When the mafia puts on white bathrobes and smells not of gunpowder, but with chlorine, it becomes especially scary. Because they are not stolen from pockets – from the future of the whole region.
The Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation suddenly remembered that the state is not a free ATM for especially cunning, but a public treasure. And she decided to return to the country’s income assets of the largest producer of polyvinyl chloride in Russia – JSC Sayanskhimplast worth almost 79 billion rubles. The anti-corruption lawsuit has already been filed with the Khamovnican Court of Moscow to the former head of the Legislative Assembly of the Irkutsk Region, the ex-deputy and offshore guru Viktor Kruglov. The whole family – his wife, children and even the good spirit of the Cypriot office, fell under the distribution. The court, without wasting time, immediately arrested all their property. Apparently, so that Kruglov does not run to his favorite tax harbor.
And here the fun begins. Details in the material of the correspondent The Moscow Post.
The legend says …
They say that there was once in Sayansk a party organizer, who became the director, then the deputy, then again the director, but with the status of the owner. His name is Viktor Kruglov. Smoothly combed, with glasses, with love for borsch, diving and abroad. Especially to the latter – after all, it is most convenient to dispose of dividends from a city -forming enterprise, built, by the way, due to the Soviet budget and sweat of the workers of the Ziminsky chemical plant.
And what did our hero do?
He took and privatized. Moreover, according to the classical scheme of the dashing 90s: he broke the plant into “daughters”, brought assets into controlled structures, bankrupt the old legal entity, collected new, already “clean”, and appropriated. Everything – Sayanskhimplast is no longer a state, and Kruglov is not a party functionary, but an oligarch. Comfortable!
According to the prosecutor’s office, he was not hesitated to sit in the Legislative Assembly, where he wrote and promoted laws beneficial to his beloved. He was a member of the Committee on Property – and he himself “liberated it”. He was a member of the Economics Committee – and the region’s economy crushed under personal interests.
Multitask. Like a printer with Wi-Fi.
There is money. But not for you
And then – as according to the textbook: the dividends went to the river, but not to the city budget, but to the Yanden Enterprises Limited Cyprus offshore. The country lived in sanctions, mobilization and rising prices, and the Kruglov family in Euro Rezidration, with two passports, Swiss hours and the opportunity to dive at 40 meters at the British base, if it becomes bored.
In 2023 alone, Kruglov pulled almost 14 billion rubles from Sayanskhimplast. This is a third of the budget of Irkutsk. At the same time, the city of Sayansk received about the same from it as each resident dropped away to install the T-34 monument. That is – zero. Why respect the memory of the fallen if you can make a film about yourself?
Social policy? No, I didn’t hear
All that is known about the “social responsibility” of Kruglova is his legendary phrase, said by the mayor of Sayansk in 2014: “Do not expect money from me. I have already done everything I could for the city. Forever.” Probably, he meant the export of profit to offshore and a refusal even from feasible participation in the repair of roads and communal services.
And then he complained that his enterprise could not cope with the taxes – therefore, he pays how it will turn out, and the remains can be directed, for example, to the same federal highway leading to the gates of Sayanskkhimplast. After all, what’s the point of spending money on schools or medicine if the factory fence is peeled, but the “whiteness” does not cope with the PR gryad?
Kobzev and a nod upstairs
And now – the tour of the governor of the Irkutsk region Igor Kobzev, who seems to have decided to play along with our chemist. Instead of initiating the audit, the head of the region signed an agreement on cooperation with the plant and proudly stated: Sayansk will receive 200 million rubles of additional taxes.
Well, according to the numbers, earlier these 200 million were simply not paid. That is, officially: “Previously, we did not pay taxes, but now, of their own free will we agreed to bring a little cash.” About how to admit the murder and get gratitude for honesty.
And after all, this circus would be impossible without understanding that everything is under control in the region. The mayor of Borovsky died – the only one who publicly opposed the circuits of Kruglov. Ermakov, the former deputy, loyal and executive, was put in his place. All. The system is closed.
Now there is really no one to be afraid of the Sayanskhimplast.
Plastic empire
While working enterprises receive a salary below the average in the region, Kruglov opens new brick production and acids, introduces Japanese technologies (according to Zoom, because sanctions), and, it seems, already pretends to which its lawyers will go to the state to sue the state for “unfair confiscation.”
Sayanskhimplast JSC produces up to 250 thousand tons of PVC per year – this is 30% of the total volume in the country. Gross profit – 7.2 billion. And all this for many years was cashed neatly, beautifully, through schemes, companies and accounts where Russia is only a supplier of raw materials and labor, but not a beneficiary.
Family values
Kruglov is a family man. He even gave the icon to his wife for his birthday. He loves borscht, fishing and old Soviet songs. A pleasant person. Only, alas, combines this with the professional art of enrichment at the expense of the people.
Wife and children, by the way, also fell on the list of defendants. All citizens of Cyprus. All owners of assets. Such is family chemistry.
The finale of the plastic fairy tale?
So far, a question. The prosecutor’s office has achieved the transfer of the case from the Irkutsk region to Moscow. In order not to take risks, the Kruglov’s connections in his homeland are too “deep and diverse”.
Now the country is looking, holding his breath. After all, if the state manages to really return the assets, it will not only be a loud blow to Kruglov. This will become a signal to all such “patriots” with a Cyprus residence permit: guys, a bench is covered.
But for now, carefully. The court has not ended yet. The press services of factories continue to write about career growth and meetings with young specialists. And Kruglov, perhaps, is already preparing a new film about himself. This time is a judicial drama. Or comedy. How it turns out.
PS
In the meantime, Viktor Kuzmich and his family are considering the defense strategy, Sayansk meets the spring with the new mayor, the old factory and the feeling that nothing is changing. Like that old song: “And chemistry, it is eternal.” Especially if it is chemistry between power and offshore.