Lie detector for Alexey Rakhmanov

An interesting press conference was held in the Rosbalt news Agency: "What is slowing shipbuilding in Russia down?" And already at the press conference, which was held "live", we, the journalists, learned that the International Anti-corruption Committee and the National Research Institute of Corruption Problems conducted analytical studies. In the course of these studies, serious problems were revealed in the development of shipbuilding, for which the United Shipbuilding Corporation is responsible.

At the press conference, acute problems with the modernization of the heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov were also touched upon: experts discussed in detail the schemes of interaction between USC and various companies. And as a vivid example of corruption, the history of interaction between the Department of Alexey Rakhmanov and the company JSC Investments. Engineering. Construction. (JSC I.E.C., Saint Petersburg).

Looking ahead, we note: today the JSC Investments. Engineering. Construction. company due to corruption in the USC is forced to spend long hours on trials, pass endless checks and lose not only a lot of money, but also precious time: work with the docking of the Admiral Kuznetsov cruiser is almost stopped.

Why did this shocking story happen? And what is the role of the head of USC Alexey Rakhmanov personally in this story? Aren’t there any mercantile interests of Mr. Rakhmanov himself in this dark story?

The correspondent of The Moscow Post studied the these shipbuilding "details".

Extreme corruption

Let us recall that JSC USC has existed for more than 13 years: the corporation was established in 2007 by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation from 21.03.2007.

But for the first time, the idea of creating USC became known at the end of 2006. What goals were set then, more than 13 years ago? It was planned to reform the industry by creating a state corporation, but it was decided to organize a joint-stock company, where 100% of the stocks are owned by the state.

Experts of the round table confidently expressed that the corruption component in USC went up with the arrival of Alexey Rakhmanov to the corporation: this happened in 2014.

"USC has turned into a "black hole" that constantly requires budget support," said Sergey Sapronov, Director of the National Research Institute of Corruption Problems. – The total debt of USC is 150 billion rubles. In May 2020, the corporation adopted a financial recovery program totaling 68 billion rubles, of which 30 billion rubles were net subsidies, and the rest of the money went to debt restructuring."

And here it is enough to look around to understand that "something is rotten in the state of Denmark." For example, the situation at PJSC Amur Shipbuilding Plant (part of the USC) in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The Amur Shipyard is constantly experiencing financial hunger. The key factors of the loss for 2018 were the high cost of orders, the loss from the implementing of the corvette project 20380 order, interest accrual in the amount of more than 1,190 billion rubles: loans were attracted due to insufficient funding. A series of "Amur" corvettes project 20380 was cut by a third.

The head of USC Alexey Rakhmanov

And the plant is building only 4 corvettes of project 20380 of the "guarding" type instead of 6. the Reduction is caused, again, due to reduced funding.

What else did Mr. Rakhmanov promise and fail to fulfill? The list is long... There were problems with the construction of fishing vessels under the Nautic Rus project at the Northern Shipyard. How is the modernization of the Northern Shipyard going? Neither good, nor bad, in fact, nothing is done. And the scheme of action is surprisingly similar - termination of the contract for the modernization of the dock with the largest St. Petersburg contractor JSC Metrostroy, stopping construction, redesigning and determining a new contractor that is not related to hydraulic engineering in principle. The Agency wanted to build krill fishing vessel. Is the krill fishing vessel being constructed? It turns out that it is not. Construction of PKS-180 ships has been frozen.

The Ministry of Science and Education ordered 2 research vessels: 30 billion rubles were allocated for this purpose. But there is also a stop on the way.

Strong irritation is caused by the USC enterprises in the military: Rakhmanov's Department constantly violates the execution of the state defense order. For a long time, the deadlines for the delivery of logistics support vessels were disrupted - these are the vessels: Elbrus, Vsevolod Bobrov and Captain Shevchenko.

Let us recall that Alexey Rakhmanov, when he came to USC, promised to build 180 new ships for various purposes.

We also recall that back in mid-2014, Alexey Rakhmanov gave a very loud interview, where he outlined his minimum and maximum program. He promised to create a full-fledged management company that would be the centre of major decision-making. The head of USC promised to centralize a number of key functions: it was about finance, about the function of personnel management, about logistics, and also about engineering. Rakhmanov promised to restructure USC in 2 months.

But it's been 6 years... USC is sinking deeper into the quagmire of problems! And extreme corruption. This is especially evident in the story of JSC Investments. Engineering. Construction.: it was with this well-known St. Petersburg company that USC signed a contract in July 2019 for the reconstruction and construction of a dry dock at 35 SRZ - ship repair plant (this is a branch of Zvezdochka) for 23.7 billion rubles.

"Bring your stocks"

Recall past events: in 2017, the aircraft carrier heavy cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov returned home from a campaign in Syria. In 2018, it was put on long-term repairs. The contract for 86 billion rubles for ship modernization was awarded to the Zvezdochka Shipbuilding Centre.

