Recent investigation of the CJI «How Companies of FSB Anchored in EU Ports and Countries» uncovered group of companies «Ekohidrotechnika» in ports of Russian and Baltic States. It has connections with retired generals of Russian intelligence services, headed by Viktor Komogorov, ex-Deputy Director of FSB. Our publication aroused large interest in the media of Lithuania and Latvia. Journalists of online media 15min and TV channel TV3 continued investigation and added new facts and documents, confirming our conclusions and versions.
We finalize our investigative series about international network of FSB business by disclosing one more group of companies – GDP Group. It has hosted two families, long term partners of FSB officers, and several «sleeping» projects. It demonstrates how Russian intelligence services act without any problems in European countries.
Let us remind conclusions of our previous publications. As the CJI uncovered, retired officer of FSB Andrei Shkrabo represented Russia in the humanitarian sub-group of tri-partite contact group «Minsk-2» and coordinated his activity with pro-Russian Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk. At the same time, he has been businessman. He has managed companies conducting dredging works in ports of several countries. Those companies were closely connected with retired high rank officers of Russian intelligence services. Retired Colonel General Viktor Komogorov has been among them. He served as Deputy Director of FSB and head of so-called 5th Service of FSB, conducting operations abroad, in particular, in post-Soviet countries.
Our next investigation uncovered the dubious network of companies «Ekohidrotechnika» (EHT Group). Having acquired dredgers and barges from Soviet company «Balmorput», the network expanded its activity through interconnected legal entities in Russia, USA, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, Ukraine, Panama, Cyprus and Malta. Companies and ships regularly changed founders, managers, flags, names and supervisors. Western sanctions, imposed on Russia after 2014, and Russian full scale aggression against Ukraine caused the last redistribution of Group’s fleet. Three ships have now Russian flag. Two of them were located in the Russian port of Ust-Luga, according to Marinetraffic data, as of the date of our publication. The third ship left the Russian port of Azov more than one month ago and was found last time at the entrance of the port of Saint Petersburg. Then, it switched off its transponder.
Two ships of the Group under the flag of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis were stationed in the Latvian port of Riga, in the water area of ship building factory.
Russian, Lithuanian and Latvian companies of EHT Group have historical and current connections, described in detail in the previous part of the CJI’s investigation. There are people who connect them together. These are high rank officers of intelligence services, managers and members of Borodin family (Borodins): Aleksandr Borodin, citizen of Ukraine and Latvia, his son Aleksandrs Borodins with his wife Karina Borodina as well as Ukrainian citizen Volodymyr Litovkin. The latter has been registered as de jure owner of Group’s companies in Lithuania and Malta.
Let us take Green Line Shipping, registered in Klaipeda, Lithuania, as an example of interrelated links. Business Register indicates Volodymyr Litovkin as its beneficiary owner (he confirmed it to the CJI) and Aleksandrs Borodins-junior as its director. The company is 100% owner of Russian acting LLC «Baltgeotrest». FSB officer Andrei Shkrabo has been its director in 2015-2017. Then, he was replaced by Aleksandr Attar. Attar founded LLC «Bureau of Sea Projects and Technologies». According to IMO Register, this Bureau now acts as an agent of the owner of ship «Liman». In June 2022, the Russian government allowed it to withdraw three ships of EHT Group from Russia to the Baltic States («Poseidon I», «Astra», «Baltic Digger»).
Since March 2019 until now, Aleksandrs Borodins has been successor of Attar as founder of LLC «Azimut-Vektor», based in Saint Petersburg. We do not know wheter it is «senior» or «junior» Borodin as the Register does not indicate its taxpayer’s code. As leaked databases demonstrate, in March 2019 both Borodins visited Saint Petersburg. The father – within first three days of March and son – on March 17-18, 2019.
What’s new about EHT Group?
Though LLC «Baltgeotrest» remains acting company, Aleksandrs Borodins-junior stated in his answer to media «15 min» that its founder – Green Line Shipping, headed by him, – «did not conduct any activity in the Russian Federation due to sanction restrictions».
