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For the first time in the history of Russia, a federal minister has been detained in a corruption case. The head of the Ministry of Economic Development, Alexei Ulyukaev, who was remembered for his constant search for the bottom of the crisis in Russia, was caught red-handed while receiving a bribe from representatives of Rosneft. The FSB followed the official for more than a year. The most severe punishment that Ulyukaev can expect is 15 years in prison.

What happened?

November 15 Main Investigation Department for the Investigation of Particularly Important Cases Investigative Committee The Russian Federation (TFR), based on the results of FSB checks, initiated a criminal case against the Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukaev in connection with signs of taking a bribe on an especially large scale.

“The minister was under the supervision of security officials from the FSB for more than a year, it is not known whether there were initially suspicions against him for what he is now accused of, but he was definitely in development for more than a year,” a law enforcement source told RIA Novosti.

In addition, the agency, citing the acting head of the department for interaction with the media of the ICR, Svetlana Petrenko, informed that Ulyukaev was caught red-handed while receiving a bribe. “We are talking about extorting a bribe from representatives of Rosneft, accompanied by threats,” she said.

The official has been detained, and the necessary operational investigative actions are being carried out against him. “In the near future, the investigation plans to bring charges against Alexei Ulyukaev and petition for a preventive measure,” the ICR said.

“During the arrest, Ulyukaev tried to get through to his patrons, but in vain,” an informed Interfax source in law enforcement agencies said.

How much money did Ulyukaev take?

Two million dollars.

According to the TFR, the minister received this money for a positive assessment issued by the Ministry of Economic Development, which allowed Rosneft to complete a deal to acquire a state-owned stake in Bashneft (50 percent).

What is this deal?

On October 12, Rosneft closed the deal to acquire the state-owned stake in Bashneft. “Rosneft has fully fulfilled its obligations under the agreement by transferring 329.7 billion rubles to the account of the Federal Treasury,” the company reported.

A week earlier, the Russian government sent Rosneft a directive to buy a 50.08 percent stake in Bashneft at a price not exceeding 330 billion rubles. By the end of the year, the state-owned stake in Rosneft itself should be privatized. From the sale of 19.5 percent of its securities, the state expects to gain more than 700 billion rubles.

An Interfax source said that the money was handed over to Ulyukaev during an investigative experiment under the control of the security forces. According to the interlocutor of the agency, there are no claims against the leaders of the Rosneft corporation.

How are Ulyukayev and privatization connected?

Alexei Ulyukaev, as Minister of Economic Development, actively advocated the sale of state shares in various enterprises. Privatization, in his opinion, allows businessmen to effectively manage assets, that is, to do what the state is not capable of by default.

In addition to promoting the idea of ​​privatizing Bashneft, Ulyukaev spoke out in favor of the sale of state securities of Sberbank and VTB, Sovcomflot.

In addition, he supported the privatization of 19.5 percent of Rosneft.

“The company does not comment on the actions of the Investigative Committee. The block of shares in Bashneft was acquired in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation on the basis of the best commercial offer made to the operating bank, ”a representative of Rosneft reacted to the detention of Ulyukaev.

A well-informed TASS source also stressed that the deal was not called into question, and the privatization would not be reviewed.

What punishment awaits Ulyukaev?

The minister is under article 290 of the Criminal Code, part six. It provides for several types of punishments.

Firstly, it can be a fine of 3-5 million rubles or in the amount of the income of the convicted person for 3-5 years, or in the amount of 80 or 100 times the amount of a bribe with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions for a period of 15 years.

Secondly, a person convicted under this article is threatened with imprisonment for 8-15 years. He can also be charged with a fine (70 times the amount of the bribe) or deprive him of the right to hold certain posts.

How did the authorities react?

By the publication of the material, the official reaction was received only from the press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov. “It's night now. I don't know if it was reported to the president. This is a very serious accusation that requires very serious evidence. In any case, only the court can decide anything,” he said.

The first deputy chairman of the Central Bank, Sergei Shvetsov, refused to believe that Ulyukayev was a corrupt official. “I have great respect for Alexei Valentinovich. He was the last person to be suspected of such a thing. What is written in the press looks absurd. Now nothing is clear, ”commented Shvetsov (quoted by RIA Novosti).