Letter from the Ministry of Industry and Trade about allocating 13,421 billion rubles for implementing the project, dated 29.04.2019

At first, the Admiral Kuznetsov vessel was repaired in the PD-50 floating dock at the 82nd Rosneft ship repair plant. In October 2018, an emergency occurred: the floating dock sank, and there was no place to repair the ship of such a large displacement.

Then it was decided to combine the two dock chambers of the Zvezdochka Shipbuilding Centre to get one large dock. And to modernize the Admiral Kuznetsov cruiser. In the future, the dock will be used for the repair and maintenance of 3rd and 4th generation submarines.

USC started looking for a contractor for the work. And chose the St. Petersburg JSC I.E.C. company of Gleb Yevtushenko, which had built more than a hundred hydraulic structures for various purposes - from major ports to embankments by that time.

"JSC I.E.C. had the appropriate sophisticated equipment and qualified specialists," the analytical study says, "but, judging by the facts, Alexey Rakhmanov's task was to actually give the project with such billions to some "own" company, because it is easier to cut budget funds".

RECONSTRUCTION AND TECHNICAL RE-EQUIPMENT OF THE 2-CHAMBER DRY DOCK AT 35 SHIP REPAIR PLANT
WORK SCHEDULE, STAGE 2

"Perhaps Alexey Rakhmanov just used a trick, took time, and, as a result, the contract with JSC I.E.C. was terminated. Gleb Yevtushenko's company received less than 5% of the funds allocated for the project as an advance. And the story continued", the special report of the International Corruption Committee and the National Research Institute of Corruption Problems says.

As the Director of the Research Institute of Corruption Problems Sergey Sapronov told at a press conference in Rosbalta, almost immediately representatives of the USC tried to put the I.E.C. company under personal financial control. Apparently, for their own benefit. There have been several attempts of raider capture of JSC I.E.C. through Regional Construction and Installation Management LLC.

They say that the Regional Construction and Installation Management LLC company - controlled by USC, and, according to experts, was unsinkable: at first, this company simply received a decision from USC to approve it as a new general contractor, and then became the main subcontractor of Orgenergostroy (OES).

Documents about agreement between JSC Zvezdochka, JSC USC and Regional Construction and Installation Management LLC

It is quite obvious that corrupt officials were afraid of such a direct introduction of a one-day company without its own equipment and workers. And they hid it "behind the back" of the new contractor, imposing it on the main subcontractor.

What is the result? The construction is stopped. And the investigation is underway, which, obviously, can bring to light the entire corruption scheme of Regional Construction and Installation Management LLC and USC functionaries closely associated with Regional Construction and Installation Management LLC.

However, an unpleasant fact became famous: Regional Construction and Installation Management LLC as it turned out, stole the materials at JSC PYLON. And used them in the construction. The fact is that JSC PYLON in May of this year, 2020, offered USC to build the object together with JSC I.E.C. in the contractual terms.

But USC allegedly didn't see this letter!

Letter from CJSC PYLON to JSC USC and JSC Zvezdochka about the intention to resume the work

Wild violations on the construction site

When did Orgenergostroy appear at the arena?

On June 18 of this year, it became known that the General Director of USC Alexey Rakhmanov instructed the Zvezdochka shipbuilding center to sign a contract for work with Orgenergostroy. Orgenergostroy was chosen as if in a closed competition out of 7 companies, based on evidence of "sufficient financial stability".

After the choosing, the term of docking the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier in the document was designated May 2021.

But according to the head of JSC I.E.C. Gleb Yevtushenko, this is fundamentally impossible. And this fact can only be qualified as deliberate misleading of all participants in the process, from the Supreme commander to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the manager of budget billions.

So, a new contractor, the Orgenergostroy company (OES), appeared on the construction site.

The embankment was not made according to the project, instead of a temporary bridge. The project provides for the immersion of the steel pipe sheet pile only "from the water". There is a violation of environmental standards and immersion technology.

What is happening today, after a few months? At the construction site with the new contractor, all contractual terms were disrupted. Under the contract, Orgenergostroy promised to commission the first stage of the dock in September 2020. However, it is December, and less than 50% of the work volume has been completed. This is the conclusion of the experts.

The question arises: why does USC not terminate the contract with Orgenergostroy, as with the previous contractor? Doesn't set requirements for a Bank guarantee? Does not compensate the state for damages?

The Orgenergostroy company together with Regional Construction and Installation Management LLC as a contractor, is likely to be controlled by the same USC. The docking period is irrevocably disrupted for at least a year. But if the contract was performed by the previous contractor, the first stage would have been completed exactly on time!

