Photo: https://www.ratm.ru/
Eduard Taran’s business interests may be hidden behind the “fermentation” around the Khilok market in Novosibirsk.
According to the correspondent DOPsChairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia Alexander Bastrykin took personal control of the investigation of a criminal case on violation of sanitary and epidemiological standards at a solid domestic waste dump, which is located next to the well-known Novosibirsk Khilok market.
The reason was an unsanctioned rally of local residents. In the summer of 2022, they complained about life near the market with illegal trade between the Kleshchikhinsky cemetery and the Levoberezhny landfill. Some time after the pre-investigation checks, a criminal case was initiated. Until now, sanitary protection zones have not been established there, which reduce air pollution.
Taran enters the arena
The story may turn out to be much more twisted than just the struggle of ordinary citizens and authorities. On the territory for which they are “howling”, there is a shopping center “Khiloksky” or, as they used to call it, the Khiloksky market. Its main competitor, the Mandarin distribution center of the scandalous businessman Eduard Taran, is also located there.
Perhaps, all the same business interests of Eduard Taran are hiding behind the public figures, and this is a convenient way to “knock off” a competitor. At one time, various Telegram channels published information according to which mayor Anatoly Lokot does not want to install sanzones, allegedly it is not profitable for him to close the Khiloksky market. In fact, he most likely simply does not want to deal with the resettlement of people.
While this whole story was “thundering”, the security forces took up the general director of “Mandarin” Sergei Belousov. Allegedly, he gave bribes to the ex-prosecutor of the Novosibirsk region Vladimir Falileev and his former deputy Andrey Turbin. Who knows, perhaps part of the funds went just to “promote” the story with the sanzones.
On the verge
Eduard Taran himself is a well-known and controversial person, he is the head of RATM Holding. The holding included several strategically important enterprises, for example, JSC Screen-Optical Systems. For many years, this company has been supplying America with image intensifier tubes, which, among other things, are used for military purposes. In this regard, there may be cause for concern for Mr. Taran.
Let’s remember how 2010 businessman hit to the dock in a bribery case. And recently again didn’t go behind bars due to non-payment of taxes on the sale of a 24% stake in the Lytkarinsky Optical Glass Plant (LZOS). We add that their products are purchased by the Ministry of Defense and Roscosmos.
Flight and loss
Many other companies from the structure of “RATM Holding” were closed with losses and or no indicators of real activity at all. Eduard Taran himself also has/was registered more than 30 firms, most of which are no longer functioning. But what if some of the firms are just a “thumbnail” for withdrawing finances?
But the bankruptcy of Taran’s companies mass media found an explanation. They say that a businessman seizes enterprises by force, and later all the money is pumped out of the conquered structures.
For example, in 2006, representatives of the RATM openly attempted to seize Angarskcement OJSC using the brute force of 40 private security companies. A year earlier, the holding bankrupted Alttrak, a manufacturer of tractors.
Recently, Oleg Utiralov, co-owner of the Novosibirsk Sibelektroterm plant, even stated that businessman fraudulently forced him to part with the assets. However, due to lack of evidence, Utiralov was left with nothing, and Taran with Sibelektroterm, on the sites of which he placed the capacities of companies controlled by RATM Holding.
Now Taran does not appear in the media, it is possible that the real state of his affairs is not so rosy. It can be assumed that he will “fly away” from Russia. After all, he does not appear on the sanctions lists, and in his homeland, due to the history of the sale of elements for weapons to a NATO country, he may be under the attention of the security forces.