Will Suleiman Kerimov be the president of Dagestan? Suleiman Kerimov: Derbent sufferer. Accident in France
Senator and billionaire Suleiman Kerimov got into serious trouble with French justice at the wrong time. The decision that he must remain in the Nice area until his trial effectively deprives him of the opportunity to personally participate in the formation of a new configuration of power in Dagestan. Of course, Kerimov can influence many processes remotely, but, as the previous international scandal around his assets showed, it is Dagestan in Kerimov’s “empire” that is a rather vulnerable link.
French law enforcement authorities are pursuing a criminal case against Suleiman Kerimov in constant tension mode.
Let us remind you that Suleiman Kerimov was detained at Nice airport on November 20. On the third day after his arrest, a French court charged him with tax evasion and money laundering, and the court released him on bail of 5 million euros. The court ordered the senator to surrender his passport to the French authorities, and also prohibited him from traveling outside the Alpes-Maritimes department and coming into contact with a certain circle of people. Kerimov is also required to report to the local police several times a week.
At the beginning of this week, the Nice prosecutor's office filed an appeal against the court's decision to release the Russian senator on bail and demanded that his preventive measure be changed, naturally, to one not related to his stay at large. From the prosecution’s side, this demand sounds like “placing Kerimov under legal control.”
Prosecutor of Nice Jean-Michel Prêtre, who filed the appeal, believes that the decision of the investigative chamber of the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal will follow in a few days.
According to him, if the court rejects the appeal, the prosecutor's office will seek to ensure that measures of legal control over Kerimov are strengthened.
“I do not believe that the measures taken at present are proportional to the existing risks and large incomes, as well as to the personality of Mr. Kerimov himself,”- said Pretre.
Meanwhile, in Russia, after several protocol statements at the level of the Federation Council, State Duma, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Kremlin press service about the detention of Kerimov, it seems that calm has set in. We tried to figure out how such a situation could affect the senator, his political and business assets.
In remote access
By the end of the reign Ramazana Abdulatipova Suleiman Kerimov actually restored his influence in Dagestan, although at the time of Abdulatipov’s appointment there were completely different assumptions. Sudden resignation Magomedsalama Magomedova, under which Kerimov received most favored nation treatment in Dagestan, allowed us to assume that other business interests would enjoy the favor of the new government - for example, the Summa group Ziyavudina Magomedova. Just a few days after Abdulatipov’s arrival, Kerimov’s direct protege defiantly left the government of Dagestan Oleg Lipatov, who previously headed his Nafta Moscow company and was then appointed First Deputy Prime Minister.
A few months later, Kerimov faced the very unpleasant prospects of international prosecution when the general director of the Russian company Uralkali was arrested in Belarus. Vladislav Baumgertner. After this, the Belarusian authorities put Kerimov on the wanted list (including through Interpol) as the main shareholder of Uralkali, accusing him of causing damage to local mineral fertilizer production companies.
Shortly before the start of this story, it became known that Suleiman Kerimov decided to sell off the “star” squad of the Makhachkala football club “Anzhi”, which just won bronze medals in the Russian championship and reached the 1/8 finals of the Europa League. And although the problems with Uralkali were resolved quite quickly (Kerimov sold his shares Mikhail Prokhorov), Anji was relegated to the First League the very next season. And another project of Suleiman Kerimov in Dagestan - the Caspian Flat Glass Plant - received a serious blow due to the devaluation of the ruble. The newly launched enterprise was built on foreign currency loans, so the two-fold drop in the exchange rate sharply increased its debt burden, after which the plant was forced to file for technical bankruptcy. In May 2014, it also became known that the charitable foundation of Suleiman Kerimov for the first time in several years did not allocate free quotas for pilgrims from Dagestan, although it was the senator for a long time was the main sponsor of the hajj from the republic. The Hajj campaign, which Kerimov took upon himself, is, of course, a topic for a separate discussion. Since 2007, he has annually allocated money to send over 3 thousand pilgrims to holy places. Even a basic cross-calculation shows that we are talking about tens of millions of sponsorship rubles.
But over the past one and a half to two years, the influence of Suleiman Kerimov in his native republic has gradually recovered. First of all, he managed to establish full control over the Makhachkala airport after the bankruptcy of the Dagestan Airlines company. At the beginning of this year, the son of a billionaire became the main owner of the new company Makhachkala International Airport Said Kerimov. In addition, management close to Kerimov and the State Duma deputy Magomed Gadzhiev, managed to defend the Makhachkala sea trade port, blocking an attempt by Rosmorrechflot to install a convenient leader at the head of MMTP.
True, unlike the airport, which is developing quite successfully, the port was preserved at too high a price - an almost complete cessation of oil transshipment. Nevertheless, the current management of MMSP has finally completed the process of its corporatization, which had been shelved for many years, which means that the port is formally ready for privatization. Ramazan Abdulatipov clearly demonstrated his inability to resolve the conflict around the port, so a certain clarification of the situation around the port was expected with the appointment of the acting head of Dagestan Vladimir Vasiliev. But now Kerimov’s unexpected problems in France are once again confusing all the cards - it’s easy to assume that in his absence other interested forces will once again intensify the fight for the MMTP.