It should be reminded that EU, USA and other countries have imposed sanctions on Russia since 2014 when Russian Federations launched military aggression against Ukraine, illegally annexed Crimea and Sevastopol, started war in Donbas. So, when Western companies left the Russian market, one of Borodins became sole owner of dredging company «Azimut-Vektor» in Saint Petersburg. In 2022, after Russian full scale invasion into Ukraine, international sanctions were significantly strengthened. But this loss-making company suddenly became profitable in 2024 and received 1,5 million Rubles of net profit!
Aleksandrs Borodins junior, head and co-founder of companies EHT Group in Latvia, Lithuania and Russia. Photo:: abc-crewing.lv
Since 2014, EU has imposed «Crimean sanctions». They ban entrance of ships into ports of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol and any financial transactions with legal entities on occupied peninsula.
However, in June and August 2015, dredger «Ignis» entered the Crimean port of Yevpatoria two times. At that time, this dredger has been owned by Cypriote company «Etrecat Limited», owned by Aleksandrs Borodins-junior, according to IMO data. The ship has stayed in the port of Yevpatoria during four months. Monitoring group Blackseanews assumed that the dredger cleaned a fairway and approaches to port piers. Then, the owner and managers of the ship received payment for their works from Russian occupation authorities. It has been obvious violation of sanction regime.
Aleksandrs Borodins-junior insists that Green Line Shipping is not ship owner. However, IMO database of ships says the opposite: since 2004 until now this Lithuanian company has been registration owner of ship «Saulkrasti».
Its legal address is the location of Latvian companies from «Ekohidrotechnika» – Ludzas street, 2, Riga (the building is owned by company, with Irina Borodina as final beneficiary). The branch of Green Line Shipping has been registered there for one year, but it was liquidated later. IMO database indicates Bureau Ship Services as C\O. Since 2012, this company has been operator and ISM-manager of «Saulkrasti» and other three ships of EHT Group.
«I’ve got no idea whether barge «Saulkrasti» is located now in the port of Ust-Luga. As far as I know, the ship was used for metal scrap many years ago as it became old», as wrote Borodins-junior in his answer to investigators from media «15 min».
However, other information is supplied by Marinetraffic and other services indicating whereabouts and routes of ships by their AIC signals. Green mark on the map indicates that ship «Saulkrasti» is located in the Russian port of Ust-Luga. Photographers sometimes take pictures of the ship. Thus, it has not been used for metal scrap as A.Borodins tries to persuade us.
Ship «Saulkrasti» in the port of Ust-Luga, October 2022. Photo: Marinetraffic, photographer Sergei Timofeev
We also cast into doubt the following statement of Borodins-junior. He wrote in his answer to Lithuanian journalists: «I do not have direct or indirect connections with FSB. I do not know personally current or former high rank FSB officers and I did not know them». He added that he did not have personal connections with Russian citizen Andrei Shkrabo.
We doubt very much that these statements are true. FSB officer Shkrabo has managed LLC «Baltgeotrest» for several years when it has been Russian «daughter» of Green Line Shipping, headed by Borodins-junior. The company received the largest profits from contracts with Rosmorport during these years. FSB officers did not share their profits with «mother» company? The director of «mother» company did not ask about situation with its «daughter»?
Viktor Komogorov, retired Colonel General of FSB (centre). Photo: social media
Our previous investigation indicated that we found only one mention of Borodins-senior in media – as the director of «Ekohidrotechnika Ltd» (USA). We failed to find his picture or any details of his biography in the Internet or in leaked databases. We suggested that information about him has been purposefully «cleaned» as he had connections with Soviet KGB \ Russian FSB. Our assumption was right!
Guna Gleizde, journalist of broadcast «Nothing personal» (Latvian TV3), joined investigation and found the card of KGB agent Borodin Aleksandr Viktorovich in the State Archives of Latvia. His first, middle and last names, date of birth (20.05.1957) and address coincide with personal data of Aleksandr Borodins-senior!
