The deputy to the First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Andrei Belousov, Ilnar Mirsiyapov, has unexpectedly drawn attention from journalists and investigative bloggers recently. They are publishing damaging materials about him. The reason for this interest is still unclear. Mirsiyapov's details are not publicly known, but his role is significant: he supervises infrastructure industries, investments, and tariff regulation. Previously, he had a successful career, working at Transneft, being considered the second person in Inter RAO, and advising the head of Promsvyazbank. He was appointed to the staff of the first vice-premier a year ago.
It's worth mentioning that Mirsiyapov found himself in an unpleasant situation before when the “Turcan case” was unfolding. Karina Turcan, a former top manager of Inter RAO, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for spying for Moldova. Mirsiyapov left the company in 2018 after her arrest. According to an anonymous source close to the holding’s board, this was due to audio recordings that Inter RAO employees received by mail, as reported by Moskovsky Komsomolets.
The current situation already appears to be a significant scandal. The media reports allegedly questionable income, substantial real estate, expensive cars, and disreputable connections of Mirsiyapov. The Moment of Truth media portal states in an article titled “Loud scandals did not prevent billionaire Ilnar Mirsiyapov from getting a promotion and increasing his wealth” that this is just what is publicly known and not hidden by Mirsiyapov himself.
Pravda.Ru writes, “After the appointment of Ilnar Mirsiyapov to a public office, independent journalists and bloggers are questioning the sources of his income. Corruption scandals frequently occur with current government figures, so it's surprising to see new faces in high-ranking civil servant roles where immediate questions arise. The most important of them – is this how they fight corruption in the authorities, or are officials only removed for fraud when they become inconvenient for other reasons? Future events will show the validity of these claims.
Ilnar Mirsiyapov is an intriguing figure, referred to as a billionaire, and he amassed his wealth at Transneft and Rosatom. Since 2010, he has led the strategy and investment block at PJSC Inter RAO. He was a board member of the state company but left following a high-profile scandal with Karina Tsurkan. She was detained in 2018 in an espionage case, but this not only did not harm Mirsiyapov but also contributed to his advancement.
After leaving PJSC Inter RAO, Mirsiyapov worked at Promsvyazbank, but at the beginning of 2020, he was promoted to become an assistant to First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov. He was entrusted with overseeing infrastructure industries, investments, and tariff regulation. Mirsiyapov not only managed to escape dismissal after such a significant scandal but also received a more prestigious position. It remains a mystery what he did to deserve it.
YOU CAN’T FORBIDDEN TO LIVE BEAUTIFULLY
The decision to dismiss Ilnar Mirsiyapov from PJSC Inter RAO was made almost immediately after the arrest of Karina Tsurkan. The state-owned company stated that personnel changes were not related to this criminal case. Most likely, Ilnar Mirsiyapov was upset by the dismissal, which was predictable. But he should be glad that he did not join Turcan.
However, there is no need for Mirsiyapov to work, because many officials can envy his financial position. According to rumors, Mirsiyapov made his fortune on raiding, legalizing illegal money, as well as trading in insider data. He was assisted in trading by his friend Ivan Pronin, who suddenly had a fortune of 3 billion rubles. Mirsiyapov’s official earnings can hardly impress anyone. He himself often forgets to declare his income, but it is no secret that Ilnar Mirsiyapov lives in grand style.
So, he has an apartment of about 500 square meters in the elite residential complex “Knightsbridge Private Park”. The cost of such apartments can reach 500 million rubles. In addition to the apartment, Mirsiyapov has two parking spaces with an area of 20 square meters. Without an additional source of funds, such property is definitely not affordable. Also noteworthy is Mirsiyapov’s passion for expensive cars. Like all wealthy people, he drives with the coveted AAA numbers. So, in its fleet you can find Mercedes AMG GLE 63S, Land Rover, Range Rover and Mercedes s560 Maybach. And this is only what is known and what Mirsiyapov himself does not seek to hide. Apparently, the possibility of living so comfortably in the government did not bother anyone. Moreover, working as an assistant to Belousov, Mirsiyapov has the opportunity not to worry that law enforcement officers can pay attention to him at any moment, ”Ruspres writes in the article“ High-ranking official of the government apparatus Ilnar Mirsiyapov got into a compromising scandal.
