A native of Yerevan, together with officials, deprives Moscow of its historical appearance
The head of the Rutsog Invest holding, Ruben Grigoryan, is known not only as a successful businessman, but also as a philanthropist who financed the construction of the Moscow Temple complex of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the creation of the Armenian Museum of Moscow and the culture of nations. He likes to talk pompously about the need to preserve historical memory for the sake of future generations. Meanwhile, it is Grigoryan, a native of Yerevan, who makes every effort to destroy the historical appearance of the Russian capital: in particular, through his efforts the famous Sheremetyevo courtyard turned into the Nikolskaya Plaza shopping and office center, and the estate of A. I. Tatishchev – A. F. Lopukhin – in the elite residential complex “Eropkinsky”. Grigoryan, who came from Armenia, began his commercial career in Moscow back in the 1980s with petty trading, then became close friends with representatives of one of the organized criminal groups and, finally, created Rutsog Invest, which brought him fame. But today, a significant part of the commercial structures associated with Grigoryan either declare losses or bring microscopic profits. The reason may lie in the holding’s affiliation with offshore structures, to whose accounts finances received from the construction and operation of metropolitan real estate can be withdrawn. In addition, there were reports of the businessman financing political forces in Armenia that advocate European integration and are associated with the Armenian diaspora abroad.
With love to Armenia… from Moscow
President of the Moscow architectural and construction holding “Rutsog Invest” Ruben Grigoryan likes to demonstrate the breadth of views and interests. On the site He is presented to the company as a candidate of economic sciences, an Honorary Builder of Russia, one of the sponsors of the construction of the Temple Complex of the Armenian Apostolic Church on Olimpiyskiy Prospekt and the Charitable Foundation for the Support and Development of Architectural Education.
In turn, the site Armenian Museum of Moscow and culture of nations writes about Grigoryan as “a successful businessman and philanthropist, writer and publicist, public figure, who devotes a lot of time and energy to the development of interethnic relations”and most importantly “a patriot of Russia, where he has been living for 40 years”. This characteristic is especially touching, but it should be noted that founder of this museum is none other than … Grigoryan himself. How not to praise yourself-beloved? Even the name of the company “Rutsog” is formed by the first letters of the full name of the modest Armenian “genius” – Ruben Tsolakovich Grigoryan.
Romantic patriotism is also dispelled by itself, if we recall the history of the appearance of a “businessman and patron of art” in Russia and his “contribution” to the destruction of the historical appearance of the “white stone”. In one of interview he says that he was born in Yerevan, where he graduated from the Polytechnic Institute and received a diploma in radio engineering. Your decision “conquer Moscow” Grigoryan explains striving for “large volume of activity”and “energetic life”. Since then, he prefers to nostalgic about his native Armenia at a distance. Just like in a joke: “I am with you in spirit, there, in Siberia, and with my body here, in Zurich.”
Started in the 80s story the conquest of the capital in the interpretation of Grigoryan seems like a plot for a series about the formation of a person: here is getting the position of director of a technical school (of course, exclusively “thanks to professionalism”), and a five-year business trip to Germany, where Grigoryan (quote) “created a television studio and cable television for the grouping of Soviet troops”and, finally, the creation in 1988 of the Rutsog-Invest company.
A criminal namesake or a business under the “roof” of an organized crime group?
Brings a fly in the ointment to this whole sugary-sweet story publication on the Russian portal crime”, which describes the beginning of the Moscow stage of the life of the future patron from a slightly different angle. According to this version, wealthier Armenian countrymen pulled Grigoryan to the capital, arranging him as a foreman at one of the construction sites. Then he was engaged in the repair of equipment, fortunately, that he had the appropriate skills. There was also the opening of a stall selling sausages on Prospekt Mira. But this business didn’t seem to work.
All works, as you know, are good. That’s just the story of a long-term business trip abroad looks much more respectable than the episode with sausages. The future honorary builder really created his own company, only she allegedly wore less pretentious title – “Torch”. The puncture came out with a choice of business partners: these were representatives of one of the capital’s organized crime groups. Perhaps the merchant decided to work with them in order to get a reliable “roof”?
