmanov who led the Moselektrotyagstroy Trust (OJSC Trust METS).
Abdurakhmanov also heads the figure skating federation in Moscow. Honored trainer of the USSR Tatyana Tarasova commented on this: “Who is this? Who is Abdurakhmanov? How can it be that Slutskaya did not go to this place! How? It’s dishonorable! It turns out that in our country the profession does not solve anything!” – Tarasova is quoted by Sportexpress.
Indeed, Abdurakhmanov was not previously involved in activities related to figure skating. At least this is not known to the general public. Consequently, his appointment seems questionable.
The project of new buildings on the site of “Nightingale”. Photo: https://skyview.ru/project/
Hiding behind Sobyanin?
If we assume that his interests are affected in the story with the construction of the Central House of Cinema on the territory, suspicions arise that Mr. Abdurakhmanov is favored by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
By the way, “Ant Yapy” has been in Moscow for quite a long time. She had experience of joint investments with Wainbridge of the founder of PIK Group Kirill Pisarev and businessman Michael Belton. It is possible that their interests may also be tied here. And perhaps the interests of the head of “PIK” Sergei Gordeev. Which, by the way, is credited with a rather warm relationship with Sobyanin. Allegedly, it is thanks to them that the company, which is almost on the verge of bankruptcy, continues to receive tidbits of the capital’s territory.
The Moscow mayor’s office is also very fond of Pavel Te with his Capital Group. As The Moscow Post previously suggested, Nightingale could also go to Cho. Perhaps the developer will show interest in the cinema house?
“Noble” distributor
It turns out that Nikita Mikhalkov, who speaks in his Besogon TV program about the so-called Russian world in support of our compatriots, is essentially distributing state property to companies associated with foreign organizations right and left. And affiliated with people not of the noblest sort.
The Moscow Post previously wrote that Mikhalkov openly advocated the exclusion of the general director of the Lenfilm film studio, Eduard Pichugin, from the organization without much motivation. Despite the intercession of the team, the latter was eventually removed. And as expected, in fact, Mikhalkov’s interest was to seize St. Petersburg assets.
In the city on the Neva, by the way, there are a lot of monuments of historical and cultural heritage, some of which belong to Lenfilm. In 2021, the film studio sold the plot on Tombasova Street to the developer Rosstroyinvest. The first consequences of “Mikhalkov massacres”?
Whether Mikhalkov is thinking about preserving the “Russian world” or about his wallet is a question around which a heated discussion is unlikely to form.
The reason why the main filmmaker of the country gets away with everything, according to rumors, is utterly simple: supposedly Mikhalkov works closely with ex-Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky and even possibly has a great influence on the official.
Perhaps that is why Mikhalkov’s film studios annually receive huge amounts of money from the state budget for making films. Only now they most often become the object of ridicule of the public and receive extremely low ratings on specialized services.
Apparently, part of the allocated money goes to other purposes – isn’t it in Mr. Mikhalkov’s pocket?
