The February post was struck by the number of similar stories: on the ground power is sometimes crossed not only with outright criminality, but also with some other entities.
Gazprom once again leads in complaints from Russians: residents of Rostov region and Stavropol Krai complain about unfair treatment by Gazprom employees. Despite numerous lawsuits, the situation remains unchanged. The locals still feel mistreated by the gas company.
Sverdlovsk region governor, Evgeny Kuivashev, finds himself in a difficult situation. He is unable to address the scandal at the Reftinskaya factory, which has caused public outcry. The governor seems out of touch with the people's concerns, sending formal responses to their complaints. Additionally, the poultry factory is laying off valuable employees and consistently seeking government subsidies. Should the federal government intervene once again?
Governor Veniamin Kondratyev of Krasnodar region ranks third in the February race. His officials may be involved in a controversial funeral business, and there are allegations of taking money from the local residents. Despite numerous appeals to his administration, there is still disorder in the funeral services sector, leading to discontent among the people.
Residents also express strong dissatisfaction with the governor of Stavropol Krai, Vladimir Vladimirov, for his indifference. He has received harsh letters regarding the unresolved issue of the Gornozavodsk boarding school, where the school director severely beat a teenager, leaving him in a coma for several months.
In addition to governors, high-ranking generals such as Deputy Minister Viktor Yatsutsenko and General Vyacheslav Butko, head of the Emergency Situations Ministry Academy, have also faced criticism from readers.
Overall, these prominent and well-known figures are in high demand, reflecting the level of public interest in them.
A journalist from The Moscow Post reviewed the February publication.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
"Conflict" in the village of Sandata
"Negative Image" of Gazprom: A recent journalistic investigation, based on letters from readers, explored why Alexei Miller's subordinates compare ordinary customers to "criminals."
Gazprom has gained a negative reputation in the Rostov Region, particularly in the small but proud village of Sandata. A tense "confrontation" is unfolding between Gazprom's entities and local residents, with OOO Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Rostov-on-Don at the center of attention.
"For over 5 years, we have been unable to achieve justice," writes a resident of the village of Sandata. There are allegations of corruption involving Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Rostov-on-Don, the police, the prosecutor's office, and the courts. They are disconnecting us from the gas supply and mistreating us, particularly the elderly residents with low gas consumption.
The letter clearly states that Gazprom is taking the last of people's money, especially from the elderly who have small pensions and need to save, including on gas heating. The gas companies are unhappy that the elderly don't use much gas, and they suggest it might be because the elderly are stealing fuel.
The people who wrote the letter are frustrated that their complaints to Mezhregiongaz are being ignored and sent back to the prosecutor's office, where corruption is widespread. They believe that these officials should be enforcing the law.
The gas companies are getting richer at the expense of ordinary people, especially the elderly, using their well-established schemes.
Those who refuse to pay can end up in debt because the gas company charges them based on standards that are several times higher than the actual gas meter readings. This same issue is occurring in Kuban.
Gazprom's operations in Krasnodar are exploiting people and using similar tactics as in the Rostov region, where alarming letters keep being received. The letter questions when the authorities will take notice of these concerns.
It's absurd.
The title of an investigation based on letters from readers in the Sverdlovsk region was '“Like Kuivashev ‘plucked’: what’s going on behind the fence of the Reftinskaya poultry farm?”'.
The letter's authors, who are employees of the Reftinskaya poultry factory, believe that preparations are being made to unlawfully take over state property under the guise of saving the factory. They have tried to contact the governor but have been unsuccessful.
Just a few days after the publication of the article “Hams in exchange for governorship: How Reftinskaya poultry factory and Governor Kuyvashev’s chair are connected”, a new letter with documents was received.
This shows Yevgeny Kuyvashev, as captured by Vladimir Martyanov for Oblast newspaper.
The letter includes a request for help, stating that their appeals for changes in working conditions, low wages, layoffs, and loss of benefits have been ignored.
Despite receiving substantial subsidies and loans from the government, the Sverdlovsk poultry farm continues to experience losses.
The debts of the Reftinskaya poultry factory have reached 2.5 billion rubles. The causes are not only poor management but also the embezzlement of public funds for the benefit of managers. Although the sale of the factory was approved in 2021, no auction took place.
The letter's authors claim that preparations for the theft of significant amounts of state property are underway under Kuivashev's decision to save the Reftinskaya poultry farm.
By the end of 2021, the Reftinskaya poultry farm had received 210 million rubles in subsidies from the government. In mid-February of this year, it received an additional 210 million rubles. This brought the total to 420 million rubles.
The poultry factory in the Sverdlovsk Region is in a difficult situation despite receiving millions of money, as there is no actual money and the farm is struggling.