Another point where Kerimov’s absence could seriously affect the balance of power is his hometown Derbent. From that man-made political crisis in Derbent, which Ramazan Abdulatipov initiated shortly before the celebration of his anniversary in 2015, it was Kerimov who emerged as the unexpected winner, who at the height of the events seemed to stand on the sidelines. But just a few days after the festive celebrations, it became known that the Minister of Labor of Dagestan would become the new mayor of Derbent Malik Bagliev, who is considered a fairly close relative of the billionaire.
Suleiman Kerimov consolidated this political success last year during the elections of State Duma deputies and the new convocation of the People's Assembly of Dagestan. At first, without much difficulty (and, most importantly, without much scandal) he managed to get his protege into the Duma Abdulgamida Emirgamzaeva, and then achieve his next reappointment to the Federation Council. Although at the time of Ramazan Abdulatipov’s arrival, the prospects for Kerimov retaining the post of senator were, to put it mildly, not obvious, including due to the presence of foreign assets. But Kerimov transferred beneficial rights to his business assets to the Suleyman Kerimov Foundation, a charitable foundation, and this gave him formal grounds to comply with the tightened legal standards for officials.
The current situation poses very difficult challenges for Kerimov, even for a recognized master of multi-board play. Now his first priority is the court in France. At the same time, the unanimous position of Kerimov’s colleagues in the structures of the Russian government does not at all exclude the fact that among them there are no people who have plans for his assets. The details of the next multi-move, as usual, will be hidden, given Kerimov’s fundamentally non-public position. But the development of events around his Dagestan interests will make it possible to judge quite definitely what kind of remote influence on processes in the republic (and not only) he can have. ]§[
Suleiman Abusaidovich is a well-known billionaire (his fortune as of April 2019 is estimated at $6.3 billion), is a member of the Federation Council from the Republic of Dagestan, heads the Nafta-Moscow financial and industrial group, and owns the Anzhi football club.
Childhood
He was born on March 12, 1966 in Derbent, where Sulik (as his close friends called him) spent his childhood. His father, a lawyer by training, worked in the criminal investigation department, and his mother was an accountant in the Sberbank system. He has a brother, who now works as a doctor, and a sister, a teacher of Russian language and literature.
In his youth, he was fond of judo and kettlebell lifting, and was repeatedly a champion of various championships.
Education and military service
He studied very well, and his favorite subject at school was mathematics. In 1983 he graduated with honors high school No. 18 and entered the Dagestan Polytechnic Institute at the Faculty of Construction.
After all, he was drafted into the army. The young man served in Moscow, in the strategic missile forces. In 1986, being a senior sergeant in the position of crew chief, he was demobilized.
Upon returning from service, he continued his studies, but at the economics department at DSU.
Labor activity
After completing his studies, in 1989 he got a job at the Eltav plant as an ordinary economist, where after five years of work he managed to get the position of assistant general director for economic issues. In 1993, the plant’s management and partners established a bank and registered it in Moscow. Suleiman was sent to represent their interests in the new Fedprombank. Soon the banker already had a controlling stake in the credit institution.
In 1995, Suleiman Abusaidovich was appointed to the post of head of the trade and financial company Soyuz-Finance.
In the spring of 1997 he became a research fellow International Institute corporations, and two years later headed this autonomous non-profit organization as president.
Business and investment projects
In 1999, a new stage in his life began - he bought shares in the Nafta-Moscow oil trading company and began to actively engage in investment and resale transactions. A year later, the company made its first purchase - Varyoganneftegaz.
In November 2005, it acquired 70% of one of the largest gold and silver miners in Russia, Polymetal. A couple of years later, Polymetal was listed on the London Stock Exchange, after which Nafta resold its stake in this holding.
At the same time, his company continued to develop successfully and, through profitable investments made by him during the first years of its leadership, already had a stake in Gazprom and Sberbank (by 2008 it amounted to 4.25% and 5.6%, respectively). However, by mid-2008, Suleiman Abusaidovich himself completely withdrew from the share capital of both structures.
In 2003-2008 Nafta developed the Rublevo-Arkhangelskoye project, also known in the press as the “city of millionaires.” In April 2006, she became a co-owner of Mosstroyekonombank, which owns Smolensky Passage, in June she gained control of the Razvitie SEC, which unites three construction companies, and in July she announced that she owns 17% of Mospromstroy. All packages were then also resold.
In 2007, the entrepreneur invested in Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse and other foreign financial institutions. At the same time, Forbes named him Morgan Stanley's largest private investor.
At the same time, he was engaged in completely different projects. Thus, in 2005, together with the capital’s mayor’s office, the joint telecommunications open joint-stock company Mosteleset was created - the only shareholder of Mostelecom. Two years later, these assets were merged into the National Telecommunications holding and a year later sold to a consortium of investors led by Yuri Kovalchuk’s National Media Group CJSC for $1.5 billion.