Borodin was born in Golubeche village of Kryzhopilsky raion of Vinnytsia oblast (Ukraine). He worked as navigator on ships of Soviet company «Baltmorput». KGB recruited him in 1983 under nickname «Boroda» [Beard]. According to KGB card, he has been an agent of the 4th unit of KGB, set up in 1981 for counterintelligence on transport and communication objects.
Digital copy of KGB agent Aleksandr Borodin (nickname «Boroda») from KGB archive of Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic. Source: State Archives of Latvia. Photo: tv3.lv
This fact confirms observations of our expert Pavlo Lakijchuk. As he told, KGB and Soviet Main Intelligence Department routinely recruited members of crews of civilian ships to perform intelligence, counterintelligence and sabotage tasks around the world.
Personnel of «Baltmorput» worked around the world. The company has been an ideal cover-up for KGB agent network. Its post-Soviet successors inherited its specialists. Website of EHT Group emphasizes their high qualifications.
It is not surprising that work of Group’s dredgers in ports of EU \ NATO countries opened an access to sensitive information. For example, «Green Line Shipping» performed dredging works in the Latvian port of Klaipeda (total value – 4.9 million Euro). According to the contract, the port had to give the company information about underwater communication and bathymetric charts of the port. The company also had an access to Klaipeda terminal of liquefied gas.
KGB, Russian FSB and Foreign Intelligence Service have also routinely used families of spies for rooting in foreign countries. Dozens of non-fiction movies and documentaries were shot about families of Soviet and Russian spies. A series «Americans» is among the most known last movies. Its plot focuses on a real story of FSB agents Andrei Bezrukov and Elena Vavilova, exposed by FBI in 2010.
Our investigation uncovered three families of citizens of Russia, Latvia and Lithuania, connected by joint business interests with retired generals of Russian intelligence services. These are families of Borodin-Borodins, Dzamikhov and Bastene-Kavaliauskas. All of them are united by another business group of FSB officers – GDP Group.
Family contracts in businesses of FSB and «sleeping projects»
GDP Group has not been registered as de jure business group. But it has been announced and promoted. Its website was created and registered in Russian domain zone in summer 2015. Access to the website was closed at the end of 2024. Thus, the Group has functioned not less than 10 years. We found information about its composition and activity in the web-archive of its site.
The logo of international group of companies EHT is easily recognized. Its website also demonstrates logos of two Russian LLCs: «Baltgeotrest» («daughter» of Lithuanian Green Line Shipping) and «Baltinvestproekt» (FSB General Viktor Komogorov and Akhmed Dzamikhov own equal shares of the last company).
Earlier the CJI described business history of Akhmed Dzamikhov, business partner of Komogorov. In 2012-2013, Dzamikhov has been involved into scandalous story with Chechen police, bodyguards of Kadyrov, sale of stolen VIP-cars, abduction and torturing of people. He was imprisoned together with Chechen policemen.But then this case was somehow settled.
Since 2014, Dzamikhov became business partner of FSB General, founder and director of several companies – «Baltinvestproekt», «IVEK», GDP Group, «GDP Geo» etc. All companies were registered in Moscow at the same address: Kuznetsky mist, 21/5. »International Fund of Sustainable Development» (МФУР) and JSC «Institute of Technologies of Sustainable Development», created with Fund’s assistance, also have legal addresses there. It is interesting that public office of FSB is located nearby – Kuznetsky mist, 22.
Founders and managers of the Fund include retired generals Viktor Komogorov and Viktor Orlov, LLC «GDP Group» of Dzamikhov-junior. Two years ago, Akhmed Dzamikhov transferred his share in the company (76%) to his son Artur Dzamikhov. He was born in 2004 within the family of Akhmed Dzamikhov with Lithuanian citizen Lilia Yevgenjevna Bastene.
