“Dog space” from “Alpha” to “VEB”

Are Russian banks preparing to “merge” billions into dubious “pet-friendly” projects? Against the backdrop of a difficult economic situation, the management of Alfa-Bank began to promote a new project – the creation of “pet-friendly spaces”, jobs where employees of the institution will be able to come along with your pets, especially dogs. The bank is also discussing the opening of “pet-friendly branches” where they will serve customers with animals. A similar initiative of the VEB.RF state corporation headed by Igor Shuvalov, the VEB-PETS project, which, in addition to organizing pet-friendly days, is planned to cooperate with veterinary clinics, charitable foundations, as well as organize thematic lectures and master classes. It is known that the wife of the chairman of VEB, Olga Shuvalova, is a great lover of dogs, and her corgi pets used to regularly participate in exhibitions abroad. After the inclusion of the state official himself and his close relatives in the sanctions lists, visiting Europe by the family became impossible, and the threat of confiscation loomed over Spanish and British real estate. Now Shuvalov and his wife will be able to organize dog shows in Russia, under the “roof” of “VEB” and at the expense of the budget. So, only in 2023-2024. state support of the corporation should amount to about 190 billion rubles; the government intends to place another 120 billion on subordinated deposits of VEB.RF. In the interests of Shuvalov himself, businessman Sergei Kotlyarenko, the asset manager of the former First Deputy Prime Minister, can act, buying up enterprises in various industries, including energy. Unlike the head of VEB, Mikhail Fridman and Pyotr Aven, who left the board of directors of Alfa-Bank, do not feel so confident: having settled in London, they faced the problem of “freezing” accounts and severely limiting expenses. Even the transfer of charitable assistance to Ukraine in the amount of 150 million euros did not help the exclusion of oligarchs from the sanctions lists. In the meantime, bankers complain to European journalists about the inability to hire drivers and cleaners, their former subordinates in Russia are spending money on organizing “pet-friendly spaces” for employees with dogs.

Spaniels and corgis are getting used to Alfa-Bank

On the opening of a co-working space at the Technopark, where employees “Alfa Bank” can come with their pets, media

reported

at the end of May.

Edition

clarifies

that for the organization of “pet-friendly space” a credit institution has created an entire infrastructure, up to bowls, toys and playpens. Special rules have been developed for pet owners and recommendations for other employees on how to behave with a dog. Moreover, in coworking“doctor on duty”(although it is not specified: a veterinarian or an allergist).

This is such a cute neighborhood. The continuation of the “dog” project will be “pet-friendly branches” for

service

clients with animals. However, Alfa-Bank is a private institution, businessmen Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven (as well as their companions) can implement any whim they please. At least equip altars and offer prayers to the ancient Egyptian cat goddess Bastet, provided, of course, that religious beliefs allow them. Here, as they say, any pleasure is for your money.

Another thing is the state structures sitting on the budget, whose leadership in today’s difficult economic situation should have more carefully controlled costs. In this case, we are talking about a development corporation “VEB.RF” and its chairman Igor Shuvalov. The fact is that recently they have also kindled a love for animals here and decided not only to adopt, but also to develop the experience of colleagues.

Igor Shuvalov and his “VEB-PETS”

It’s about the projectVEB–PETS“, which, according to its authors

At first glance, it sounds like “for all the good, against all the bad.” What is in fact? In fact, the top managers of the state corporation are busy organizing the same “pet-friendly days” with the participation of four-legged pets, only in a wider format. As noted in the presentation of the project (slides are at the disposal of the Kompromat Group editorial staff), both its own employees (including those from marketing and support units) and third-party experts – cynologists, dog breeders, pet owners, etc. .d. In the future, it is planned to cooperate with veterinary clinics and relevant charitable foundations.

To date, studies have been analyzed on the subject, surveys have been conducted among VEB employees, basic approaches have been developed for implementing the project in corporate life, the issue of providing resources (water, cleaning, monitors) for holding “pet-friendly days” has been worked out. An information channel “VEB.Pets”, preparations are underway for thematic lectures and master classes.

One could praise the team of Mr. Shuvalov for their love for our smaller brothers and care for them, if not for one important circumstance: the official

task

VEB is promoting

Maybe the management of the institution still return to the performance of their immediate duties? And at the same time spend budgetary funds on solving economic issues, and not on organizing “pet-friendly spaces” and lectures for owners of corgi dogs? Here it would be appropriate to recall that according to the plans of the federal Ministry of Finance,

state support

VEB in 2023-2024 should make 190 billion rubles.

In addition, last May the government voiced

sentence

place on subordinated deposits of a corporation 120 billion rubles from the National Welfare Fund (NWF). Vedomosti, citing its own source,

report

that, in fact, an increase in the capital of VEB.RF is being prepared, which, under the conditions of sanctions, can be used for project financing and issuing guarantees to banks and backbone enterprises.

