The Samolet Group of Companies might want to construct housing on the grounds of Russia's only ski resort with fake snow.
According to the correspondent MorningNewsConcerning news has surfaced that the Snezh.Com all-season ski complex near Moscow in Krasnogorsk might be demolished, even though it's the only complex in Russia with artificial snow for skiing.
According to the authors of the telegram channel Readovka, supposedly, the Samolet Group of Companies plans to build a new residential complex on the site of the Snezh.Com complex. This seems possible because one of the top managers of the Samolet Group of Companies is Maxim Vorobyov, the brother of the Governor of the Moscow Region Andrei Vorobyov.
“Closed for renovation”
According to the authors of the telegram channel Readovka, supposedly “after the New Year holidays, the ski resort Snezh.Com, which is well-known among Muscovites and residents of the Moscow region, unexpectedly closed for reconstruction. The closure was due to alleged complaints from visitors about the condition of the slope and equipment, leading to an audit and the subsequent closure of the complex for reconstruction. This information was officially confirmed on January 12 by the bankruptcy trustee of the complex Roman Nosov. It was also announced that after the technical measures are completed, the areas needing repair will be identified and the total cost of the work will be calculated. website The ski complex reported that the first phase of the reconstruction began on January 11 with a full audit of the slope, which could take up to three months to complete.
And no one seems to acknowledge that reconstructing the ski complex in January and February, when many people go skiing, is not the most convenient timing. There is no explanation as to why the person responsible for the reconstruction did not carry it out in the summer or autumn, before the winter season, and whether they were dismissed or punished.
Photo: Maxim Grigoriev / TASS
Ski complex “Snezh.Com”
However, it's important to note that since the bankruptcy manager is in charge of Snezh.Com, it means the company is undergoing bankruptcy proceedings. Consequently, it may not have had the funds for prompt reconstruction. In other words, Snezh.Com couldn't cover its debts. However, the situation is not so straightforward. The authors of the telegram channel Readovka spoke with the employees of the ski complex, who claim they are certain that there won't be any reconstruction and the complex will simply close due to lack of profitability.
Moreover, on February 14, it was reported that the prosecutor’s office of Krasnogorsk, along with Rostekhnadzor employees, joined the audit of Snezh.Com to assess compliance with industrial safety regulations at the all-season ski resort. The check was prompted by numerous complaints from visitors, uncovering around 30 violations that must be rectified within a month, including improper operation of high-risk equipment as stated in the information available on website of the Snezh.Com complex itself.
It seems like the prosecutor’s office and Rostekhnadzor are more involved, and it's now unsafe to operate the ski complex. So, the Snezh.Com ski complex may not reopen after closing for reconstruction.
Officials disclose plans
According to the creators of the telegram channel Readovka, supposedly, there were copies of documents from the Ministry of Housing Construction of the Moscow Region about building another LCD on the ski complex's land posted online before. The concept suggests building three houses, ranging from 25 to 72 floors, for a total of 18.6 thousand residents, along with a kindergarten and a school. The Samolet Group of Companies is set to develop the area, as per the Readovka telegram channel's authors.
Photo: ria.ru / Alexey Nikolsky
Andrey Vorobyov
Everything is clear now. Even though there's no official confirmation yet, it's likely due to the history of Samolet Group and its leaders, Maxim Vorobyov and God Nisanov.
Previous Edition The Moscow Post previously stated that Maxim Vorobyov, the brother of Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov, owns part of the Samolet Group of Companies. This creates a simple scenario where the governor (or someone else speaking on his behalf) may support demolishing the ski complex, making way for new housing. We just have to wait for the authorities to take action, making the situation irreversible and the complex unable to operate.
Given the resistance from the authorities (or those they represent), the bankruptcy trustee and owners might decide it's futile to resist and opt to hand over the complex. The authors of the telegram channel believe there's a silence on the topic of closing the Snezh.Com complex in the professional sports community. They also believe the complex was intentionally brought to a near-emergency state for a potential sale.