At the end of 2006, together with the government of the capital, it was announced the creation of the United Hotel Company, to which the shares of more than 20 hotels on the balance sheet of the city were transferred (including Balchug, Metropol, National and Radisson-Slavyanskaya ). It was assumed that Nafta would be one of the leaders in the Moscow hotel market.
Among the businessman’s other Russian assets at that time were the companies Metronom AG and the operator of the Mercado supermarket chain.
In February 2009, Nafta became the owner of 75% of Glavstroy SPb. In the spring of 2009, under the auspices of the entrepreneur, the reconstruction of the Moscow Hotel began, as a result of which the five-star Four Seasons Hotel with offices and apartments, as well as the Fashion Season shopping gallery, were opened there. In 2015, he first sold the gallery and then the hotel to Alexey Khotin.
In the second quarter of 2009, his structures bought 25% of PIK Group, the largest developer in Russia, whose financial position at that time was precarious. During the first couple of years of his leadership, the group regained financial stability and strengthened its position in the market. In the winter of 2013, the entire stake (which at that time was 38.3%) was sold to Sergei Gordeev and Alexander Mamut.
In the same 2009, Nafta-Moscow bought 37% of Polus Gold, the largest gold producer in the country, from Vladimir Potanin. Over time, this figure increased to 40.22%. In 2012, Polyus held an IPO on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), and at the end of 2015, the rights to 95% of the holding were transferred to it.
In April 2009, he bought 19.71% of the shares and became one of the owners of MFK Bank.
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In June 2010, together with his partners, he acquired 53% of Uralkali (the size of the transaction was estimated at $5.3 billion). For this purchase, he had to take out a decent loan from VTB. In December 2013, he sold a stake in Uralkali to Mikhail Prokhorov (21.75%) and Dmitry Mazepin (19.99%).
In January 2011, Anzhi Makhachkala, part of the Russian football Premier League, came into his possession. In addition, near Makhachkala, a modern Anzhi Arena stadium with a functioning children's Football Academy was built at the billionaire's expense.
In 2013-2014 he sold off most of his resources, while his son, a young businessman Abusaid, bought Cinema Park, a large chain of cinemas, from V. Potanin (the deal was valued at $300 million).
Political activity
From 1999 to 2003, he was a deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the third convocation, and was a member of its security committee. Then, until 2007, he was a deputy of the Duma of the fourth convocation, and also served as deputy chairman of the committee on physical culture, sports and youth affairs.
Since 2008, he has been a member of the Federation Council (FC), and since March 2011 he has represented Dagestan in the upper house of the Russian parliament.
At the end of September 2016, it became known that the oligarch was re-elected to the Federation Council. The decision was made at the People's Assembly, all 86 deputies from the republic voted in favor.
Charity and patronage
In November 2006, in Nice, he was in a car accident and received severe burns. After this, the entrepreneur donated 1 million euros to the Pinocchio charity, which helps children cope with burn injuries.
At the end of 2013, all assets of the enterprises he owned were transferred to the Suleyman Kerimov Foundation, which was founded by the billionaire in 2007. One of his most ambitious undertakings is the reconstruction of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque, the annual Hajj for several thousand Muslims, international youth and cultural festivals, and more.
In 2014, according to Forbes magazine, he was third among richest people Russia, who provided financial assistance charity projects in 2013.
Among other things, he has headed the board of trustees since the founding of the Russian Wrestling Federation in 2006. For many years, his foundation was the main sponsor of this organization, financing, along with the New Perspective support fund, the national program for the development of freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.
Awards
On March 10, 2016, he was awarded the honorary badge of the Dagestan Republic “For love of his native land.”
In turn, FILA awarded him its most prestigious award, the “Golden Order”.
According to the Forbes list, the businessman’s material well-being flourished in 2007-2008: at first he was the seventh richest businessman in the Russian Federation - his fortune was estimated at $12.8 billion. On next year He took eighth place in the ranking, while his fortune grew to $18.4 billion.
In 2016, he was in 45th place with $1.6 billion, in 2017 he became 21st, increasing his fortune to $6.3 billion. In 2018, he rose one place, taking 20th place (his fortune was estimated at $6.4 billion).
Hobbies
In addition to football and martial arts, he loves to surf the sea - for this he owns two yachts - Ice and Millenium, purchased in 2005-2006. One curious fact is connected with the four-deck, ninety-meter yacht Ice - for example, in 2012, its crew rescued nine people whose pleasure boat capsized. In the media, the owner of the ship was awarded another medal for this - “For saving drowning people.”
To travel by air, they use an equally luxurious vehicle - the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) 737-700.
Family status
He met his future wife, Firuza Nazimovna Khanbalaeva, at the university - they studied at the same faculty. The couple have three children. In 1990, a daughter, Gulnara, was born, and five years later, a son, Abusaid. The youngest daughter, Aminat, was born in 2003.
] For six months there was nothing similar on the Internet. Kerimov was somehow not touched; he remained a figure of silence. A professional press service, you say. Loot conquers evil, we answer. Kerimov’s guys brought money to anyone who would take it, placing blocks in his name on the Internet and in Moscow newspapers. But elections are a different story. First there were publications about Surkov’s trip with Abdulaev to his New Year’s holiday at Nafta Moscow. It was nice to see how articles about this appeared and disappeared from computer monitors. For example, why does Vladislav Surkov visit oligarch Kerimov? . Then there were articles about his trips to bow to Medvedev in Sochi in order to promote his candidates for the post of president of our republic. For example, Why didn’t Suleiman Kerimov go to Courchevel.