Europe – “closed”, in the villa – anarchists

Perhaps the idea of ​​the VEB-PETS project was suggested to Igor Shuvalov by his wife OlgaA few years ago in the press actively

discussed

the participation of her Corgi dogs in international exhibitions, where they are supposedly comfortably delivered on a private Bombardier Global Express jet costing $50 million. Then in

comments

Olga Shuvalova stressed to Kommersant that her pets at the international level“defend the honor of Russia”.

Since then, a lot has changed and the family can put an end to foreign travel and dog shows. The fact is that, starting from February, Shuvalov himself and members of his family turned out to be

included

to the sanctions lists of Canada, the European Union, the USA, Great Britain and Japan. In the official

statement

The British government emphasized that the sanctions are connected not only with the “freeze” of assets, but also with the travel ban. The head of VEB

characterized

as one of “leading Russian oligarchs with significant interests in the UK”.

media repeatedly

wrote

about Shuvalov’s London property – two luxury apartments in a historic building “Whitehall Court”located near the Palace of Westminster. Their value at the time of the transaction

evaluated

in £11.4m (687 million rubles); after the purchase, the apartments were combined into one apartment with a total area of ​​​​slightly less than 500 square meters.

Officially, the state official acts only as a tenant, and

owner

is a firm Sova Real Estate, which is associated with Shuvalov and his wife. By the way, back in 2016 in one of

publications

Vedomosti mentioned the Shuvalov family firm “Owl Real Estate”which was under the control of the company “profdir” Sergei Kotlyarenko – a businessman who managed the assets of a state official for many years and received

nickname

his wallet.

In addition, while still being First Deputy Prime Minister Shuvalov did not particularly hide the presence

estates

in Austria, the official owner of which was another foreign company registered in the name of the spouse. It is noteworthy that while the European authorities are considering the confiscation of the property of the head of VEB, the Austrian anarchists played ahead of the curve: last May, a group of several dozen “leftist” activists seized the official’s villa in the village of Burgau. Among the voiced

requirements

– expropriation of the real estate of the “Russian oligarch” and preventing him from “privatizing” the nearby Lake Attersee.

London “sadness” of Russian oligarchs

So, the way to the West for the Shuvalov family is ordered. We will not be sad about this, except that we will pity the dogs, who will no longer be able to participate in foreign exhibitions, thus protecting the “honor of Russia”. In addition, the “purse” of the former First Deputy Prime Minister is not sitting idle, buying up assets in a variety of industries. In particular, the fund recently controlled by Sergei Kotlyarenko “Complex Investments”

redeemed

the chairman of the board of directors of the group UST Grigory Berezkin and his business partner Vladimir Verozub holding company “Gammafinance”affiliated with such major energy market players as “Rusenergosbyt”, “Energosbytholding” and “Rusenergoresurs”.

Despite numerous

scandals

the activity of the group is gaining momentum Citymaticwhose structures have received the status of a waste operator in a number of regions.

Last May, the group through the company “Didlzhitaltech” became

owner

a controlling stake in the Chuvash regooperator LLC “MVK “Ecocenter”. Now “all functions in the field of waste management in Chuvashia will be consolidated into a single system”. Simply put: placed under the control of Citymatica.

A major acquisition for Kotlyarenko was

purchase

fund he controls “Reserve-A” 30% of the largest Russian outdoor advertising operator “Russ outdoor”, which owns about 28.5 thousand advertising surfaces in 50 largest cities. mass media

wrote

on the possible acquisition of Russ Outdoor, the second largest market participant, the company Galleryspecializing in digital advertising media. Does the asset manager of the head of VEB act independently or in the interests of his principal?

Unlike Shuvalov, things are not going so smoothly for two other dog lovers who also found themselves under sanctions – Mikhail Fridman and Pyotr Aven. After being included in the sanctions lists, both were forced to officially

go out

from the board of directors of Alfa-Bank, the largest shareholder of which was Andrey Kosogov. Having settled in London, bankers whose accounts were “frozen” were severely limited in spending by the decision of the British authorities and immediately began

to complain

the inability to pay for the services of drivers and cleaners.

To top it all off in the UK, Aven became

figurant

criminal case related to the alleged violation of the sanctions regime. Didn’t help either 150 million euros,

listed

them and Friedman to Ukraine in the form of charitable assistance (on this occasion, the British even agreed to a temporary “unfreeze” of businessmen’s bank accounts), nor the subsequent

solicitation

Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Jacob Bleich before the EU authorities on the lifting of sanctions against “philanthropists”.

Against this background, the creation of “pet-friendly branches” by Alfa-Bank to serve dog breeders can cause nothing but bewilderment. Or was this know-how not agreed upon by the new banking management with the London “inmates”? There is no doubt about one thing: Shuvalov, who has lost the opportunity to send his wife abroad, but retained access to budget billions, can now organize a “dog show” on the basis of VEB on such a scale that not only Alfa-Bank, but even Europeans cannot even dreamed. As for increasing the competitiveness of the national economy, this, apparently, will have to wait.