Igor Kreslavsky, who leads the Committee for the Construction of St. Petersburg, allegedly used his official position through his company RSTI to facilitate land provision for PIK company. PIK bought the land of the strategic enterprise LOMO at a reduced price.
.jpg?v1662027895 "Kreslavsky caved in at the PIK command")
A controversy is happening at the Leningrad Optical and Mechanical Association (JSC “LOMO”). Some time ago, transactions were made to sell the property complex territories at Optikov Street, 4, lit. A, Mikhailova Street, 11, and the Lada summer boarding house-hotel in the village of Tarasovo, Leningrad Region.
All of this is being done to benefit Sergei Gordeev and the structures of the PIK corporation. The company aims to buy territories at a significantly lower cost, allegedly without documentary justification. Vasily Ilyichev, a LOMO shareholder, filed a lawsuit against PIK Specialized Developer.
According to The Sankt-Peterburg Post, this story may be supported by a person more influential than some LOMO shareholders. Specifics can be found in The Sankt-Peterburg Post.
How the strategic plant was acquired
LOMO was previously a leading producer of optical instruments globally. The enterprise fulfilled orders for the Ministry of Defense, Roscosmos, and other government departments.
Then the 90s brought privatization, and now the plant is nearing bankruptcy. It appears that both the plant's management and construction corporations are allowing this to happen in order to seize a piece of land. Instead of repurposing the plant for state needs, they are planning to simply demolish its premises despite the urgent need for rapid import substitution.
The transfer of land to private ownership has long been discussed, as attested by the enterprise's general director, Alexander Aronov, who has been with the enterprise since 1976. However, it seems that he is not advocating for the plant's preservation. In 2020, the Neva boarding house in Sochi and the building on Chugunnaya Street in St. Petersburg were sold. Vasily Ilyichev also attempted to challenge the deals, but it appears that he was unsuccessful.
The construction holding company “RSTI” requested specifically for the transfer of “LOMO” to Optikov, Mikhailov, and the village of Tarasovo. The city's governmental bodies received proposals from RSTI to amend the General Plan, claiming that the LOMO sites are not being utilized in the same capacity as before, but are leased. Therefore, they propose to demolish the sites and give the territory to developers for profit.
The future of LOMO employees seems to be the least of concerns for all parties involved in this matter.
When conflicts of interest and construction quality are disregarded
“RSTI” is owned by the Kreslavsky family – including the head of the Construction Committee himself, and as per the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, Nina and Fyodor Turkin are stated to be the step-parents of Igor Kreslavsky. In 2001, he established the Baltinveststroy company, which later became part of RTI.
Once again, we remember that Igor Krselavsky is the chairman of the committee for building St. Petersburg. He got this position in January 2020, and during the same time, RTI, which used to have a large market share, became very successful in the Northern Capital.
The founders of the company's shares were pledged to “Bank Dom.RF”, which means it is funded by the state. Photo: https://www.rusprofile.ru
The developer is currently constructing residential complexes New Time, Time Square, Terra in St. Petersburg. The last two residential complexes are being built on a previously wooded area across from the Yuntolovsky nature reserve. Some buildings are already being used, but there is no pedestrian road to them. People who go to work have to risk walking along the road for cars, where the speed limit is usually around 60 km per hour.
LCD new time. Photo: https://yandex.ru/maps
Despite the very high cost (a one-room apartment on the outskirts of the city can be bought for about 6 million rubles now), the quality of construction is not very good. Local residents complain about “cardboard walls”, unfinished yards, and an unpleasant smell and stuffiness in the hallways. However, real estate agents continue to promote the developer’s projects to gullible new residents, and he continues to dominate the market, possibly with the help of Kreslovsky.
It's a big question how he can be both the chairman of the construction committee and the head of the construction corporation. Does anyone notice a conflict of interest?