Family of Lilia Bastene-Dzamikhova and Ahmed Dzamikhov. Photo: «15 min», KibOrg
In 2003, Lilia Bastene became co-founder of two Russian companies – «TK LB Viktory» (Dzamikhov has been partner there) and «LB IKALTO XXI vek», with Anzor Aksentyev, known by his birth surname – Kikalishvili. He has been business partner of Russian gangster Otari Kvantrishvili in his «Association of XXI vek», involved into show business (Kikalishvili inherited it after Kvantrishvili was killed). He has been friend of Iosif Kobzon, famous Soviet and Russian singer, and «Taivanchik»-Tokhtakhunov, another Russian gangster. He was reported as member of Russian mafia. He ran twice for the Russian presidency (he changed his surname for this purpose).
From left to right: move director Ali Khamraev, Russian gangster Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov-«Taivanchik», singer Iosif Kobzon, Olympian champion Marina Anisina, businessman Anzory Aksentyev-Kikalishvili, designer Vyacheslav Zaitsev, Paris, 1999. Photo: gordon.com.ua
When Kikalishvili-Aksentyev has been business partner of Bastene-Dzamikhova, he was involved into the scandalous impeachment of Lithuanian President Rolandas Paksas. Paksas was accused of connections with Russian organized crime and receiving money for his campaign from Russians. The scandal was ignited by media leakage of phone conversations of Russian businessman Borisov. He financed electoral campaign of Paksas. Presumably, he asked assets of Kikalishvili-Aksentyev, connected with Russian criminal world, as «gratitude» for his financial assistance.
It has been phone blackmail. At that time, current representative of Ukraine in NATO Alyona Hetmanchuk has been director of Ukrainian think tank called «Center «Nova Evropa». She admitted in her article for Ukrainian media «Dzerkalo tyzhnia» that leakage of phone talks was organized by Russian intelligence services, in order to discredit Rolandas Paksas, active proponent of EU and NATO expansion eastwards.
Bastene-Dzamikhova built winery in free economic zone of Kaliningrad, together with «investor from Georgia». Her factory was raided. It is interesting that the raid coincided in time with arrest of Dzamikhov. Later family Dzamikhov-Bastene was provided with protection from FSB generals and a role in their business activity.
The photo below, made in Moscow in 2015, demonstrates participation of Lilia Bastene-Dzamikhova in the meeting with representatives of open economic zone Jafza (United Arab Emirates). She stands with retired Major General Yurii Grachov, General Director of «GDP Group» and member of presidium of international Fund «MFUR» of FSB.
From right to left: Yurii Grachov, Director of GDP Group and Lilia Bastene-Dzamikhova at the meeting with representatives of open economic zone Jafza (the United Arab Emirates) in Moscow, 2015. Photo: social media.
As Lithuanian journalists from «15 min» found out, Lilia received surname «Bastene» from her previous marriage. She gave birth to son Valdas Bastys (born in 1985) and daughter Snieguolė Bastytė (born in 1990). When Snieguole married, she received new surname Kavaliauskienė (Snieguolė Bastytė Kavaliauskienė).
Son and daughter of Lilia Bastene have been also involved into family business with retired FSB generals in Russia and Lithuania. In 2010, Valdas Bastys became partner of his mother in French winery Vinunion International. In 2015, he became partner of General Komogorov and Aleksandr Borodin in Moscow LLC «Operator ekotechnoparkov» (main business profile is waste collection and disposal).
GDP Group includes two companies «Nanteja» and «Energeja», registered in Vilnius in 2014, according to the website of Group.
Shareholders of «Nanteja» have been Valdas Bastys, Snieguolė Kavaliauskienė and their stepfather Akhmed Dzamikhov. Its main business profile is wholesale trade of chemical products.
Valdas Bastys has been also director of «Nanteja». The company came back to life after 2022. As its public financial reports demonstrate, its revenues have been close to zero up to 2022. Then, they grew to quarter of million Euro, and the company became profitable. Its activity is unknown as it does not have website and not active in the public sphere.