The headlines did not please with variety, the texts were also simple and had one goal - to tell about what the newspapers would not write. In theory, the texts can still be found online. But why? Let some moral monsters write articles, other moral monsters “take them down.” They receive their stars for their shoulder straps or p**dyles from their bosses.
Today is a new act in the fight against our world's richest senator. The text is unique. The name, however, should have been different. We offer "KERIMOV, REPENT!" (copyright "Wings of Dagestan", drag your money black PR sharks - we improve your texts, we increase your citation rate)
So, text, on stage!
http://versii.com/news/197979/">
Derbent sufferer
When Suleiman Kerimov sits at night in his mansion on Staromonetny Lane, he dreams of Makhachkala and Derbent. For ten years he has been waiting for reciprocity from his native Dagestan and does not find it. Greedy and thieving “compatriots” who feed on his mercy do not count. They have no faith. When, choking from pain, he lay in intensive care on the Cote d'Azur, no one, not one of them thought about him. All these servants - partners, deputies, bandits - were already dividing his money.
No, this flock led by the “Dollar’s mongrel” is not at all the Dagestan he dreams of. The billionaire who conquered Moscow and bought its beauties wants true love from his homeland, but cannot achieve it.
That's why he's depressed again, that's why his life hasn't really worked out. At such hours, his subordinates are afraid to look into his office.
But from the outside it seems: he lives in a fairy tale. Any business projects become gold if Kerimov touches them. He is very rich by the standards of Dagestan, and in all of Russia few people can compare their wallets with him. He wanted to become rich like King Croesus and have 100 billion, but he became lonely like King Midas, because you can’t eat gold and you can’t buy happiness with it.
He really needs power to prove everything. And not the cardboard power of a State Duma deputy. This is for idiots for whom flashy federal license plates on government limousines warm their souls. This is for the jackals who are ready to sell their selfish little soul to anyone, just to move to Moscow, closer to Sheremetyevo-2. Kerimov understood everything about such “power” long ago. Even when he bought a deputy mandate in 1999 from the cynical “son of a lawyer” Zhirinovsky. He quickly became disillusioned with the gatherings on Okhotny Ryad, and after six months he stopped going there altogether.
And now Kerimov would not have become a senator if three years ago his security officer acquaintances had not hinted: there was a recommendation to send him “to prison.” Then I had to go to Mukhu Aliyev - ask for protection and humiliate myself. The old man took pity on him and issued a pass to Bolshaya Dmitrovka, where investigators from the Prosecutor General’s Office have no access. He put Kerimov in a car with a flashing light - “drive, just don’t forget what Dagestan did for you.”
Kerimov later did not forgive this pity, did not keep his oath, and was the first to go against his grandfather. Fate took revenge on Kerimov for this - hope for the presidency of Dagestan again fled from him.
But the most important thing for Kerimov is his homeland, this is Derbent. This is his point of strength. Only here can he prove everything to himself. This was explained to him by the cunning astrologer Pavel Globa, who cannot be trusted. It was he who predicted to Suleiman that on that terrible day he should be afraid of the car. That’s why he didn’t drive his Ferrari like he was used to, that’s why he survived, even though he was burned.
Dagestan is not given to him. The desired power is running away from Kerimov, hiding behind the doors of Kremlin offices, mockingly making faces from the pages of newspapers and the TV screen. This mental torment that he can no longer get rid of. It’s not for nothing that people around him say in a whisper that he is not a patriot of Dagestan - he is a “patrophile”, his desire to own the republic is pathological in nature.
Where did he go wrong? It seems like I did everything right. He studied correctly, got married correctly, built his business and relationships correctly, and sent his spent partners “retired” correctly. When I first thought about becoming president of the republic ten years ago, I immediately took it seriously.
In those years, Dagestan was ruled by the clan of Magomedali Magomedov for the second ten years. This was a leader of the old school, who placed his people everywhere, holding every thread in Dagestan in his hands. Such a person would not simply give power to anyone, except perhaps his son Magomedsalam.
Suleiman Kerimov fought with him for five years. Although there was a moment when the long-lived president saved him from the wrath of the terrible Said Amirov. The warriors of the almighty mayor of Makhachkala were already standing at Suleiman’s door; reprisal was close. And no one stood up for young Kerimov or defended him. Only the experienced Magomedali Magomedov could solve the issue and did. Amir’s nukers “move away” from the careless billionaire. But Kerimov has no place for gratitude in his soul, it’s empty. And again he betrayed his oath and went against the elder.