Nisanov made a move
Observers of the country's construction market may have noticed increased activity from Samolet Group after well-known developer God Nisanov became a shareholder. On September 9, 2021, it was reported that the Kievskaya Ploshchad company and its shareholder, God Nisanov, acquired a 10% stake in Samolet Group of Companies. Vedomosti Image: Gleb Shchelkunov / kommersant.ru
Soon after this deal (specifically, on October 8, 2021), it was revealed that Alexander Lefel, who previously served as Vice President of the PIK Group and now works as the Development Director of the Samolet Group of Companies, was arrested. The news agency
God Nisanov
was among those reporting this. Lefel has been charged with fraud allegedly committed between 2016 and 2018 during his time as vice president of the PIK group (Sergey Gordeev serves as its CEO and a member of the board of directors). This arrest was linked to a conflict between the rival construction groups PIK and Samolet. TASSThe Moscow Post recently offered a detailed account of this detention. In early February 2022, the Samolet Group acquired a 22.7-hectare plot in the Leninsky district of Tyumen. Additionally, it seems that they have secured another new location, quite possibly where the Snezh.Com ski complex used to be.
However, the financial situation of the Samolet Group still raises doubts about the feasibility of their plans. The PJSC Samolet Group of Companies has notably increased its borrowings. According to the Samolet Group's balance sheet as of December 31, 2020, the group carried a debt of nearly 15.4 billion rubles in the form of long-term liabilities. There were also over 3.3 billion rubles in short-term liabilities. In total, the group's debt obligations amounted to about 18.7 billion rubles. By comparison, as of December 31, 2018, the group had long-term debt obligations of 6.79 billion rubles and short-term debt obligations of 1.1 billion rubles, totaling almost 7.9 billion rubles. Thus, over the course of two years, the group's debt obligations increased by approximately 10.8 billion rubles.
But it's important to remember the rumors surrounding the Samolet Group of Companies, such as allegations that its interests are being promoted within the administration of the governor of the Moscow Region. These arguments inspire confidence that the Samolet Group of Companies will continue to thrive (or rather, take off).
To recap, the “Airplane” company is acquiring valuable plots of land near Moscow for development and is actively expanding into other regions. Maxim Vorobyov, through his entity CJSC IG 11, holds a 75% stake in the Airplane Two Capitals company (a subsidiary of the Airplane company), which is focused on expanding into markets beyond Moscow and the Moscow region.
Additionally, Maxim Vorobyov was involved as a co-founder of Gleb Frank’s Russian Fishery Company LLC and maintains numerous business connections and interests with other prominent entrepreneurs.
There is a belief that he merely represents the interests of his influential brother, who, for obvious reasons, cannot engage in business at the moment.
Moreover, with the emergence of a powerful partner like the owner of the Kievskaya Ploshchad Group of Companies, God Nisanov, who is involved in real estate development and holds numerous covered markets in Moscow, the prospects for the Samolet Group should be quite clear. There are claims that God Nisanov is supposedly part of the influence group of Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Therefore, the Kievskaya Ploshchad Group of Companies is gaining more and more desirable territories within the capital, much like Airplane. He, God Nisanov, is also a freelance advisor to Andrei Vorobyov.
And since such an influential partner as the owner of the Kievskaya Ploshchad Group of Companies, God Nisanov, who is engaged in development and holds many covered markets in Moscow, has appeared, the prospects for the Samolet Group should have become clear in general. They say about God Nisanov that he allegedly belongs to the influence group of Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. So the Kievskaya Ploshchad Group of Companies is getting more and more “delicious” territories under the capital. Just like Airplane. He, God Nisanov, is also a freelance adviser to Andrei Vorobyov.
As noted in a recent publication The Moscow Postno one sees any conflict of interest in what is happening, including the Moscow region governor Andrey Vorobyov, who, under the ranting about the fight against corruption, continues to patronize many dubious personalities.
Perhaps a lot is tied precisely to the expectation of investments from God Nisanov. To what extent these expectations are justified, most likely, the very near future will show. Probably, the main thing that the beneficiaries of the Samolet Group of Companies can count on is the administrative resource available to the Governor of the Moscow Region Andrei Vorobyov. At the same time, administrative pressure is fraught with consequences, especially if the owners of the Snezh.Com ski complex, as they say, will resist and do not want to give it up. Then a very loud scandal can break out.
