{"id":233095,"date":"2021-03-23T12:03:46","date_gmt":"2021-03-23T10:03:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/investigator.org.ua\/?p=233095"},"modified":"2021-06-04T12:06:29","modified_gmt":"2021-06-04T09:06:29","slug":"%d1%80%d0%be%d1%81%d1%96%d0%b9%d1%81%d1%8c%d0%ba%d1%96-%d0%be%d0%bb%d1%96%d0%b3%d0%b0%d1%80%d1%85%d0%b8-%d0%b2%d0%b8%d0%bd%d0%be%d1%80%d0%be%d0%b1%d0%b8-%d0%bd%d0%b0-%d0%ba%d1%80%d0%b0%d0%b4%d0%b5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/investigator.org.ua\/en\/investigations\/233095\/","title":{"rendered":"Russian Oligarchs-Winemakers on Massandra Stolen Lands and their European Allies"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The will of the Russian oligarchs to own vineyards in Crimea and produce wines under their own trademarks was first implemented even before the occupation of Crimea by Russia. Vagit Alekperov, the owner of \u201cLukoil\u201d, became the first owner of Crimean vineyards and Crimean wine producer. Ukrainian companies controlled by him leased lands of the state enterprise \u201cGurzuf\u201d. Andrei Kostin, the head of \u201cVneshekonombank\u201d, has been the second. He took lands in Bakhchysarai raion.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

The occupation of Crimea opened many opportunities for Russian oligarchs and top-officials to buy agricultural lands and expropriated vineyards and wine production factories. Almost all close friends of Putin, former members of \u201cOzero\u201d cooperative, participated in stealing \u201cNovy Svet\u201d, \u201cKoktebel\u201d and \u201cMassandra\u201d, the most precious Crimean pearl. It is also worth recalling those marauders who were the first to take precious \u201cMassandra\u201d lands immediately after occupation. It is remarkable that citizens of EU countries help new \u201cowners\u201d to launch their vineyards and factories. It is clear that they violate Western sanctions and the Ukrainian legislation.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

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\u201cAlekperov\u2019s\u201d Chateau and the first sale of \u201cMassandra\u201d lands<\/b><\/p>\n

In February 2016, the land plot (total area 36,4306 hectares) near Gurzuf was sold at the \u201cauction\u201d, in accordance with the \u201cDecree of the Council of Ministries of the Republic of Crimea\u201d. The land plot was owned by the state enterprise \u201cGurzuf\u201d, part of the \u201cMassandra\u201d. The selling price was 163 million Rubles, i.e. only 576 USD per 100 square meter of precious lands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The land plot was bought by Moscow based LLC \u201cElias\u201d (LLC \u201cElias\u201d, tax number 7702511376). The name of the LLC was changed to \u201cGrineko\u201d on March 31, 2017. Since October 2019, it has been under liquidation procedure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The investigation<\/span><\/a> of the Center for Journalist Investigations established the connection between LLC \u201cElias\u201d and <\/span>Vagit Alekperov<\/b>, the owner of the JSC \u201cLukoil\u201d. Marina Romanicheva was the founder of \u201cElias\u201d. She was also the co-founder of LLC \u201cCenter for Consulting and Outsourcing \u201cOur Future\u201d. Another co-founder of the Center was \u201cOur Future\u201d Foundation for Regional Social Programs\u201d founded by oligarch Vagit Alekperov. Alekperov calls it \u201cmy foundation\u201d in the presentation video.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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PHOTO:<\/span><\/i> Chateau Cotes de Saint Daniel<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

The connection of the first buyer of \u201cMassandra\u201d lands with the oligarch was not a surprise for those who knows the history of wine producer Ch\u00e2teau C\u00f4tes de Saint-Daniel. Its vineyards are located near Alekperov\u2019s dacha (he told about vacations there in his interview). Before occupation, LLC \u201cVinogradniki \u201cMedvedi\u201d acquired ownership of \u201cbiomaterial\u201d (grape bushes) by court decisions but failed to privatize land plots of state owned enterprise \u201cGurzuf\u201d where they were planted. The sale of \u201cGurzuf\u201d lands was forbidden by the moratorium on privatization of agricultural lands whereas the property complex of \u201cMassandra\u201d was protected from privatization by the special legislation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea initiated criminal investigation about illegal alienation of \u201cGurzuf\u201d land plot on December 9, 2015 when the occupation regime of Crimea prepared the decision about the sale of land. The investigation has been about illegal acquisition by public officials of \u201cthe Council of Ministries of the Republic of Crimea\u201d of agricultural lands located on the territory of occupied Crimea (part 5 of article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Though the Center for Journalist Investigations uncovered names of the formal and real beneficiaries of the transaction, the investigation has been never completed and not submitted to the court.<\/span><\/p>\n

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SCHEME<\/span><\/p>\n

Vagit Alekperov, the President of \u201cLukoil\u201d company<\/span><\/p>\n

JSC \u201cUpravlauschaja kompania \u201cBusiness Investitsii\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

LLC \u201cHolding Strategicheskogo Razvitia\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

LLC \u201cNavigator 1\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVerdiks D\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

LLC \u201cVinogradniki Medvedi\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

=====================================<\/span><\/p>\n

Physical and legal persons involved into this transaction were not included into the sanction list of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. Alekperov\u2019s assets in Ukraine were not frozen and his managers had the time to secure them. They <\/span>\u201csold\u201d<\/span><\/a> \u201cLukoil\u201d network of 240 gas stations and six oil terminals in Ukraine to unknown Austrian AMIC (the deal was signed in April 2015). They succeeded in changing the final beneficiary of \u201cKarpatnaftokhim\u201d from Russian oligarch Alekperov to Ukrainian citizens Ilkham Mamedov and Igor Schutski. In December 2019, <\/span>the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine allowed Techinservice Limited<\/span><\/a> (London, UK) acquiring shares of Karpaty Chemical B.V. (Geldermalsen, Netherlands). The latter owned 100% of shares of \u201cKarpatnaftokhim\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGraf\u2019s Chateau\u201d and the first stealing of \u201cMassandra\u201d lands<\/b><\/p>\n

Before these events, occupants \u201clost\u201d 13 hectares of vineyards when the stolen property of \u201cMassandra\u201d was transferred to the Office of the President of Russia. Those lands bordered the territory of 5-star hotel complex Mriya Resort & Spa.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mykola Boiko, the General Director of \u201cMassandra\u201d<\/span><\/a>, fired by occupation authorities told the Center for Journalist Investigations that he has been at the hospital abroad when Crimea was seized. When he came back, he found out that occupants stole from \u201cMassandra\u201d the vineyard of elite Muscat Blanc located near the hotel complex Mriya Resort & Spa.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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PHOTO: Mykola Boiko, the General Director of \u201cMassandra\u201d. Photo by investigator.org.ua<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cMy problems began when 13 hectares of land were stolen in April. It has been the vineyard of Muskat Blanc, very good vineyard. It was leased by Zelenski Nikolai Aleksandrovich. He managed the vineyard very well. Unfortunately, complex Mriya is located nearby.. And Herman Osakrovich is there\u2026 (<\/span>Herman Graf, the Head of the Board of \u201cSberbank Russia\u201d \u2013 ed<\/span><\/i>.).<\/span><\/p>\n

As I can imagine, once Graf went to his balcony and thought: \u201cWhy are here vineyards not belonging to me? I should make them mine!\u201d Those lands were simply given to him. 13 hectares of lands. I tried to resist, I wrote official letters but failed and ran into serious problems. No, I did not fight with Graf. I will tell you the great secret: the future of \u201cMassandra\u201d was determined before this case\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n