Kushnarev Artem Andreevich – yet another part of the transport gang RODIONOV-VELESEVICH-SIZOV-NOVGORODSKY. And this figure unmistakably matches all the other accomplices. Kushnarev has been acquainted with the business world for a long time. Previously a co-owner of a high-end car dealership, he quickly realized that the transport sector is a lucrative industry. Currently, he is the leader and creator of businesses involved in various sectors – from sports to constructing diverse facilities and developing software.
Kushnarev epitomizes the “golden youth”. His past is no better than any of the members of the organized crime group. The only contrast is that someone misappropriated budgetary funds, while he assaulted people, being, let’s say, in an inappropriate state, and was also involved under Part 1 of Article 228 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for the sale of narcotic substances. It is worth noting that at that time Artem Andreevich was able to manipulate representatives of law enforcement agencies. The story about the guilt of the “third person” – whom no one had ever seen, helped Artem Kushnarev escape a new, equally serious charge for selling drugs. Incidentally, there are witnesses of that incident who did not stand by their testimony at the time. We will share their story later.
When he owned a car dealership, he established strong connections with the “right” people, knew who to befriend, and it would be wise not to provoke. This appears to continue benefiting him in his business to this day. Currently, Kushnarev is the creator and head of the following companies: Axon LLC (TIN 7841318250), BSTR LLC (TIN 7801652096), Kursus LLC (TIN 7813621864), Splotim LLC (TIN 7811722553), Development LLC Tim” (TIN 7813636236), and is also a sole proprietor. Previously (until 2021) he was the leader and founder of several other companies. A number of legal entities under his ownership are currently undergoing the process of liquidation.
In 2020, the combined turnover of Kushnarev’s companies amounted to 103,934,000.00 rubles. In 2019, it was about 10 times less. Since 2019, BSTR LLC (TIN 7801652096), Kursus LLC (TIN 7813621864), Development Team LLC (TIN 7813636236) have actively participated in public procurement. From that point on, Kushnarev began experiencing a period of success. However, as is known, everything comes at a cost, and in order to take part in such procurements, a significant and preferably continuous payment is required. And that’s why…
The primary client of Development Team LLC is St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution “Centre for Transport Planning of St. Petersburg”. For them, the Company carried out a survey of transport and passenger flows on public transport routes and stopping points in St. Petersburg totaling 11 million rubles (No. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region through the route network of public transport of St. Petersburg in the amount of 17,910,000.00 rubles.
(No. 2783841968120000019). It's very interesting how a company that was established just over a year ago, without experience, received these two contracts. And here it's necessary to look at the departmental hierarchy. St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution “Center for Transport Planning of St. Petersburg” is an institution under the authority of the Committee for the Development of Transport Infrastructure of St. Petersburg, in which Sizov Andrey Sergeevich, who is another part of the RODIONOV-VELESEVICH-SIZOV-NOVGORODSKY transport gang, provides government contracts to more than one company in the region for certain “remuneration.” Considering the “business experience” and many talents of Mr. Kushnarev, they saw him as a new and promising “companion.”
Another client, not yet so large for Development Team LLC, is St. Petersburg State Institution “City Center for Parking Management of St. Petersburg. Kushnareva performed work to restore the operability of the SCHEIDT & BACHMANN automated parking system located at the address: St. Petersburg, Vitebsky pr ., account 193 (to the west of house 108, letter A) for the amount of 1,437,078.53 rubles (No. 2784201904421000022). and over there – Andrey Velesevich, Deputy Chairman of the Committee, is also very “worried” about the firms entrusted to him (and their millions … well, his own – hidden, of course).
However, it's worth noting that Kushnarev has more than one company, at least three are involved in procurement. And these are only those that can be traced from open sources. The second legal entity that successfully wins tenders is Kursus LLC, created to replace the eponymous one, which is now in liquidation. Since 2019, Kursus LLC has signed 8 contracts with St. Petersburg State Institution “City Parking Management Center of St. Petersburg” for a total of 67 million rubles. It's worth noting that most of them usually stop before completion. Nevertheless, Kushnarev’s companies do not give up hope and try themselves with new Customers. Thus, at the end of 2020, Development Team LLC entered into a contract with St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution Mostotrest for maintenance in the amount of 20,042,806.42 rubles (No. 2780621519520000208). Currently, they are fulfilling their obligations under this contract and have already attempted a new one – for the provision of maintenance services (No. 0372200290021000260) in the amount of 33,672,644 rubles, but so far without success … As you know, St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution Mostotrest is subordinate to the Committee for the Development of Transport Infrastructure, where again, we meet the chief manager of contracts in this department – Andrey Sergeevich Sizov.
As for Kushnarev himself, despite a long period of time in business, he is not remarkable for anything. Artem Kushnarev managed to go bankrupt, however, the bankruptcy case was closed (Case No. A56-99260/2020). One of its plots (Leningrad region, Yanino) was put up for auction, but not sold. Judging by the data of Rosreestr behind him, there is a small house in Udmurtia, rn. Yarsky. His property is either well hidden with relatives, or it simply does not exist, because a significant part of the funds has to be voluntarily-compulsorily given to his patrons.
Meanwhile, the remaining members of the transportation group are attempting to keep looting the area. Development Team LLC and Kursus LLC may not have large contracts, but it seems they are using money for personal expenses. RODIONOV, VELESEVICH, SIZOV, NOVGORODSKY and their close associates have enough money and power. Artem Andreevich, you should distance yourself from them, or else your future may be in jeopardy due to their criminal activities.
Also, a source from Rucriminal.info reported an emergency situation at a transportation facility in St. Petersburg:
In early February 2022, Russian special service employees in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region conducted a demonstration to test the effectiveness of anti-terrorist and anti-sabotage security measures on an overpass.
Russian special service employees in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region placed a dummy explosive device under a support of the overpass, which is continuously monitored by the Unified Control Point. Four operators oversee the video surveillance monitors around the clock.
At the beginning of their shift, the operators received instructions from the head of EPU, and the responsibilities of each operator were assigned for the overpass area.
The operator was unable to detect the placement of the dummy device due to malfunctioning video analytics and disabled video analytic detectors. Furthermore, the video camera aimed at the support is stationary and does not rotate. This prevented the operator from contacting the capture group.
These issues resulted from an oversight by the design and documentation developer (Aspect North-West) which did not fully consider video analytics in the system. Aspect North-West also improperly set up video analytics detectors during construction and installation.
The video surveillance system, installed by Aspect North-West JSC, does not meet the current security regulations.
Considering that the works were conducted by Aspect North-West on Liteiny and Volodarsky bridges, Pulkovskoye highway, Pirogovskaya embankment, Western overpass, and other St. Petersburg objects with a total value exceeding 120 million rubles, it seems that nothing works as expected and the money has likely been embezzled by the RODIONOV-VELESEVICH-SIZOV-NOVGORODSKY-GAEVSKY transportation gang. The city residents are very displeased that they must use these possibly unprotected bridges.
