Brother for brother, senator for governor: is governor Andrei Klychkov involved in the extortion story?

The past and current governors of the Oryol region could have been involved in the story of large-scale extortion from the leadership of NRTB JSC.

According to the correspondent The Moscow Post in the Oryol region, law enforcement officers have completed the investigation of a criminal case opened against employees of the security service of JSC “National Radio Technical Bureau” (“NRTB”). At the same time, completely unexpected persons involved could well have come into the field of view of the investigation – the governor of the Oryol region Andrey Klychkov and Senator Vasily Ikonnikov.

In the meantime, we are talking about the main defendants in the case: the former deputy general director for security of NRTB JSC Alexander Lezhnev and his namesake and subordinate Alexander Zolotykh, ex-Russian FSB officer Ivan Shumigai and deputy prosecutor of the 231st military prosecutor’s office of the Moscow garrison Alexander Vashurin. According to investigators, they extorted money from the management of the enterprise for stopping inspections, which they themselves had organized.

Presumably, they put pressure on the owner of the enterprise, Viktor Prikhodko, and managed to convince him that he and a number of his colleagues were under investigation by the FSB, and that they urgently needed to “take measures” so as not to be under investigation. However, Mr. Prikhodko realized in time that he was dealing with swindlers, and turned to the authorities.

This case is, of course, enchanting. “NRTB” is a private structure, but well known to the state. She participates in public procurement, has a large contract with the Ministry of Industry and Trade for 75 million rubles. Apparently, this is what the perpetrators are up to.

But something else is interesting. The head of the security service of the enterprise was Alexander Lezhnev. According to investigators, his duties included monitoring his own boss Prikhodko and exerting moral and psychological influence on him in order to get money from him. It is him, as well as his subordinate, Alexander Zolotykh, who worked in the NRTB security service, that law enforcers consider to be the organizers of the scam.

Brother tell the governor?

Who is Lezhnev? As the online publication writes “Oryol Wednesday”, he is the brother of Sergei Lezhnev, an adviser on information policy to the governor of the Oryol region Andrei Klychkov. At the same time, Sergei Lezhnev is not just an adviser, but a long-term colleague and press secretary of Klychkov, who previously “promoted” on the topic of public procurement. Actually, in addition to PR, among the tasks that Klychkov assigned him was “control over public procurement.”

Moreover, it was Lezhnev who became the first appointee of Governor Klychkov back in October 2017. Prior to this, Lezhnev, who was also a blogger, became famous for a series of investigations into violations in public procurement for medical institutions in the Belgorod region.

Blogger Lezhnev claimed that a cartel had been operating in this area for a long time, excluding “any competition”, which was actively assisted by heads of medical institutions and officials. The investigation did not lead to official consequences: local law enforcement officers reported that they opened criminal cases on the fact of fraud with purchases even before the “truth-seeker” Lezhnev drew public attention to them. Wrote about it “Kommersant”.

But this was only the beginning of Lezhnev’s work with Governor Klychkov. They say that almost immediately Lezhnev established himself as a person who may have serious problems in communicating with other people. For example, he allowed himself rude remarks regarding blog commentators.

Andrey Klychkov and Sergey Lezhnev Photo: https://lezhnev-sergey.livejournal.com

Once on Instagram, Lezhnev, already an employee of the governor’s administration, suddenly began to threaten the Orlovite, who wrote, in general, not at all an offensive comment under his post about his daughter. Writes about it “Eagle Times”. By the way, earlier Klychkov himself was reproached for incorrect communication with citizens, this was reported by the TV channel “360”. Apparently, the manner of communication of the adviser on information policy was transferred to his leader. Or maybe the principle “Like attracts like” just worked.

Tell me who advises you and I will tell you who you are

However, the boorish demeanor is trifles compared to other events.

In early 2022, Sergei Lezhnev, who, according to Governor Klychkov, was supposed to monitor the situation in the field of public procurement, was suspected of embezzling funds intended for the repair of the Red Bridge in Orel. Writes about it IA “Orelgrad”.