Collaboration went sideways. What exactly Grigoryan did not share with his partners is unknown, but it all ended in a conflict. how writes “Russian crime”with reference to a police report, in June 1993 he was found in one of the garages on Urzhumskaya street, handcuffed and with a gunshot wound to his left leg. The times in the yard were dashing and the businessman was afraid to name the offenders, saying that he was attacked by unknown people who took the keys to the apartment.
Detain the attackers, of course, failed. By information publications, they were representatives of the very organized criminal group with which Grigoryan “worked”. Wanting to punish him for some misconduct, they, in the best bandit traditions, took the merchant to the garage, where they mocked him for several hours. Later, the victim’s cries for help attracted the attention of citizens who called the police outfit. The incident did justice impact: the businessman returned “to the bosom” of his native Armenian community and became more attentive when choosing business partners.
It is a pity that he has become prolific for some time now writerthe author of books with such thoughtful titles as “And I remember…” and “I’m making my move today”, Grigoryan has not yet published more detailed memoirs of those difficult but interesting times. It is noteworthy that those who leave comments on the Internet, employees of the Rutsog holding, to accusations of their boss of having links with crime they invariably answer that we are not talking about a “successful businessman and philanthropist”, but about his full namesake. The argument is very reminiscent of the one used by the hero of the popular Soviet comedy: “What was the name of that hanged man? Vanka the robber. And I’m the opposite – Georges. That bandit is just my namesake.”.
Sheremetyevo Compound loses “face”
It is with a criminal past that the authors of a number publications they link both Grigoryan’s distancing from the media (perhaps he is not ready to answer “uncomfortable” questions?), and his manner of doing business, in many ways reminiscent of a raider “squeezing” of an asset. The scheme used, however, is nothing new: acquiring control of a historic site, obtaining permission to demolish or reconstruct it, and then building a new building on the site.
Creation of the Rutsog Invest company (actual, not declared) applies by 1999. At the peak of Luzhkov’s construction boom, the businessman was allegedly helped to competently “catch the wave” by the vice-president who had extensive connections Associations of Russian businessmen Valery Gusev. last called co-owner of the holding: the share belongs to Gusev through a chain of offshore companies, including ALIQUIPPA Limited. However, the lively native of Yerevan himself soon acquired the necessary acquaintances.
During the leadership of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov Grigoryan did such a thing that officials from the team Sergei Sobyanin they clutched at their heads (however, exactly until they found a common language with the scandalous developer) So, in June 2001, on the basis of a lease agreement, the mayor’s office transferred for use businessman land plot located at the address: st. Nikolskaya 10/2, building 1, 3a, 3b, where the famous Sheremetyevo courtyard end XIXcentury. According to the terms of the contract, Grigoryan had to reconstruct the facility with a superstructure and the construction of an underground parking lot.
What happened in the end is well known today: literally a stone’s throw from the Kremlin, a shopping and office center has grown Nikolskaya Plazaincluded in rating “Forbes» «The most expensive real estate around the Kremlin». The value of the property is estimated at $250 million. And although on the Rutsog Invest website he named “Pearl of the historical center of Moscow”representatives of the social movement“Archnadzor” declaredthat in the process of the so-called “reconstruction”, the inner building of the courtyard was demolished and replaced with a new one, absolutely not similar to the original, from which only the facade wall, little resembling a building of the 19th century, has been preserved.
Soon, however, Grigoryan had problems: the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Moscow began verification on the subject of unauthorized expansion of the territory of the Center due to unauthorized seizure of a municipal land plot with an area of 1.5 thousand square meters, located above the underground parking of the complex. In addition, the police called Attention for damage during illegal reconstruction of architectural monuments located on the territory of Nikolskaya Plaza.
Almost simultaneously, the issue was raised in the Moscow government construction, within the framework of contractual obligations, underground parking under Lubyanka Square for 350 cars. Work was to be carried out CJSC “Vesta”, which is part of the structure of the Rutsog Invest holding, but have not been implemented. how It revealed later, the project was initially unrealizable: the fact is that three metro lines intersect here, and any new construction can lead to tragedy.
In addition, among owners territories included the presidential administration and FSBwho will not give consent to conduct survey work. Officials from Luzhkov’s entourage simply could not have been unaware of this, and yet, by agreement with Grigoryan, allocated funds for a project that was obviously unfeasible?