Who is Alexey Ulyukaev?

Ulyukaev was appointed Minister of Economic Development in June 2013. He replaced Andrei Belousov in this post (now he works as an assistant to the head of state).

Alexey Ulyukaev is 60 years old.

He graduated from the Faculty of Economics of Moscow State University (1979), Doctor of Economics. Since 1982, he has been engaged in scientific activities in the profile. From 1988 to 1991, he tried himself in journalism - he worked as the head of the editorial department of the Kommunist magazine and as a political observer in Moscow News.

In 1991, Ulyukaev became an economic adviser to the government and was a member of the reform team led by Yegor Gaidar. In 1993-1994 he worked as an assistant to Gaidar, who was then First Deputy Prime Minister. At the beginning of the 2000s, he served as Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin.

From 2004 until June 2013, Alexey Ulyukaev was deputy chairman of the Bank of Russia (headed by Sergey Ignatiev).

Awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 4th class.

Writes poems.

Ulyukaev on corruption

The minister, who was detained for taking a bribe, has repeatedly spoken out about the dangers of corruption for the normal development of the country.

“Corruption is, of course, a problem for the growth economy, social stability and political development of the country. The point is that something needs to be done about it. The first is transparency. Now I and all my colleagues have to publish not only income, ownership, but also expenses, ”the official said in the summer of 2015 (quoted by BBC).

“Corruption is a problem. The level of corruption is high. But just making a statement about the existence of corruption is not enough. Need to do something. And as I said, transparency is The best way improve the situation,” Ulyukaev noted.

Tonight it became known about the detention of the Minister of Economic Development of Russia Alexei Ulyukaev. Federal official caught on a $2 million bribe. Moreover, the operational development, which President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev knew about, was carried out by the FSB for more than a year. What is unique about the criminal case against Ulyukayev, who else may be under attack in the near future, and how much Russian bribe-takers receive on average - in the material of the Portal website.

Detention of a federal minister for a bribe is, in principle, an extremely rare phenomenon, even for Russia. The last time an official of this level came to the attention of investigators was at the end of 2012. At that time, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov did not become a defendant in a criminal case, despite all the attempts of the security forces. As a result, he simply lost his post in the government and went to work for a state corporation. The situation with Ulyukaev is significantly different: he has been charged, and the investigators are seeking an arrest.

More often, things come to their logical end if regional officials are caught on a bribe. Judging by the statistics of criminal cases, most often investigators and the FSB were interested in ministers and vice-governors. For 2015–2016 caught in their field of vision only one federal official- Alexey Ulyukaev, two governors, one deputy prime minister, three deputy governors, three representatives of big business, six security officials, four ministers and their deputies.

Despite the fact that the amount of $ 2 million is significant, the bribe received by Ulyukaev is not the most shocking. The federal minister turned out to be quite modest, especially considering that Rosneft transferred to the budget for a stake in Bashneft RUB 329.69 billion. So, the rollback could be more.

For example, Sergey Kalinkin, head of the Investigative Committee for the Kemerovo region, and deputy governors Alexei Ivanov and Alexander Danilchenko are suspected of involvement in extortion of a controlling stake in the Inskoy mine, the market value of the securities is at least a billion rubles. However, this criminal case was somewhat lost against the backdrop of Ulyukaev's detention.

The former governor of the Sakhalin region, Alexander Khoroshavin, was caught with a much larger bribe. Then it was about 340 million rubles., and the property of the ex-head of the region was estimated at 1.1 billion rubles.

If we analyze 11 high-profile corruption cases over the past two years, it turns out that the average amount of a bribe is - about 240 million rubles. Thus, the Federal Minister did not even reach this figure.

Next, we publish a list of prisoners in the most high-profile criminal cases in descending order: starting with today's detention of Alexei Ulyukaev and ending with the arrest of Governor Alexander Khoroshavin almost two years ago.

federal official

Who: Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukaev. Appointed by Vladimir Putin in June 2013, removed from office on November 15, 2016.

For what: according to the investigation, the minister received a bribe for the fact that his department issued a positive assessment, which allowed PJSC NK Rosneft to carry out a deal to acquire a state-owned stake in PJSC ANK Bashneft in the amount of 50%.