At first, the federal government had no time to deal with Dagestan and Kerimov’s ambitions - it was hot in Chechnya. But Putin was re-elected for a second term and it became clear that Magomedov would soon have to leave. How Suleiman flew on wings then. He believed and waited: they would call him to the kingdom. They didn't call. His takeover of the Razvitie holding turned out to be very loud. He miscalculated that time. Under Vladimir Vladimirovich, Moscow has become unaccustomed to “shooters.” And when two hundred Kerimov’s fighters with bats and reinforcement stormed the office in Granatny Lane, the Kremlin became seriously tense about it. Gang violence two kilometers from Red Square was no longer approved. As a result, Mukha Aliyev was then appointed president. It turned out that Kerimov tried for something else. Punished his life for wrong actions.
Now, however, Kerimov would not go against Magomedali. Now he knows how close their views are, like his father. Eh, if Magomedali had had a son like Suleiman, if Kerimov had had a father like Magomedov - all of Dagestan would have trembled, power would not have been given to anyone. But Magomedov has his own son, Magomedsalam, and Kerimov has to help him run for president. Here it is, the irony of fate.
And then there was an accident. And for almost a year he could not work at full capacity. His “friends” say that at that time Kerimov’s business “floated”. But even then he did not forget about Dagestan. Tried to be friends with Aliyev. He promised to build factories. Worked for the future. But he didn’t build factories, he quarreled with Aliyev, and he never earned respect in the republic. Of course, there was envy among fellow countrymen of Kerimov’s billions. But this is completely different.
Then he decided to follow his usual path of “mergers and acquisitions.” I didn’t spare any money for this. “I took it” everywhere I could, both in Moscow and Dagestan. To Old Square and Banny Lane. In Okhotny Ryad - actually, I bought a standing Dagestan cell. Everything here was familiar to him. And soon Kremlin officials flocked to Kerimov’s luxurious corporate parties, and as a return favor they organized meetings for Suleiman with the guarantor of the constitution himself.
In Dagestan it was more difficult. There are relationships here. Kerimov, although rich, is some kind of stranger, especially since he quarreled with his relatives (for the Caucasus this is a diagnosis). They can, of course, take the money, but this does not guarantee anything. We had to buy supporters indiscriminately, whoever we had. According to the principle of Boris Berezovsky, who in 2003 recruited swindlers, bandits and schizophrenics into the anti-Putin opposition. Anyone who agreed to accept money from his hands.
So Kerimov’s “party of money suckers” gathered from the pine forest. Some heads of districts, some deputies of the People's Assembly, some people's judges, some “forest brothers”. Everything is flavorful.
It was more offensive when they didn’t take it. So, Mukha Aliyev sent his chief road worker Magomedrasul Omarov, who came to him from Kerimov with 50 million dollars, so that the president would not interfere with Suleiman in deciding the fate of Dagestan in Moscow.
To fuel the Kremlin’s desire for “change” in Dagestan, Kerimov orchestrated the elections in Derbent last year. Residents of the city itself were in no hurry to help the billionaire, although they paid them exorbitant amounts of money for the republic for their votes. We had to hire extras from all the southern regions of Dagestan and transport them on buses a hundred kilometers away. And again, his fighters, under the command of Kerimov’s main assistant, Magomed Gadzhiev, “Fixies,” destroyed and stormed. So much so that Derbent overnight became a world-famous center of armed struggle for democracy. He also wanted to make noise in the North, but Saigidpasha Umakhanov did not allow it, he said “this is a bad thing for Dagestan” and sent Kerimov’s henchmen home.
A great cry arose around Derbent. Everyone immediately began to see off Mukha Aliyev’s retirement. And again Kerimov went too far. Politics is not business. I should have been more subtle. Here " United Russia“I didn’t include him in the list of contenders for the coveted place. And it was not him, but the Siberian Khloponin who was appointed to the position of responsible for the Caucasus.
Suleiman Kerimov is suffering now: his dream has not come true. Again they gave him a cruel dismissal, like a boy in love. How happy is he that he managed to come to an agreement with two candidates from the list of the party in power? There is special attention now to the Caucasus. You can’t go to Khloponin with money. He himself is not a poor guy and he has his own dream. Khloponin will not play other people’s games now. So, I agreed, I didn’t agree, it’s still not fate to steer as much as I wanted.
So Kerimov sits in his office at night. The driver and security are waiting for him. An armored limousine is parked. The press service does not go home - it is looking for an answer on the Internet as to why it is not possible to seduce Dagestan.
And the answer is simple. If you are surrounded not by friends, but by a pack, if instead of good deeds for the republic you have “deeds”, if you responded with ingratitude to everyone who helped you, then all this will come back to you. Boomerang. And no magicians or sorcerers will help you hide from this, and no “friends” with the faces of murderers will help you avoid this. Only by understanding that the true value and meaning of life are honest, correct actions will Suleiman be able to cure his mental illness and return to his homeland as a worthy son.
What will Dagestanis lose if the oligarch leaves?
Caucasian media today are discussing the possible refusal of the acting. Deputy Prime Minister of the Dagestani government Oleg Lipatov from his post and his possible return to Moscow. The intrigue is that Lipatov is a man from Suleiman Kerimov’s team.
He was appointed deputy prime minister of the Dagestan cabinet shortly before the resignation of Magomedsalam Magomedov. And before that, he headed Suleiman Kerimov’s Nafta-Moscow company. It was assumed that in Dagestan Lipatov would be involved in attracting investments into the republic.