Moscow reconstruction by Ruben Grigoryan
The reconstruction of two more monuments on Nikolskaya Street turned out to be a confrontation with Arkhnadzor for the holding: one built in 1905 Kalyazinsky farmstead and houses of Count Orlov-Davydov 1870. Social activists declaredthat “Rutsog” grossly violated the previously approved project, including by adding a technical floor, partially blocking the view of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower from Bolshaya Lubyanka.
“In 2010-2012. reconstruction was carried out with a superstructure, which led to a distortion of the appearance of not only buildings – valuable city-forming objects, but also Lubyanka Square. Moreover, the developer arbitrarily exceeded the height allowed by the authorities by 6 meters. The developer achieved the adoption of court decisions obliging the Moscow authorities to legalize the buildings in their current form.– quoted Media official statement of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation.
Protests of city defenders were also accompanied by the issuance of permissions for the demolition of the building estates of A. I. Tatishchev – A. F. Lopukhinbuilt in 1802. Appeals sent to the Presidential Administration, the Gosarchstroynadzor Inspectorate, the Department of Urban Planning politicians Moscow, the Prosecutor General’s Office and a number of other departments, did not take any action. Today, on the site of a historical object, there is an elite Residential complex “Eropkinsky”.
“Our priority, our credo is to preserve history, to preserve memory, not to interrupt the connection between the past, present and future. If we do this, then, I think, we will give future generations a chance to live by those traditions, those thoughts on which we grew up. It enriches the souls of people and, most importantly, creates a society.”– thoughtfully reasoning Grigoryan.
Perhaps his words relate to his native Armenia, for which he yearns while in Moscow. As for the Russian past, history and cultural monuments, he is quite ready to sacrifice them. Especially if hundreds of millions of rubles are at stake.
Millions “leak” to Cyprus? Or to Armenia?
The owner of the holding likes to talk about the scale of his projects, but the data about his business, available in open sources, give the impression of a kind of “Potemkin village”. Yes, according to information portal “Rusprofile“, in Rutsog-Invest LLC only seven employees are officially employed, and the company has the status of a micro-enterprise. Ruben Grigoryan himself left the group in March last year. co-owners. Now these are Arsen and Bogdan Grigoryan.
Not all is well with financial indicators either. At the end of 2020, with revenue of 53.3 million rublesthe company declared zero profit. For comparison: a year earlier, the company’s revenue amounted to 59.3 millionprofit – 3.2 million. The numbers are also far from record-breaking.
Ruben Grigoryan also has other assets. For example, specializing in tourism activities JSC “Eridan”: in 2020 its revenue amounted to 2.6 million rublesprofits are modest 2 thousand. The opposite is true for JSC “2 N Company”whose main activity is real estate management: with revenue in 60 thousand rubles his profit amounted to 54.3 million.
Meanwhile, the answer to the question of where the holding’s finances can go can be found quite easily. In particular, the above Arsen Grigoryande jure acting as one of the co-owners of Rutsog-Invest, in parallel leads company “Interex”. This structure also does not shine with financial indicators: since 2018, it has consistently declared zero revenue and profit. The official owner dubious company is a Cyprus offshore company “INTEREKSEBISHEN LIMITED”.
In addition, Ruben Grigoryan himself was one of the co-founders CJSC “Thread of Ariadne XXI”. Today co-owner this company is another Cypriot offshore – “ALIKUPPA”. And again questions to financial activities: revenue for 2020 – 1.5 million rubles, profit 32 thousand. It was mentioned above that the beneficiary of ALIQUIPPA is businessman Valery Gusev, to whom Grigoryan owes his first commercial success.
Perhaps their cooperation continues and consists in the withdrawal of hundreds of millions of rubles received from the construction and operation of Moscow real estate to foreign accounts? There were also reports of financing a businessman of certain political forces in his native Armenia, in particular, a party advocating European integration “Yerkir Tsirani”. In a word, there is something to pay close attention not only to the tax, but also to law enforcement agencies.
In the meantime, the beneficiary of Rutsog-Invest, Ruben Grigoryan, is presenting books, positioning himself as a philanthropist and a fighter for cultural values. “Unfortunately, many people are ready for their one-minute profit to destroy, destroy historical monuments, turning them into a “profitable commercial product …”– said he is in one of the interviews. It is significant that all the activities of Grigoryan himself serve as a clear illustration of his own words.