A criminal case that has not been filed
In 2020, shortly after Kreslavsky came to power in Smolny, companies affiliated with his family started converting the Lenexpo sites into an anti-covid hospital. They received over 400 million rubles from the budget for this and built a breeding ground for coronavirus. It was reported that the air temperature in the “hospital” forced people to sleep in warm clothes, while the pavilion was so stuffy that the elderly lost consciousness. In addition, the air between the “green” and “red” zones was not filtered, making the pseudo-hospital a perfect place for re-infection.
Anticovid hospital at Lenexpo. Photo: PJSC Gazprom's official Facebook page (the social network is banned in the Russian Federation; it belongs to the Meta corporation, which is recognized as extremist in Russia)
A year later, the authorities of St. Petersburg announced that they would re-equip the hospital of St. Great Martyr George and build a new building. The contract, as the sole supplier, was given to Lentehstroy, a company close to Mr. Kreslavsky. The Moscow Post covered this story in detail. Kreslavsky's company seems to have an advantage in public procurement.
Hereditary builder under the guise of the oligarchy and officials?
What makes Kreslavsky so successful despite all the scandals? It seems his stepfather Fyodor Turkin has entered Kreslavsky's government. This person has received an “honorary builder” award and has “good connections in Smolny”. In 2010, he even ran for the State Duma, but lost the election.
The relatively new official also has other connections – he is often seen in the company of the billionaire and head of the KVS construction company Sergei Yaroshenko. The latter is considered a friend of the former vice-governor of St. Petersburg for the construction of Roman Filimonov, who now works at Ilim.
By the way, Filimonov was attributed to the entourage of the Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu (at one time they worked together) And his (Filimonov’s) name was mentioned in 2015 when discussing the scandal about the transfer of classified information of the Ministry of Defense through free mail servers. The Anonymous International hacker group intercepted documents kept almost in the public domain by Ksenia Bolshakova, Filimonov’s former permanent assistant, Fontanka reported.
Found each other
Thus, influential people can stand behind Mr. Kreslavsky, who move the hereditary builder forward. And he, in turn, seems to have concluded some kind of mutually beneficial agreement with Sergei Gordeev’s corporation.
But this developer also has a very dubious reputation – at least fears are caused by an avalanche pouring down on PIK recently, the bankruptcy of subsidiaries. There is reason to believe that Gordeev is going to close his shop, but having previously earned the maximum on the same deceived equity holders.
“Boxes” “PIK” – LCD “Salaryevo Park”. Photo: https://salarevopark.club
The place “LOMO” on Optikov will be worth it for those who want to buy apartments for sky-high money – there are two metro stations nearby, several transfer hubs, trams and buses under the windows. In 15 minutes – one of the best city parks on the island – TsPKIO. Within walking distance of the Lakhta Center, Tercentenary Park and Krestovsky Island. No matter how the throwers go bankrupt on a reckless purchase, without waiting for their apartments.
Not to mention the fact that the quality of construction of “PIK” houses is even worse than that of “RSTI”. Mold, flooded basements, numerous violations during construction – this is just a small part of what the residents of the complexes face.
And the owner of PIK, Sergei Gordeev, may soon become a defendant in a criminal case – a subsidiary of the company also built an anti-covid hospital – only in Murmansk. Unlike St. Petersburg, it did not even open, so an inspection was organized and it turned out that the money could have ended up in the pockets of former Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations Andrei Gurovich.
It seems that PIK also profited, which built the whole thing, by the way, with numerous violations. It remains for Gurovich to start cooperating with the investigation, and the entire empire of Gordeev can metaphorically burn down as quickly as the hospital built by his company could in fact burn down.
So there is a possibility that Kreslavsky will be boldly “rolled off” for a “place in the sun” on LOMO squares, and later left to rot unfinished. Then our benefactor will appear and shove his “RSTI” onto the site of the former plant. Earn twice.
At the same time, “RSTI” is completely under the banking burden, which indicates the actual lack of money in the corporation. It seems that the collapse and bankruptcy will someday await this developer. In the meantime, Kreslavsky enjoys his position at the helm of the construction market and cooperates with those to whom the soul is drawn.