Expert opinion on the progress of the project

In addition, Orgenergostroy performs work very slowly (due to lack of experience and necessary skills?), which is contrary to the approved project documentation of the first stage. In this regard, the general designer JSC Soyuzproektverf refused to perform author supervision. As a result, significant changes were made to the design, with critical deviations from the design and estimate documentation approved by the federal autonomous institution Glavgosexpertiza (FAI Glavgosexpertiza).

First, instead of sinking the steel pipe sheet pile from a temporary bridge (as the investigation found out – stolen from CJSC PYLON by Regional Construction and Installation Management LLC), Orgenergostroy unloaded breakstone into the water area. And there is already talk of environmental damage. Further - the steel pipe sheet pile is submerged on dry land, the price for a dry dive is 20 times lower than from water, as stipulated by the project and estimates!

According to the project approved by the expert review, the equipment for diamond cutting and concrete hydraulic washing of the lintels between the docks should be used. Drilling and blasting operations should be carried out on the bottom of the dock. As you can see in the photo - neither one nor the other is present. Instead, just a couple of excavators with hydraulic hammers, which is prohibited in principle by the construction plan

Secondly, the steel pipe sheet pile is not submerged according to the project: the pile numbers are mixed up, the sheet pile does not reach the design mark and it is cut off, which significantly affects the stability of the lintel! And this is the pressure of a huge mass of water.

Third, the lintel of the dock is broken by hydraulic hammers instead of diamond cutting, which is faster and cheaper. But the project provides for a gentle mode of dismantling, so there are many complaints from residents of Murmansk. It is particularly important that the existing caisson gates (waterproof closures - ed.) are threatened. And the dynamic load from the hydraulic hammers exceeds all permissible standards and puts the entire structure at risk of flooding!

Orgenergostroy performs the functions of general designer and general contractor in one person. This is nonsense! It turns out like this: they draw estimates themselves and confirm what they want. And get the money.

Who will be responsible for this construction mess?

Thus, the desire of corrupt officials to cut public funds to the detriment of Russia's interests exceeded all possible limits.

JSC I.E.C. was ideally suited to perform the functions of a general contractor at this facility. The expert opinion clearly shows: JSC I.E.C. in September 2020 would have already completed the first stage by 100% in the declared by GlavGosExpertiza of the Russian Federation 6.645 billion rubles against the original 7.7 billion rubles. Moreover, JSC I.E.C. has not received any complaints from the customer either in terms of quality or timing. The contract was terminated under article 717 of the civil code of the Russian Federation, which implies the unilateral right of the customer to terminate the contract without explanation and to pay the contractor all losses.

The question is - at whose expense? At the expense of the state that allocates subsidies to USC?

Thus, there is no dock or upgraded cruiser. There is only corruption! At the same time, the main equipment used in the construction of the dock belonged to JSC I.E.C. and was withdrawn through schemes organized by the Orgenergostroy company with leasing companies.

Gleb Yevtushenko was forced to appeal to the head of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolay Patrushev. In his address, G. N. Yevtushenko said that "the customer has created conditions in which the reconstruction of the dock becomes impossible."

Letter from JSC I.E.C. to Security Council of the Russian Federation about the failure of the terms of docking of the Admiral Kuznetsov during the implementation of the agreement No. 13620 dated 05.07.19.

"JSC I.E.C. fulfilled all obligations under the contract in accordance with the schedule," the analytical report says – "the actions of the General Director of USC Alexey Rakhmanov caused damage to the state in the amount of 1 billion rubles."

Already at a press conference in Rosbalt, a proposal was made: check the head of USC Rakhmanov on a lie detector in order to get answers to all questions...

The aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov was built 35 years ago

It was necessary to apply to the Prosecutor General's office of the Russian Federation.

The response of the Prosecutor General's office - in confirmation that the USC was negligent in the control.

Letter from The Prosecutor General's office of the Russian Federation to JSC I.E.C. concerning the appeal received from the Security Council of the Russian Federation about illegal actions of JSC Zvezdochka ship repair centre during the reconstruction of the dry dock. 02.09.2020

This answer from the General Prosecutor of the Russian Federation confirmed that the contract was terminated under article 717 of the civil code, the provision of bank guarantees was impossible that the advancing was 6-month delay. And the last - that the OES company was working with violations of both time and quality.

Letter from The Prosecutor General's office of the Russian Federation to JSC I.E.C. 20.11.2020

Let us recall that today the enterprises of the United Shipbuilding Corporation under the leadership of Alexey Rakhmanov owed the state more than 150 billion rubles. This figure was announced by experts during the press conference "What is slowing shipbuilding in Russia down?"

Meanwhile, Alexey Rakhmanov promises to modernize the aircraft-carrying heavy cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov just in time. Experts say this is unrealistic. And they really offer to check the head of the USC on a lie detector: how long can he mislead the public and the President of the Russian Federation?

TO BE CONTINUED