Bribe amount: 133 million rubles ($2 million).

Maximum term

Regional officials and security officials

Who: head of the Department of the Investigative Committee for the Kemerovo region Sergey Kalinkin, deputy governors Alexei Ivanov and Alexander Danilchenko.

For what: according to investigators, the suspects extorted a controlling stake (51%) of the shares of the Inskoy mine from the owner of the securities, Anton Tsygankov.

Bribe amount: the market value of securities is at least 1 billion rubles.

Maximum term: up to 15 years in prison under paragraph "b" part 3 of Art. 163 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Extortion”).

Entrepreneurs

Who: managing director of the Renova group of companies Evgeny Olkhovik, general director of T Plus Boris Vainzikher, ex-general director of Vimpelcom Mikhail Slobodin.

When: Olkhovik and Vainzikher were detained on September 5, 2016 and are under arrest. Slobodin was arrested in absentia and put on the international wanted list.

For what: handed over bribes former members government of Komi for the introduction of the most favorable tariffs for heat and power supply and the creation comfortable conditions activities CJSC Integrated Energy Systems in Komi as a whole.

Bribe amount: RUB 800 million

Maximum possible time: up to 12 years under Part 5 of Art. 291 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Giving a bribe on an especially large scale”).

Siloviki

Who: Denis Nikandrov, Deputy Head of the Department of the Investigative Committee for Moscow, Mikhail Maksimenko, Head of the Main Directorate for Interdepartmental Cooperation and Internal Security of the TFR, and his deputy Alexander Lamonov.

For what: according to investigators, they tried to organize the release of close associates of Shakro Molodoy, Andrey Kochuykov (Italianets) and Eduard Romanov, who were detained after a showdown near the Elements cafe on Rochdelskaya Street in Moscow, for money.

Bribe amount: 300 million rubles ($5 million).

Maximum term:

Governor

Who: former governor of the Kirov region Nikita Belykh. In 2008, Dmitry Medvedev nominated Belykh for consideration by the Legislative Assembly, and in January 2016 he was appointed Acting Governor by Vladimir Putin. In July 2016, he was relieved of his post by Putin due to loss of confidence.

When: On June 24, 2016, he was detained in Moscow, in the restaurant of the Lotte Plaza shopping and office center on Novy Arbat. Is in custody.

For what: According to the investigation, personally and through an intermediary, he received money from a businessman who controls Novovyatsky Ski Plant JSC and Forestry Management Company LLC.

Bribe amount: 24.1 million rubles (400 thousand euros).

Maximum possible time

Regional official

Who: First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Ivanovo Region Dmitry Kulikov.

For what: according to investigators, in 2014 Kulikov received a bribe from the former head of the city of Ivanovo, Vyacheslav Sverchkov. For this money, he allegedly promised to solve "issues related to the turnover of land."

Bribe amount: 5 million rubles

Maximum term: up to 15 years in prison under Part 6 of Art. 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Receiving a bribe by an official or a group of persons by prior agreement on an especially large scale”).

Regional official

Who: former head of MUGISO Alexey Pyankov. In October, he resigned from his post. Minister until the end of the investigation. Deputy head of MUGISO - Artem Bogachev.

When: On April 26, 2016, Pyankov was released on bail of 2 million rubles, Bogachev was under arrest.

For what: Pyankov and Bogachev are accused of taking a bribe for facilitating the purchase of a building at 5c Repin Street, which was located on the territory of the Central Stadium, at a several-fold inflated price.

Bribe amount: 31.5 million rubles

Maximum term: up to 15 years in prison under Part 6 of Art. 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Receiving a bribe by an official or a group of persons by prior agreement on an especially large scale”).

Siloviki

Who: GSU investigators - Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Andrievsky and Colonel Viktor Rubashkin.

When: detained in November 2015 while receiving the first tranche of a bribe. They are in custody.

For what: According to the RF IC, from October to November 2015, investigators tried through an intermediary to obtain a bribe from a person suspected of involvement in the activities of a criminal community, promising to stop the ongoing criminal case. According to the UK, the money was given to them by the oligarch Roman (aka Gennady) Manashirov. For this amount, the investigators had to stop the criminal case against Manashirov's partner, businessman Zhan Rafailov.