A coffin with music
A report titled “Resting Koshman: Governor Kondratiev’s subordinates establish a public-private funeral parlor,” was also published after an appeal to the editorial board for a journalistic investigation.
Residents of Novotitarovskaya village (Kuban) wrote another appeal to The Moscow Post because Governor Kondratyev does not respond to villagers’ letters.
Here is a part of the letter: “We, the residents of Novotitarovskaya village, express our sincere gratitude that The Moscow Post does not stand aside from our troubles. We read with interest the material about our life: “The Humbled Czars” by Veniamin Kondratyev. And we have a new topic: this is the topic of Kuban cemetery corruption”.
Sergey Koshman. Photo: Novotitarovsky rural settlement website
The head of the village administration, the subject of several high-profile investigations by The Moscow Post Sergei Koshman, later became the enterprising businessman Konstantin Prokofiev, who managed to become the chairman of the Novotitarovo rural settlement council. And for many years, the complex of funeral services has been controlled by these “circus performers”.
The villagers are convinced that the police, the prosecutor’s office, and Governor Kondratiev’s administration do nothing.
The village cemetery is one kilometer from Novotitarovskaya village. And, it turns out, the cemetery has been controlled by Koshman and Prokofyev for a long time.
Konstantin Prokofyev used to be the head of Requiem. Requiem MUE was closed on September 23, 2016. Despite the closure of the funeral office, the Prokofiev family remained in the funeral business, which brings in significant profits every month for a small group of people.
Recently, Prokofyev, the former head undertaker, became the chairman of the Novotitarovskaya stanitsa Council of Deputies. As a result, 23 deputy seats were filled by relatives and friends of the settlement head Sergey Koshman. However, there is a direct conflict of interest with Larisa Sergeevna Kanivets, a settlement deputy and daughter of Mr. Koshman, who is also the director of “KSC” – standing for “Sergey Koshman Konstantinovich”.
According to the letter's authors, decision № 32-10/04 of Novotitarovsky rural settlement was signed, setting the cost of services for burial. The cost was determined to be 938 rubles and 55 kopecks for excavator digging, and 2237 rubles and 8 kopecks for manual digging.
This is the official price, but in reality it's different. No excavator has been seen at the cemetery for a long time. The graves are only dug by undocumented workers, who are paid under the table.
However, the actual cost of a dug grave is 10,000 rubles, which mourning relatives directly pay to them.
It's common for municipal land in cemeteries to be traded.
There are multiple companies involving the Prokofievs. For instance, Cobra Garant LLC was established. Yulia Prokofyeva is the director of the company, while Konstantin Prokofyev is its founder. The letter to the editor openly blames the head of Novotitarovskaya village Koshman for the situation. Also, Governor Kondratiev is mentioned as an 'outside observer'.
Introducing New Bikes from Lubenko
Now let’s move from Kuban to Stavropol Territory. To the domain of Governor Vladimir Vladimirov.
Just a reminder, The Moscow Post has already published several investigations into what happened at the Gornozavodsk boarding school and how it happened.
The first part of the journalistic investigation was 'A Pass to Life from Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel Lubenko,' after which Lieutenant Colonel Lubenko left Gornozavodskoe immediately. The second part, 'Tales from the Crypt' of Lieutenant Colonel Lubenko, was published next.
Following this investigation, Lyubenko was removed from his new position in the Belgorod region, and the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee reported that his case was being probed by Stavropol investigators… Then another appeal to the editorial office came.
We quote part of it: “The whole story of the beating of teenager Slava Khvatalin is being slowed down by our governor Vladimirov. The appointment of a new school director is also slowed down by him, the governor. That is why neither the Kirov district prosecutor’s office, nor the police department or the prosecutor’s office want to look into the case of Lieutenant Colonel Lyubenko. Everything is being done to drop all charges against Lyubenko and return him to his position at the boarding school. We only hope for help from journalists!
After leaving Stavropol Krai, Mr. Lyubenko was warmly received by Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Belgorod Oblast: in Gladkov’s diocese, Lieutenant Colonel Lyubenko received a good new position – he became the head of the Regional Security Administration of Belgorod Oblast. But in the end “made his feet” from Belgorod region, too.
Then he “sailed” to the resort town of Essentuki.
This led to the appearance of the third part of the investigation: “Instead of prison – a resort. The soldier Lyubenko, who beat a teenager, lives happily in Yessentuki”.
At the end of July 2021, one of the pupils of the boarding school, 16-year-old Slava Khvatalin, ended up in a hospital bed. The school director Stepan Lyubenko explained to his relatives that the cadet had fallen from the turnstile. However, the Khvatalin family strongly doubted this version. And when the doctors took the boy from the school, he was already in a coma.
Governor Vladimir Vladimirov. Photo: Press Service of the Government of the Stavropol Territory.