The security forces conducted more than ten searches, including at the place of work and residence of Lezhnev and his entourage. At the same time, the case itself was initiated much earlier, in the summer of 2021. Then law enforcers opened a criminal case under two articles at once – forgery of documents and major fraud – against the general director of the road company Remspetsmost LLC Yevgeny Podrezov. I wrote about it in detail The Moscow Post, paying special attention to the figures of the governor and his adviser Sergei Lezhnev. We assumed that in the end the investigation could reach Lezhnev.

And so it happened. But what if you need to go one step further and ask the governor questions?

According to investigators, the Remspetsmost company could illegally obtain a contract for the repair of the Red Bridge in Orel (by the way, a cultural heritage site). In addition, the same company could steal 1.4 million rubles during the overhaul of the Friendship Bridge.

These are not the only contracts that the structure has received. She also won the tender for the repair of the crossing in Livny for 280 million rubles. At the same time, the company itself, like Mr. Lezhnev, comes from the Belgorod region. Allegedly, there Lezhnev at one time could get acquainted with its owners, and then recommend the structure, already being in the administration of Klychkov.

Photo: Rusprofile.ru

Surprisingly, the Remspetsmost company got money just after the arrival of Klychkov and Lezhnev in the Oryol region. At the end of 2018, its revenue amounted to 20 million rubles. At the end of 2020 – already 413 million rubles. Almost all state contracts (and they accumulated in the amount of 2.3 billion rubles) were concluded by the structure with the authorities of Orel and the Oryol region.

The company is currently included in the Register of Unscrupulous Suppliers. As of January 2022, the tax authorities issued decisions regarding the partial or complete suspension of account transactions in relation to her. That is, the structure could also not pay extra taxes. And now, like a cherry on top: Sergey Lezhnev has now become a defendant in a criminal case regarding this company. Apparently, he looked too “well” at government contracts – as requested by Klychkov.

Klychkov did not know?

It would seem that these stories do not intersect. One – with Alexander Lezhnev, who could tritely set up his boss and extort money from him. Another – with his brother Sergei Lezhnev, who could “earn” just the same with the approval of his boss. And yet they have something in common.

It’s about what kind of people Governor Klychkov attracts into his “orbit”. After all, Alexander Lezhnev could rely on his influential brother, a friend of the governor. After all, an administrative resource. Or maybe even some guarantees from him and received, but did not work.

It can be assumed that Klychkov was indirectly aware of this story. But he is hardly alone. In the situation, one can suspect the presence of interest on the part of his predecessor as governor of the Oryol region, and now a senator, Vasily Ikonnikov.

They are known to have a good relationship. Both are communists, in this regard Ikonnikov acts as a senior comrade to Klychkov. What is even more interesting: it seems that Ikonnikov is impressed by the same model of communication with people and subordinates, which we have seen more than once in the performance of Klychkov and his faithful “press squire” Sergei Lezhnev.

For example, a couple of years ago, Ikonnikov showed up at a committee meeting of the Oryol Regional Council, called the employees servants, and behaved in the most boorish way. Writes about it “Orelgrad”.

“Ears” Ikonnikova

But let’s pay attention to something else. The alleged swindlers frightened the leaders of the NRTB company by the fact that they could be attracted allegedly for embezzlement within the framework of the state defense order at the enterprise. Later, the security forces established that there was no theft, but it was extortion.

But even before that, it was Vasily Ikonnikov who tried to draw the attention of the state leadership to the top management and owners of NRTB. Allegedly – just in connection with possible theft. Now that we know that all this was a hoax, on whose mill did Ikonnikov pour water with his appeal?

It was assumed that following the results of this appeal, attention and inspections would be directed to the enterprise. Is this not pressure on Mr. Prikhodko and his people, whom, according to the investigation, the fake FSB officers and their own security service generously regaled with the lie that the security forces are “interested in” them.

A photo: “Oryol Wednesday”

It is unlikely that anyone will doubt that Vasily Ikonnikov is in close contact with Andrei Klychkov. In addition to the fact that he represents the Oryol region in the Federation Council, he is also the first secretary of the Oryol regional committee of the Communist Party. That is, Klychkov and Ikonnikov interact along the party line.

And a possible idea with a letter to put pressure on the leadership of “NRTB” to senior comrades could well have been suggested by the genius of communication with the press and public communications Sergei Lezhnev. He must have known about the little adventure that his brother had planned, but could not carry out.