Family of Snieguolė Bastytė Kavaliauskienė (right) and Eimontas Kavaliauskas. Photo: Facebook
«Nanteja» with Eimontas Kavaliauskas, husband of Snieguolė, became leading shareholder of «Energeja» (51%). Other shareholders are remarkable. Viktor Komogorov, former Deputy Director of FSB, supervisor of FSB foreign operations (including Lithuania), has been founder of the company for seven years. Russian company «IVEK» of Akhmed Dzamikhov (under the management of Andrei Shkrabo) owned 8% of shares. One third of shares (33%) have been owned by Russian LLC «TVELL-Energia», leading developer of Russian nuclear industry, partner and supplier of Russian nuclear monopolist «Rosatom».
Beneficiaries of LLC «Energeja», according to Lithuanian Register registrucentras.lt
In 2021, Russian shareholders of the company changed. Komogorov was replaced with Anna Bakulina, his colleague from international Fund of FSB officers, Vice President on Consulting and Sustainable Development of MFUR, recipient of numerous letters of gratitude from Russian law enforcement bodies. 24% were allocated to another international business adventurer Mykhailo Lubarsky, born in Donetsk, citizen of Israel. His various business interests focuses on Russia – from Saint Petersburg to Khabarovsk.
What did «Energeja» do before its liquidation in 2024? According to its registration data, its main business profile has been wholesale trade of chemical products (as «Nanteja»).
But the website of GDP Group presents «Energeja» as developer of special technological solutions for military industrial complex, nuclear industry, plane and ship building and even for underground nuclear heat stations.
Presentation on the Group’s website of «Nanteja» is even more intriguing. It says that the company developed unique technology for immobilization of radioactive, chemical and toxic waste. And that «Rosatom» gave permission for testing this technology.
It is surprising that nobody in Lithuania heard about this unique technology and investors!
Jurate Damulite, editor of department of investigations of Lithuanian media «15 min», and her colleagues joined an investigation and reported that publication of the CJI aroused their interest as it has been about sensitive issues like security and Russian «shadow fleet» in the Baltic Sea.
«According to website of GP Group, both companies – «Energeja» and «Nanteja» – were presumably involved into serious spheres in Lithuania – nuclear energy and chemical waste disposal. These are very serious types of activity. We have many questions as we have not heard about these companies, involved into so important spheres. We see Komogorov and Shkrabo as shareholders of «Energeja». We were shocked that these people directly owned company and did not try to hide behind intermediaries as it often happened».
Investigators of «15 min» called ex-director of «Energeja» Eimontas Kavaliauskas, husband of Snieguolė, co-founder of «Nanteja» from Klaipeda. He said that the company has never conducted any serious activity.
«His versions changed during conversation with us. At the very beginning, he told that there was no activity at all and that he has been the only employee. Then, he told that the company provided internet services, hosting etc. Eimontas Kavaliauskas said that in 2014 he went to Switzerland to meet with Viktor Komogorov. However, the meeting failed as plans of Komogorov changed», as told Jurate Damulite.
Kavaliauskas also said that he was employed through advertisement. It seems that job advertisement was distributed only within close family circle or within GDP Group. Two Lithuanian companies, associated with Russian FSB officers, united large family: Dzamikhov, son and daughter of his wife Lilia Bastene from previous marriage and son-in-law.
Financial reports of «Energeja» confirm words of Kavaliauskas about him as the only employee, low revenues, not covering expenses, unprofitable company. The obvious question – why? For what purpose somebody has supported unprofitable company for ten years? From where did they get necessary money?
The answer is clear. It is not business. It is cover-up of other activity or «sleeping» project, waiting for awakening.
This investigation is conducted under support of Program «Stronger Together: Media and Democracy» being implemented by WAN-IFRA in partnership with Association «Independent Regional Publishers of Ukraine» and MBL under support of Norway. Views of authors not necessarily reflect views of program partners.
