Payment for "Maybach"
- 26.03.2021, 13:46
What did Gutseriev get from Cockroach?
Lukashenka more than once publicly expressed assumptions that "Russian oligarchs" were allegedly acting against him. But it is worth noting that he warmed one of the Russian billionaires in the Belarusian state.
Busel has already published material about the Gutseriev crypto-exchange. The editorial board was interested in the only Russian oligarch close to Lukashenka, who is actively developing his businesses in the country.
How did you meet?
The fortune of the Gutseriev family as of 2020, according to the Russian Forbes, is about $ 2 billion. Belarus has become almost the second home and center of commercial interests for “friend Misha,” as Lukashenka calls him. Even despite some discrepancies with Russian interests, the head of the Gutseriev clan actively invested and continues to invest in Belarusian enterprises, which became the basis for good relations with the head of Belarus. His friendship with Lukashenka began back in 2000. Then Mr. Gutseriev became the head of the Russian-Belarusian oil company "Slavneft," 11% of which belonged to Belarus. The company produced oil in Russia and refined it in Belarus. For example, Slavneft had slightly less than half of the shares - 42.5%. Gutseriev modernized the MNPZ, investing more than $ 100 million in it.
But here, too, everything is not simple. The production of films was actively financed from the budget of the enterprise. Thus, according to Slavneft's international IAS reporting, in 2001, approximately $ 24 million was spent on the creation of the films "Golden Age" and "Italian Art of the Renaissance." Although, no one has watched these films. Experienced filmmakers have repeatedly noted that this budget exceeds the amount of funds required to create very good and expensive blockbusters. About 50 popular science films could be created with the funds of Slavneft. Nevertheless, the previous Russian legislation allowed Gutseriev to save on paying taxes.
A Russian started in Belarus with gas stations, oil depots, and small oil and fuel service facilities, but now he is dealing with the Belarusian oligarchic empire. The Belarusian authorities gave Gutseriev access not only to the fuel sector. He was allowed to build a Renaissance hotel in Minsk, a business center, a terminal for business aviation at the airport, an elite entertainment complex, and was allowed into the holy of holies - the IT industry: he owns a couple of IT companies. Now Gutseriev is building the Nezhinsky GOK in Belarus, which, according to him, will bring Belarus $ 600 million. But it’s not just that. For example, in 2019 it became clear that the bank Trust was the owner of almost 25% of the Gutseriev-Belarusian Slavkali through the Cypriot offshore.
"Gifts" from Mr. Gutseriev
For the right to engage in the project of the Nezhinsky mining and processing plant, Gutseriev undertakes to spend about $ 250 million on infrastructure projects. The oligarch built an apartment building in Lyuban, a temple complex, and a new school in Minsk in the agricultural town of Shershuny. Such "gifts" Mr. Gutseriev makes not only to the republic but personally to its ruler. Exchanging presents is a common thing for two friends.
According to various sources, Mikhail Gutseriev, as a friendly gesture, presented Ryhoravich with an armored limousine Mercedes-Maybach Pullman Guard, the cost of which is estimated at $ 2 million. But it turned out that Maybach is just the beginning. The billionaire was not stingy and presented Lukashenka with an AgustaWestland helicopter, which was painted in the colors of the Belarusian flag. This gift cost Gutseriev about $ 13 million. True, the oligarch himself denies all this.
Asian Relationship Model
Mikhail Gutseriev founded the Safmar industrial and financial group in Russia, whose companies were the only Russian companies that did not stop deliveries after the termination of Russian oil supplies to Belarusian refineries from January 1. According to the British agency Telegraph, Mikhail Gutseriev was personally present at the almost secret inauguration of Lukashenkф in 2020. He flew to Minsk the day before the ceremony. By the way, the same Telegraph called on the UK special services to conduct checks on the connection between Gutseriev and Lukashenkф.
In Minsk, Mikhail Gutseriev built the Renaissance hotel, a separate terminal at the airport, a business center, in which he invested about $ 180 million.
But not only Gutseriev helped Lukashenka in difficult situations. When the billionaire was removed from his post as head of Slavneft, Lukashenka vehemently opposed such a decision. And in 2007, he generally saved the businessman from the Russian tax and prosecutor's office, allowing him to fly from Minsk on a private plane to London. “He never measures a person according to his position. Even if you lost your position, but behaved honestly and decently, nothing will change, you will be on good terms with him,” said Mikhail Gutseriev about his patron after the unpleasant events associated with his businesses.
All this is reminiscent of the Asian model of relations: a successful business is built on the basis of personal relations with the head of the country and the mutual exchange of gifts.