However, today, with the change of power, the question has arisen not only of Lipatov’s departure, but also of the curtailment of Suleiman Kerimov’s investment and social projects in Dagestan. Will such a turn affect the republic and the lives of ordinary people - in the answers of Dagestan experts.
Rumors about departure
Thus, the other day, the Caucasian Knot reported, citing a source close to businessman Suleiman Kerimov, that the acting deputy chairman of the government of Dagestan, Oleg Lipatov, resigned from his position and flew to Moscow.
As the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent learned from unofficial sources, shortly after the appointment of Ramazan Abdulatipov as acting head of Dagestan, Lipatov flew to Kerimov for a consultation.
“If Lipatov really refused to work in the new government, this is obviously due to the fact that he did not find mutual understanding with the new leadership of the republic on the main directions - the construction of the “New City” and the privatization of the Makhachkala airport - that is, those two tasks for the solution of which he was sent to the republic by Suleiman Kerimov,” says economic observer of the Dagestan weekly “New Business” Andrei Melamedov.
However, the administration of the head of the republic did not confirm this information at that time. Dagestan analyst, editor-in-chief of the weekly “Present Time” Milrad Fatullaev, however, believes that Lipatov’s departure can still be spoken of as a fait accompli.
Curtailment of investments
According to Milrad Fatullaev, Lipatov’s departure was predictable. Experts foresaw his resignation. The first evidence of a different attitude towards him on the part of the new government is that his position was demoted from first deputy prime minister to acting. an “ordinary” deputy prime minister.
“According to the information I have, he flew to Moscow for a consultation with Suleiman Kerimov on February 12. Following these consultations, it was decided that he would leave new line-up Abdulatipov’s government,” Fatullayev tells Caucasian Politics.
“I explain this by the fact that, most likely, there is no continuity in those investment projects that were started under Magomedsalam Magomedov. Let us remember that then we were talking about work to attract investments and supervise on-site implementation of Kerimov’s projects,” the expert noted.
This is the modernization of the Makhachkala Uytash airport, the Makhachkala sea commercial port, construction of a modern Caspian sheet glass plant, etc. “The departure of Oleg Lipatov will seriously affect the prospects for their implementation,” Fatullaev noted.
However, I believe that the decision to terminate the implementation of investment projects will be made by Kerimov only if the political situation in Dagestan changes. “And it is changing,” the expert notes.
He draws attention to the fact that the team that is forming around Ramazan Abdulatipov and Kerimov’s team are different groups that support different politicians. And since most of If Dagestan's assets end up in the hands of Ramazan Abdulatipov's team, this could lead to a halt in Kerimov's projects.
Project "Anji"
However, Kerimov is not only a business, but also social projects. We addressed our questions regarding Suleiman Kerimov’s support for sports projects, primarily the Anzhi football team, to the deputy editor-in-chief of the weekly Youth of Dagestan Albert Mehtikhanov:
What do you think the support of Anzhi by Suleiman Kerimov gave to Dagestan and the Dagestan youth?
It has given a lot, a strong football team has emerged that glorifies Dagestan. Both within the Russian championship, and now on the international stage. In addition, we know how much the popularity of football has increased.
In Dagestan, now in every courtyard, on every artificial field, everywhere where young people gather, they play football. It’s clear that not everyone will become a star like Samuel Eto’o.
But even when friends just get together and play football, it means health, clean air, healthy image life, they don’t smoke or drink. In fact, football is now very popular in Dagestan, young people gather, play there, play here, in free areas.
Many artificial fields were laid around the city in different places. Everywhere, from morning to evening, young people play football. “Anji” Suleiman Kerimov is like a star for them, whose example they follow. Some new, positive guideline.
If such support suddenly stops, what could this lead to?
"Anji" will again become an ordinary, average, small club. “Anji” will no longer fight for big goals, and viewer interest will drop greatly. It is clear that without the support of Suleiman Kerimov, Anzhi will not have those opportunities.
Maybe it won’t return to the second division, but it will drop to 15th place in the Russian Premier League. This won't make anyone happy.
Is it necessary to bring Dagestan football to the all-Russian level at such a cost?
There are no other recipes in football. As practice shows, all the most strong clubs both in the world and in Russia, these are clubs that have a good budget. In football, the results are made by the masters, and they cost a lot of money, and they need to be paid a good salary.
There is not a single example of teams with small budgets becoming champions. You can't win anything in football with two pennies. Just as you can’t start a big business without start-up capital and professionals, you can’t win in football without a budget and professionals.
Social projects and charity
In addition to sports projects, Suleiman Kerimov also became known for his support of numerous social projects in Dagestan - helping the seriously ill, the poor, sending believers on the Hajj.
The head of the Nadezhda Charitable Foundation, Timur Gadzhizharaev, tells us about the scale of this assistance, its specifics and whether the population of Dagestan will feel its cessation:
To what extent did Suleiman Kerimov and his Foundation support social projects in Dagestan to help those in need?
