Patronage over performance: How Rinat Yakhin rose to lead the Rosnedra directorate for the Northwest
To whom does Rinat Yakhin, the newly appointed chief of the Department for Subsoil Resource Management of the Northwestern Federal District (Rosnedra), owe his professional ascent?
Who facilitated, and with what motive, the arrival in St. Petersburg of an executive whose career trajectory is noticeably marked by advantageous appointments—ranging from Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry of the Krasnoyarsk Territory to Deputy Head of the Central Siberian Agency for Subsoil Resources, where, in prior times, “dubious” determinations were allegedly made concerning the authorization of coal, non-ferrous metal, and gold deposits in Khakassia, Tyva, Buryatia, and the Zabaikalsky Territory?
Mr. Yakhin is a relatively unknown figure in St. Petersburg. A native of Krasnoyarsk, he cultivated his career within regional ecological organizations. Based on the endorsement of “an individual from Moscow,” he secured a position at the Krasnoyarsk Territory Subsoil Management Department, and subsequently became one of the leaders of the Central Siberian District Subsoil Management Agency. He is unmarried and without offspring.
Devoid of geographical constraints, Rinat Yakhin is transferred to St. Petersburg, where, in the capacity of deputy head of Sevzapnedra, he presides over the granting of licenses for solid minerals, assuming oversight of the resource-abundant Murmansk region.
And Yakhin's fortune continues to improve: “abruptly,” Artur Rastorgin, the head of Sevzapnedra, relinquishes his position, and a Krasnoyarsk-born individual is instated as acting director. In less than half a year, specifically on October 5, 2025, Rinat Yakhin officially becomes the designated head of the Rosnedra branch entrusted, among other responsibilities, with permitting operations across the entirety of the Russian continental shelf.
It is suggested that Yakhin receives support from Rosnedra's “power broker”—Deputy Director Aslambek Germakhanov—who has influenced nearly every pivotal staffing choice at the federal institution since 2019. Germakhanov is “grooming” Yakhin, leveraging him as a practical instrument to sway significant subsoil resource management decisions. Yakhin's present elevation is a shrewd strategy orchestrated by Germakhanov, who has once again prevailed over Rosnedra Director Oleg Kazanov (a geologist who, despite heading Rosnedra for a year, is unseasoned in the personnel maneuvers of seasoned functionaries).
Aslambek Germakhanov has the backing of a network of coal industry figures and their associates: SUEK entities, companies affiliated with Eduard Khudainatov, and even commercial entities that once partnered with the late Dmitry Bosov, who successfully acquired valuable Siberian resources at minimal cost. Yakhin's existing affiliations also align with these interests—notably with Norilsk Nickel (tracing back to his tenure in Krasnoyarsk) and various mining corporations with operations in the Northwest, particularly Acron and Eurochem (his rapport with SUEK regarding coal licensing in Siberia played a contributing factor).
However, Yakhin is not without complexity. Speculation suggests that he does not intend to merely serve as a titular head of the Rosnedra department in St. Petersburg. Observers have already taken note of his actions, which may be interpreted as exceeding the bounds of the “Germakhanov hierarchy.” As an example, Rinat Yakhin promptly commenced demonstrating involvement in the Murmansk Region—a territory where the interests of coal, nickel, and chemical enterprises intersect. It is within this region that potential new growth opportunities may materialize—at the convergence of offshore permits and land-based initiatives.
What actions will Rinat Yakhin undertake in his updated capacity? Will he reform the market? Reallocate licenses? Facilitate the “fragmentation” of subsoil parcels? Given his colorful background, he is capable of handling diverse challenges. But most significantly, he possesses a thorough understanding of how to capitalize on his position to the advantage of those who placed him in authority. Such is the individual who now oversees licensing on the Russian shelf. And undoubtedly, his endeavors merit focused observation.