Bribe amount: 2 million rubles

Maximum possible time: 15 years under Part 6 of Art. 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Receiving a bribe on an especially large scale by an official”) for Rubashkin and up to 12 years under Parts 4, 5 of Art. 291.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Mediation in bribery”) for Andrievsky.

Regional official

Who: Andrey Belozerov, Minister of Road Facilities of the Kaluga Region, and his deputy, Pavel Luchko.

When: On September 22, 2015, the minister was placed under house arrest, his deputy was taken into custody.

For what: receiving a bribe for concealing violations during road repairs.

Bribe amount: 2.9 million rubles

Maximum term: up to 15 years in prison under Part 6 of Art. 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Receiving a bribe by an official or a group of persons by prior agreement on an especially large scale”).

Regional official

Who: former vice-governor of the Novgorod region Viktor Nechaev.

When: in August 2015. In custody.

For what: according to investigators, Nechaev suggested that the head of the Shimsky district of the Novgorod region, Mikhail Nekipelov, against whom a criminal case of corruption is being investigated, arrange for the termination of criminal prosecution.

Bribe amount: 5.5 million rubles

Maximum term: up to 10 years under Part 4. Art. 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Attempted Fraud”).

Governor

Who: Alexander Khoroshavin, former governor of the Sakhalin Region. He was appointed head of the region on August 9, 2011 by Dmitry Medvedev.

When: detained on March 4, 2015, in custody, removed from office due to the loss of confidence of President Vladimir Putin.

For what: is suspected of receiving a bribe (kickback) from the head of Energostroy, the head of Pacific Vneshtorgbank, Nikolai Kran, when concluding a state contract for the construction of one of the units of the Yuzhno-Sakhalinskaya CHPP.

Bribe amount: 5.6 million dollars (340 million rubles).

Maximum possible time: 15 years under Part 6 of Art. 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Receiving a bribe on an especially large scale by an official”).

Why $2 million?

Compared to the cost of privatizing Bashneft, the amount of the alleged bribe is small. On October 10, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed an order to sell Rosneft 50.08% of Bashneft, and on October 12, Rosneft sold 329.69 billion rubles for this package. ($5.3 billion).

“Extorting $2 million for agreeing on a deal to buy Bashneft is very similar to science fiction. $ 2 million is the level of the deputy mayor of the city, - thinks Deputy General Director of Transparency International - Russia Ilya Shumanov. “Only a person from another galaxy could extort money from Rosneft.”

In 2015, Ulyukaev declared an income of 60 million rubles, and together with his wife - 75 million rubles. ($1.1 million) The minister owns more than a dozen land plots with a total area of ​​157 thousand square meters. m, as well as a house and an apartment with a total area of ​​756 sq. m, not counting several land plots and residential buildings in the Crimea, recorded on the spouse.

Ulyukaev finds himself at the center of a corruption scandal for the second time in a year. In the spring, his name was leaked from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

The documents noted that the son of the Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukaev, Dmitry, was the director of Ronnieville Ltd, established in the British Virgin Islands in November 2004 (at that time, Ulyukaev Sr. served as the first deputy chairman of the Central Bank). There was no formal violation of the law in this, but employees of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and the Center for the Study of Corruption and Organized Crime (OCCRP), who studied the "Panama archives", drew attention to the fact that Dmitry Ulyukaev was only 21 years old

In 2006, instead of Ulyukaev Jr., a certain Yulia Khryapina became the director of Ronnieville and remained in this status until the company was liquidated in May 2009. The authors of the investigation hypothesize that this is the wife of the minister Ulyukayev, based on certain similarities between a photograph from a copy of Khryapina's passport found in the Mossack Fonseca database and a later photograph available on the Internet, which depicts the minister, his wife and newborn daughter. In addition, the birthplace of Khryapina according to her passport is Crimea, and Ulyukaev declared plots and houses in Crimea, recorded just for his wife. And finally, according to a team of investigative journalists, Yulia Sergeevna Khryapina was listed as a researcher at the Gaidar Institute, where Ulyukaev worked until 2000.

In 1978, Ulyukaev's poems were first published in the Student Meridian magazine. The first collection "Fire and Light" was released in 2002, the second - "Alien Coast" - ten years later.

