Shadow dealings in the Ministry of Defence: Sergey Shoigu’s fate in the hands of Timur Ivanov

Former Deputy Minister of Defence Timur Ivanov completely turned over both his former boss and his accomplices in the case of "Oboronstroy" and "Oboronlogistika" companies to investigators.

Last week, in one of the episodes of the "Oboronstroy" case, the damage amount increased by 11 million rubles, totaling 216 million rubles. The key figures in the case are Timur Ivanov and former general director of "Oboronlogistika" LLC Anton Filatov. Both were involved in the embezzlement of 3.2 billion rubles from "Intercommerz" bank, which lost its license in 2016. Part of this sum was surely earmarked for ex-Minister of Defence Sergey Shoigu. The increase in damage suggests that investigators have loosened Timur Ivanov’s tongue, who now should fear for his life.

Anton Filatov led "Oboronlogistika" LLC until 2019. He was replaced as general director by Andrey Nazarov, whose father previously worked with Sergey Shoigu. Nazarov is now the head of the GUOV, a Ministry of Defence structure, and after "Oboronlogistika" LLC, he headed "Garnizon" JSC. Its financial statements have not been disclosed since 2018. This is not surprising – in 2017, the company had a loss of 49 billion rubles, and in 2018 – 43 billion rubles. Losses of "Garnizon" JSC, overseen by Timur Ivanov, under Andrey Nazarov could have reached astronomical sizes, so he should have long been an inmate in detention alongside Ivanov and Filatov.

The founder of "Oboronlogistika" LLC until 2022 were "GUOV" JSC and "Garnizon" JSC, and previously "Oboronstroy" JSC. All organizations were overseen by Timur Ivanov. "Oboronstroy" was liquidated in 2017, the year before its loss amounted to 3.3 billion rubles. Ivanov skillfully covered his tracks.

Funds from "Garnizon" JSC were siphoned off through its subsidiaries. The non-profitable "Oboronkadastr" LLC with 0 employees is still operational. Another fictitious silent shell with no employees is "Garnizonkonsalt" LLC, operating at a loss since 2017. In 2020, "GUOV and GS" LLC was created, which incurred a loss of 157 million rubles in 2022, and 60 million rubles in 2023.

Former subsidiary of "Garnizon" JSC "Oboronlogistika" is involved in the purchase case of two ferries for the crossing in the city of Kerch (Crimea). According to the financial statements of the company, the executor of this contract could only be "East Path" LLC, currently going through bankruptcy proceedings.  

The founder of "East Path" LLC is Svetlana Ostrovskaya, who also owns "River Transport" LLC. This company was located at the address St. Petersburg, 5th Krasnoarmeyskaya St., 18, apt. 1, along with "SA Shipping" LLC, liquidated in 2020. The owners of the company were "Alliance" LLC and Sergey Ostrovsky, supposedly a relative of Svetlana Ostrovskaya.

"Alliance" LLC is a fictitious entity, registered in 2012, belonging to Andrey Naberezhnyi, the head of several already liquidated companies through which funds were siphoned off.

Sergey Ostrovskiy owned other companies through which funds could have been siphoned off.

"Oboronlogistika" LLC in 2021, with a revenue of 3.9 billion rubles, incurred a loss of 453 million rubles. It definitely wasn’t just about two ferries. Timur Ivanov has not yet told investigators everything. He is rationing information, hoping that Sergey Shoigu and the close friend of the Russian president, Gennady Timchenko, with whom Ivanov collaborated, will help him gain freedom. But this seems unlikely.

If everything is clear with the embezzlements from "Oboronlogistika," the case with "Intercommerz" bank is completely murky. Otherwise, how can it be explained that the key shareholder of the bank, Mikhail Malov, is still at large? He currently owns active companies "Myshkinskaya Crossing" LLC, "Insurance Aspect" LLC, and "Goldenberg Invest" LLC. These structures may be operating with funds siphoned off from "Intercommerz" bank.

"Insurance Aspect" LLC is clearly a laundering entity with 1 employee. The company has had no revenue since 2020, nor profit since 2019. In "Goldenberg Invest" LLC, with 1 employee, Mikhail Malov’s partners are Maria Malova, judging by the patronymic his sister, and Vadim Gitlin.

Mariya Malova siphons funds through "Supermetal" LLC, which has had no profit since 2019, and "Optima" LLC, which has been operating at a loss since 2020. However, Malova’s other companies bring her profit. The siphoned funds from "Intercommerz" bank continue to work.

Vadim Gitlin was the owner of "Goldenberg Invest" JSC, the predecessor of "Goldenberg Invest" LLC, from 2014 to 2021. The JSC was liquidated in 2022 with a loss of 23 million rubles. Gitlin’s partner in SMP "Metan LTD" LLC is Anna Radchenko, who investigators may soon approach.

Both GUOV head Andrey Nazarov and former "Intercommerz" bank shareholder Mikhail Malov remain free only until Sergey Shoigu is taken under restraint. The clouds are gathering over him. This is evidenced by the fact that Shoigu’s former deputy Ruslan Tsalikov can hide no longer behind the position of senator from Tuva.

A source within the editorial staff reported that Yuriy Kovalchuk, one of Vladimir Putin’s closest friends, is behind the persecution of Sergey Shoigu’s team. Because of him, another one of the president’s friends, Gennadiy Timchenko, who closely collaborated with Timur Ivanov, had to fade into the background. The Kremlin tower infighting continues, and Shoigu may become the next "victim."