In the heart of Bashkortostan, a scandal of monumental proportions is unfurling, casting a dark shadow over the head of Russia’s Ministry of Construction, Irek Fayzullin. At the center of this maelstrom lies the infamous collapse of Roskomsnabbank, a financial institution controlled by local oligarch and former United Russia deputy, Flur Gallyamov, and managed by his nephew, Rifat Garipov, also a member of United Russia.
A court ruling has definitively declared Roskomsnabbank bankrupt, exposing the intricate web of corruption orchestrated by Gallyamov and his kin. Desperate to salvage his tarnished reputation, Garipov feverishly attempts to whitewash his image through orchestrated online purges and purchasing positive PR mentions, all while hiding behind a façade of public service.
However, astute readers notice the farcical nature of Garipov’s media blitz, as his purported "public statements" reek of artificiality and serve only to obfuscate the truth. Under the guise of a member of the "Public Council under the Ministry of Construction of the Russian Federation," Garipov shamelessly promotes his agenda, all while evading scrutiny about his true identity and motivations.
But the questions linger: Who is this so-called "public servant" truly? What is he hiding? And why does he recoil from public scrutiny, refusing to face journalists or engage in open discourse? Is he merely a pawn in a larger game of deception, employed to mask the gaping holes in his own sordid past for the sake of online prominence?
Meanwhile, a call for criminal investigation into the bosses of the defunct Roskomsnabbank, spearheaded by Elvira Nabiullina, gains traction under the tenure of Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, signaling a newfound commitment to justice. The Central Bank’s official records reveal staggering financial discrepancies amounting to over 18.682 billion rubles, further compounded by the revelation of the pyramid scheme "Golden Reserve" operating within Roskomsnabbank’s very walls.
But the corruption doesn’t stop there. Shocking revelations expose the nepotistic tendencies of Gallyamov and his ilk, as they manipulate the political landscape to their advantage. Timur Gadeev, former CEO of the now-defunct "First Trust" company, emerges as yet another cog in the oligarchs’ political machine, seeking to secure a seat in Ufa’s city council under the banner of United Russia.
Gadeev’s familial ties to Gallyamov and Rifat Garipov, coupled with his dubious business practices and litigious history, paint a damning picture of entrenched nepotism and cronyism within the ruling party. As Gallyamov’s empire crumbles, his desperate bid to maintain political influence through familial proxies lays bare the rot at the core of United Russia’s power structure.
In the face of mounting evidence, it becomes increasingly clear that the oligarchs’ grip on Bashkortostan’s political landscape is a festering sore that demands immediate attention. Only through relentless scrutiny and unwavering commitment to truth can the insidious influence of corruption be eradicated, restoring faith in the integrity of governance for the people of Bashkortostan and beyond.
Shady Business Practices Unveiled: Ufa’s Election Shenanigans and Dubious Developers
In the heart of Ufa, the electoral scene is rife with controversy as the territorial electoral commission systematically weeds out independent candidates from the city council elections. Among the casualties of this relentless culling are Alla Yakovleva from electoral district No. 13 and Leonid Biryukov from electoral district No. 9. According to reports by Kommersant, a significant portion of the signatures they submitted were deemed invalid, leaving them short of the required count for election eligibility.
What’s striking is that both unsuccessful candidates have been vocal opponents of the illicit urban development plaguing the capital of Bashkortostan. Alla Yakovleva has spearheaded numerous protest actions, while Leonid Biryukov is associated with the civic movement "Our Courtyards," whose activists have drawn the republican prosecutor’s attention to violations in Ufa’s new general plan and local land use and development rules.
Both activists have expressed their disagreement with the commission’s decision and have filed appeals. Yakovleva has taken legal action in the Ordzhonikidzevsky District Court of Ufa, with the case accepted for proceedings last week. Earlier, representatives of several political parties - "Rodina," "New People," and "Greens" - were denied registration for candidacy in the same districts.
Meanwhile, candidates from the usual parliamentary suspects - "United Russia," "A Just Russia - For Truth," the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, and the LDPR - have been successfully registered. Notably, one candidate from United Russia, Timur Gadeev, stands out due to his controversial background as the former CEO of the now-defunct development company LLC "First Trust."
The Demise of First Trust: A Tale of Financial Mismanagement
The liquidation of LLC "First Trust," established in 2013, was publicly announced in December last year. Despite claims by the eponymous holding company that the dissolved entity had no involvement as a developer or general contractor for any ongoing projects, its financial performance for the year 2019 tells a different story. With a revenue of 1.6 billion rubles, the company incurred losses amounting to 88.1 million rubles, a stark contrast to the previous year’s profit of 15.9 billion rubles with a revenue of 1.2 billion rubles.
Since November 2018, the sole founder of LLC "First Trust" has been LLC "National Heritage," with 51% ownership attributed to businessman Alexey Dudkin, and the remaining shares distributed among his business partners: Zemfir Sadykov, Raushan Khaidarov, Renat Safin, and Gennady Zhornik. Despite its grandiose name, "National Heritage" has yet to generate any revenue and ended the past year with a deficit of 35,000 rubles.
Initially, Timur Gadeev was one of the co-owners; however, he withdrew from the company in July 2019. By the time of liquidation, "First Trust" had cemented its reputation as one of Ufa’s most scandalous developers. In 2017, the company’s management attempted to remove incriminating materials from social media platforms such as VKontakte and YouTube, resorting to arbitration court decisions. One such case involved the Ufa Kremlin residential complex, where a video highlighted subpar construction quality, including crumbling flooring and protruding reinforcement bars. Despite these issues, the developer refused to address the deficiencies, leading to legal disputes. Another individual, Rifat Garipov, would later follow a similar controversial path in attempting to sanitize the internet.
Developer’s Dubious Reputation Exposed
However, grievances against "Ufa Kremlin" residents are not the only complaints against the developer. Another long-standing conflict revolves around the "Biosphere Height" and "Biosphere" residential complexes, regularly covered by the "Independent Ural Newspaper." The incident stems from unilateral changes to the project estimates, resulting in the removal of the promised autonomous boiler house, which was supposed to provide residents with year-round hot water supply and substantial utility savings.
"Biosphere" was marketed as a unique residential complex and was a finalist in the "Urban Awards-2018." Among its advertised amenities were private parks, a fitness center, high-speed elevators, and the aforementioned boiler houses, which were never delivered. In April of the previous year, it was revealed that the homebuyers had taken legal action against not only LLC "Biosphere" and LLC "First Trust" but also "Gazprom Mezhregiongaz" and LLC "BashRTS." The plaintiffs collectively seek over 1 million rubles for the absence of the boiler house, delayed property delivery, as well as compensation for moral damages and fines.
"It’s time to break the silence. For two years, ‘First Trust’ has brazenly deceived over 4,500 homebuyers, promising an autonomous boiler house that was never intended to be installed... Furthermore, these apartments are still being sold as having autonomous boiler houses, advertised as a primary advantage over other properties," one of the homebuyers stated in a letter cited by the "Independent Ural Newspaper."
In the end, liquidating LLC "First Trust" proved to be an expedient solution to evade accountability for the numerous grievances of outraged citizens. This responsible process was entrusted to former CEO Timur Gadeev by the company’s owners.