Will the criminal case affect the privatization of Bashneft?

The TFR noted that the legality of Rosneft's acquisition of Bashneft shares is not being questioned.

Two sources of RBC in the financial and economic bloc of the government exclude the possibility of revising the deal on the privatization of Bashneft. One of them says that the deal to sell a controlling stake in the oil company Rosneft "was carried out purely" from the point of view of the procedure, and therefore "no one will challenge it." According to another source, the deal was carried out within the legal framework and the story with the minister concerns only himself.

FBK Grant Thornton Partner and Head of FBK Legal Corporate Law Practice Alexander Yermolenko points out that any transaction is valid until it is challenged. “In all transactions that can be challenged, you need to look for interested parties - those who decide to challenge it. The state, represented by the Federal Property Management Agency or the Ministry of Economic Development, is hardly interested in turning this deal back, the state wanted to get the money [and got it]. Rosneft was interested in getting the asset. The third party is represented by law enforcement agencies. But the prosecutor’s office is unlikely to decide on this,” he says.

Video: RBC TV channel

“Ulyukaev is a key player in the privatization of a 19.5% stake in Rosneft, and therefore his detention could jeopardize the completion of the deal before the end of the year (according to the latest government order, the deal must be closed by December 5),” analysts of the investment company wrote. Aton" in today's market review. But the question of the need to review the privatization of Bashneft and the prospects for a deal to privatize the state-owned stake in Rosneft is the prerogative of the government, says RBC's interlocutor in the State Duma. If the government considers that the investigation's arguments against Ulyukaev cast doubt on the outcome of the privatization of Bashneft (that is, if the conclusion issued by Ulyukaev was so important for the deal), the deal could be cancelled. The same applies to the deal on the privatization of Rosneft, the source said.

The Federal Property Management Agency later stated that it sees no reason to revise the Bashneft privatization deal. “The transaction was carried out in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation in compliance with all necessary legal regulations, the money was transferred to the budget Russian Federation”, Denis Lazarev, adviser to the head of the Federal Property Management Agency, told RBC.

At the end of July, Ulyukaev, along with other high-ranking officials (Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich and presidential aide Andrei Belousov), was strongly opposed to Rosneft's participation in the privatization of Bashneft. “From my point of view, Rosneft is not the right buyer for such an asset,” he told reporters on July 29. A month later, he changed his position and on September 2 announced that Rosneft would formally still be allowed to participate in the deal. Then the minister explained that the law on privatization contains a provision “stating that, if a transaction is made in the interests of the development of the stock market, the requirement that a company that has 25% or more (state participation in the capital) does not apply was not allowed." “Formally, based on this provision, as well as the fact that Rosneft is not directly state-owned, but through a “layer”, that is, Rosneftegaz, formally it is allowed,” he specified.

How will the detention of Ulyukaev affect the balance sheet of the elites?

For the first time since Vladimir Putin has been president, an incumbent minister has been detained. Experts agree that this indicates the removal of immunity from a wide section of the elites. In addition, it can lead to a serious revision of the balance of power in the elites: on the one hand, the influence of the head of Rosneft Igor Sechin and the security forces is increasing, on the other, the shares of systemic liberals in the cabinet are falling.

Now the liberal block of the government will feel very insecure, since immunity has been removed from a significant layer of the elite, Nikolai Mironov, head of the Center for Economic and Political Reforms, believes.

“There are no more untouchables. Ulyukaev kept himself somewhat aloof, he didn’t have a roof at the level of members [Vladimir Putin’s close circle], ”says Evgeny Minchenko, president of Minchenko Consulting.

The reduction of the resource base in the country, as well as the need to strengthen the power and authority of the president, require "new solutions," said Konstantin Kalachev, head of the Political Expert Group.

“It is time to respond to the request for justice. After all, it is no coincidence that [a well-known fighter against corruption, ex-Prime Minister of Singapore] Lee Kwan Yew is so often quoted in our country. And along the way, for someone to solve other problems as part of the redistribution of spheres of influence and the struggle for resources. But few people know about the redistribution, but for the majority the message sounds unambiguous: there are no inviolable people, ”Kalachev tells RBC. The expert agrees that the detention was a serious blow to systemic liberals and the government as a whole.