As for the charitable activities of Suleiman Kerimov and his Foundation to help those in need, this help was clearly not advertised or advertised. People know little about this help. Because this was done unsystematically, somehow fragmentarily, somehow individually.
There are rumors that this one was helped, that one... He did it without covering this work in the media at all. As a result, few people in the republic know about his social projects. This has both a minus and a plus. The plus is that he, I hope, did it sincerely, for the people, without thinking about PR.
But the downside is that if you approach charity unsystematically, it turns out that a lot of people profit from it, who feed around charity and warm their hands on it.
Therefore, if if Kerimov’s activity in Dagestan curtails, such assistance to people stops, I think the broad masses will not notice this. But at the same time, the Suleiman Kerimov Foundation helped seriously ill children a lot. But this work went on without Kerimov’s connection to Dagestan. This work, I am sure, will continue in the future.
But again, if we compare Kerimov’s approach to promoting Anzhi, in which he invested fabulous amounts of money, and his approach to charity, the comparison is clearly not in favor of social projects.
This is not only the problem of Suleiman Kerimov, this is generally the problem of many businessmen, the fact that they are slightly underperforming socially. This is probably due to the lack of local personnel and specialists who could take responsibility. This is probably the problem.
For example, take his approach to Anzhi. We see that all resources were connected here: management, financing, PR, training, etc. It was a powerful PR move. Few are able to appreciate this move and its significance for Dagestan.
But at the same time, there is an ambiguous and ambivalent attitude towards the Anji project in Dagestan. Because many Dagestanis reproach him for pumping so much money into one project. People say, “It would be better if he helped his people”, “It would be better if he helped the youth get an education”...
But what about the high-profile programs of the Suleiman Kerimov Foundation to send Dagestani believers to the Hajj? Isn't this advertising?
As for the Hajj, that’s a different question. It is difficult to overestimate what Kerimov is doing for Dagestani believers. This is very important for Dagestanis. How many people were sent to the Hajj at his expense - these are thousands and thousands of people.
People appreciate this very much. That is why Dagestanis, among whom there is a high percentage of believers, know Kerimov precisely because of his support for Hajj issues. But again, let's return to the issue of efficiency.
If Suleiman Kerimov and other businessmen of his level, in matters of helping their people, used the same technologies for achieving guaranteed success that are used in business, this would give more people and the younger generation and the entire republic...
Will the common people feel Kerimov's departure from the republic if this happens?
I think this question would not have arisen at all if all of Kerimov’s programs in Dagestan had been effectively implemented locally and the work had been clearly defined. Then this question would not even be raised today.
Signing of a contract between Caspian Flat Glass Plant OJSC and Indotherm Furnaces & Engineers
Take his project for the Caspian Glass Factory. I was recently at the presentation of this project. This project has a powerful social significance. Of course, Kerimov understands that there is no way to make big money at this glass factory.
This project is, first of all, job creation. This is precisely a social project. Therefore, Dagestan really needs the funds of such rich people as Suleiman Kerimov. Another question is that they do not have enough people, management resources, and local professionals to ensure that these funds are used with maximum benefit for people.
The glass factory project is being implemented by Englishman Jeremy Tindall. He has been leading this project in Dagestan for two years now. I asked him about the human resources potential of Dagestan in light of the implementation of this project.
He answered in the spirit that everyone likes to blame for the lack of personnel. It’s as if the frames are mushrooms growing on their own after the rain. Personnel is a difficult product, the result of serious, great work.
According to him, the most effective investment is investing in human resources. I did not notice this understanding among the Dagestan oligarchs. There is little investment in people. We have a bunch of universities here in Makhachkala, which educate just zeros who come out of there.
It goes on and on. And therefore, creating enterprises without developing personnel is throwing money away. The foreigner’s answers are right on point. Again, the problem is that there is a lack of understanding on the ground, in government, in society.
In addition, Suleiman Kerimov is a very private figure. We actually don’t see him speaking, speaking or communicating with the Dagestani people anywhere. I think this is his weak side.
He receives virtually no information about the needs of the common people. Ordinary people do not know what their tasks are. But it is in communication that people get to know each other, each other’s problems and interact more effectively. It is this communication and interaction that Kerimov and other Dagestan businessmen lack.
The Dagestanis entertain hopes that he will switch to this model of work. That he will rely on Dagestan youth and will invest in human resources. And it won’t take long to wait; it will quickly bear fruit.
By the way, when we talked with Jeremy, he said: “Your businessmen love to talk about everything: about cars, about projects, about technology, but they never talk about people, and that’s their biggest problem.”
Expert skepticism
And finally, we will again give the floor to Milrad Fatullaev. In his commentary to Caucasian Politics, he noted that, according to some sources, Suleiman Kerimov himself gave instructions that projects already being implemented should be continued.
This concerns primarily two socially significant projects - a glass factory in Kaspiysk and the Anzhi football club. According to the expert, we can count on the Anji project to continue to exist.
Moreover, quite recently another famous football player was bought, and this happened when it was known that Magomedov would retire. “This means that there are no plans to liquidate the club; as far as I know, this project has been agreed upon with the Kremlin,” he notes.