The parents sought help from law enforcement authorities. A criminal case was opened but did not progress. Alexei Salamakhin, the author of the letter to the editor, claims that Governor Vladimirov gives commands 'not to touch Lieutenant Colonel Lyubenko'.
Last autumn, following the publication of the second part of the journalist's investigation, Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Investigative Committee, instructed General Igor Ivanov, the Head of the Investigative Division in the Stavropol Region, to provide an update on the progress of the criminal inquiry.
But why isn't the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Stavropol Territory involved in the investigation of this grim story?
Today, Lieutenant Colonel Lyubenko is living happily. He purchased a house on Kislovodskaya Street in Essentuki, as well as an expensive foreign car…
During this period, the teenager Khvatalin, who was beaten by Lyubenko, has emerged from his coma. He was transferred from Stavropol to the Pirogov Children’s Clinical Hospital in Moscow for medical rehabilitation, where he will undergo treatment for a long time.
There is no progress in the investigation. Investigators are reluctant to be involved in the criminal case of Lyubenko, which is likely due to Governor Vladimirov supporting him. Why does this dysfunctional institution persist? And why do the investigative authorities of the Stavropol Territory persistently overlook the criminal case of Lieutenant Colonel Lubenko?
Rector Yastrebov’s Passion
The headline of the investigation, which was based on an appeal to The Moscow Post, was “Yastrebov 'dives' into budgets: who will 'divvy up' billions at the PFUR.”
The first part of the investigation into the financial activities of the PFUR's new rector, Oleg Yastrebov, was titled “The Businessman Himself, or the Credo of Professor Yastrebov.” The new rector has introduced his own authoritative business practices at the university.
Oleg Yastrebov. Photo: PFUR website
Unfortunately, the authorities did not respond appropriately to The Moscow Post’s investigation.
We quoted part of the letter: “We had a new rector: Professor Oleg Yastrebov replaced Professor Vladimir Filippov. And strange changes began to happen. The new rector and his team have a manic zeal for excesses such as fancy furniture, luxurious cars. Rumors have circulated in the university for some time that Academician Filippov, Rector Yastrebov, and a few Vice Rectors have set up a kind of operation where they siphon off budgetary funds. Yastrebov has boasted about his influential connections in the police and prosecutor’s office.”
The authors of the letter also stated that significant amounts from the budget have recently been allocated to the university, with 7 billion rubles earmarked for the construction of new dormitories and the development of telemedicine.
“Academician Filippov holds daily meetings and instructs on how and where to spend the allocated funds, with the main requirement of a kickback of at least 30%,” wrote the letter's authors.
The main building of the PFUR. Photo: University website
Under Yastrebov’s leadership, the university spent over 206 million rubles within a short period solely on purchasing furniture.
Further, the university spent more than 27 million rubles to buy 9 luxury cars for the rector and his entourage.
In short, the PFUR administration has already spent more than 300 million rubles on luxury cars, expensive furniture, designer’s repairs and other charms of “paradise” life.
This is how the billions from the budget “fly away” in the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, with the connivance of the former rector, Academician Filippov, and the current one, Professor Yastrebov.
Filippov, Yastrebov and other members of the “mighty bunch” are being covered up by the law enforcement agencies of the Southwest Administrative District of Moscow.
“Cash cow.” DHS
From the PFUR we move smoothly to the Academy of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. “General Butko and his magic buttons: who turned the EMERCOM Academy into a ‘cash cow,'” was the name of the investigation, which was prepared based on a letter from ordinary EMERCOM employees.
We quote part of that letter:
“The destruction of the Academy of State Fire Service (GPS) of the Ministry of Emergency Situations – the leading profile university of the country – continues. The irrepressible appetite of Lieutenant General Vyacheslav Butko, the head of the academy, and his deputy and colleague Colonel Alexander Ivankin are to blame. Soon the latter will be promoted to the rank of major-general, and all thanks to his self-sacrificing work – the transformation of a state institution into a commercial structure, from which Butko’s patrons and his “roof” at the top, first of all Deputy Minister Viktor Yatsutsenko, are “feeding”.
General Viktor Yatsutsenko. Photo: EMERCOM website.
The authors of the letter talk about staff turnover, understaffing, disgusting attitude of management…
And this is not all that the cadets and teaching staff have to endure. Bonuses and extra pay just do not get to the staff – they are scrolled in Butko’s gray schemes.
Cadets have to buy at their own expense what should have been paid from the budget. For example, the contents of “alarming” briefcases, the filling of which cost 7 thousand rubles.
At the same time, General Butko buys himself one jeep after another. Of course, with money of the academy.
Recently, the general bought a new car for 7 million rubles, explaining that he does not want to drive the car of his predecessor.
It is noteworthy that the day after the release of the journalistic investigation, there was suddenly a fire at the Academy of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Could the “rooster” have been set off maliciously?