According to him, until these agreements are revised, financing of Anji will continue. “But on the other hand, if we remember what kind of policy Mukhu Aliyev pursued regarding Kerimov’s projects, then we can assume that some obstacles will be created today,” writes Fatullayev.
According to him, under the first president of Dagestan, Kerimov had a project that planned to create sports bases from Kizlyar to Derbent, there were projects to build hotels and stadiums so that the republic could take part in the World Cup in 2018.
“But these projects were not implemented because they were actively opposed by Mukhu Aliyev. It is possible that the same thing will happen now,” Milrad Fatullayev notes with skepticism.
Material prepared by Diana Ramazanova and Ilyas Bukarov
Information and Analytical Center FLNKA
Interpol is no longer looking for Suleiman Kerimov. Today, the international police blocked the sanction for the search and detention of the co-owner of Uralkali, which was issued by the Belarusian prosecutor's office.
Kerimov himself continues to bargain for Uralkali. He is ready to sell his share in the company to businessman Vladimir Kogan, close to Putin, but only if he, Kerimov, is given back his lost influence in his native Dagestan.
Kerimov is a Lezgin by nationality, born in Derbent. While the head of Dagestan was Dargin Magomedsalam Magomedov, the billionaire was actually the main person of the republic. And his partner, general director of Nafta Moscow Oleg Lipatov, is the first vice-premier of Dagestan.
When the government changed and the Avar Ramazan Abdulatipov became the president of Dagestan, Kerimov’s influence began to decline, and Lipatov was fired from the government.
Why does Kerimov need Dagestan, and what interests might he have there? We discussed it with Beslan Uspanov, editor-in-chief of Caucasian Politics.
Zygar: Has Suleiman Kerimov really lost so much of his influence in Dagestan? Could he now have the opportunity to bargain and regain lost ground?
Uspanov: You know, his influence needs to be shared somehow. Undoubtedly, Suleiman Kerimov was and, in principle, remains today a fairly influential person not only in Dagestan, but also in Russia. Because this is a person from that kind of oligarchs who are not Russian oligarchs, but world oligarchs. That is, he is a fairly famous person. As for his region specifically, Dagestan, this man has long earned a reputation for himself as a person who does a lot for his fellow countrymen. There is no need to discount the charity that is provided to citizens.
Zygar: Charity is one thing, real influence is another. It was rumored that for several years Kerimov was the person who resolved all issues in Dagestan.
Uspanov: Under Magomedov. Because it was through Kerimov’s means that Magomedov came to power in Dagestan. Moreover, the Kremlin was betting on this connection in the sense that thanks to them Dagestan would bloom. Unfortunately, this did not happen.
Zygar: In fact, Kerimov acted as such a Roman Abramovich for Dagestan? But he didn't.
Uspanov: Let’s just say that with the arrival of Ramazan Abdulatipov this winter, it became clear that with the departure of Magomedsalam, Suleiman Kerimov’s position in Dagestan would immediately deteriorate. This is what you and I are observing. The scenario that exists today was already predicted when there were rumors that Ramazan Gadzhimuradovich would come.
Zygar: How can he regain his position? If at all possible.
Uspanov: If this information and this initiative are reliable, and I do not discount it, in any case, in today’s situation, Suleiman Kerimov, with all his authority, has no real opportunity to gain a foothold in Dagestan. Because today the head of Dagestan made his bet on the Magomedov brothers.
Kremer: And who can change his position depend on? Change of influence? What kind of conversations need to happen for him to strengthen his position again?
Uspanov: You see, returning to our conversation, Suleiman Kerimov is not some kind of whipping boy who can be so easily dismissed. Apparently, he has his own levers, thanks to which...
Kremer: What levers?
Uspanov: He is trying to somehow influence this situation, but if you ask me, I think that there is no chance here. Alternatively, all this delay with Uralkali will play into his hands and the shares will rise.
Zygar: How closely is the situation in Dagestan controlled by the Magomedov brothers and is there any place for Suleiman Kerimov? Conditionally, if he offers a package of any conditions, for example, returning Oleg Lipatov to the government or introducing some other of his people. Or will the Magomedovs and Kerimovs fail to reach an agreement?
Uspanov: I take into account the nationality of Suleiman Kerimov (in Dagestan the leading roles have always been occupied by Avars, Dargins, Kumyks, and he has nothing to do with these nationalities, he is a Lezgin), Suleimanov can support someone. But given the current state of Dagestan, where there is a clan system (this has always been the case), today, in fact, the Avar is the president, the oligarchs are Avars, there are Avars all around. They control each and every project that was once promised to Suleiman Kerimov: the Makhachkala port, the Makhachkala airport, coastal resort areas. Today everything is little by little falling under the influence of the Magomedov brothers. The Anji project, which collapsed, was a real image project that allowed him to increase his influence.
Zygar:“Anzhi” will not somehow go to the Magomedovs?
Uspanov: Ramazan Gadzhimuradovich once expressed the idea that it is high time to develop hockey in Dagestan. So I wouldn’t be surprised if the Anzhi hockey team appears in Dagestan, which will be sponsored by the Magomedov brothers.
