Traber’s trail was seen at the Marine Oil Terminal.
A little that Guskov is right away
Businessman and former politician Andrei Guskov was sentenced to three and a half years in prison due to theft of shares in the largest oil transshipment and storage complex in Crimea, the Marine Oil Terminal (MNT).
The court considered that Guskov tried to steal the assets of the oil terminal from his friend Viktor Khmarin Vladimir Kruglov, since Kruglov was afraid of international sanctions.
Meanwhile, the interests of a much more authoritative entrepreneur, who is called the night governor of St. Petersburg Ilya Traber, can be “protected” in history. Details – in the material of the correspondent of The Moscow Post in Crimea.
Formally, Feodosia oil depot was acquired by Gunas JSC in 2019. At that time, the main beneficiary of Gunas was the retired colonel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the head of the regional branch of the government funeral organization GBU Ritual Valentin Dorosh. He also gave journalists comments about the acquisition. The investigation considers him a confidant of Guskov.
Photo: Evgeny Pavlenko/Kommersant
But already in 2021, when it became obvious that the shares of the oil terminal were allegedly stolen, the name of Kruglov surfaced. Moreover, in the context of his business relations with OOO Nefteservice with the famous lawyer Viktor Khmarin, who is called a classmate of Vladimir Putin. Many are now trying to connect their last name with the President of the Russian Federation, so they will not take such assurances at face value. We can only say for certain that Khmarin’s son is also Victor, in 2015 he headed RusHydro.
It was necessary to think with whom to cooperate
As for Mr. Guskov, this personality is at least legendary. In 2002, in an incomprehensible way, he managed to become the general director of North-West Shipping Company JSC for a short time, where he previously worked as a hired manager. According to rumors, he allegedly persuaded several top managers to vote at a shareholder meeting in favor of this decision.
Later, the conflict formed on this basis passed into the power stage – with the participation of law enforcement officers, which was occupied by the company’s office. Guskov was removed from his post, but during this period he could have time to withdraw part of the company’s assets. At least, sources familiar with the situation assure that during the leadership of Guskov, realizing that sooner or later it would end, everything was stolen at the NWP – up to the chandeliers.
Guskov also managed to work at Gazprom – as the general director of the “subsidiary” structure – Khimservis. He tried his luck in politics – he was a member of the expert council under the committee on agrarian issues of the State Duma and the committee on agro-industrial policy of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation.
But most of all we are now interested in the question – why did this “respected” citizen go on a scam that cost him his freedom almost 20 years after he allegedly turned something similar into the “NSR”? Even in the period when the “echo of the 90s” was still sounded, his “shop” was quickly closed. Was Guskov now ready to go against a person who is associated with the most influential figures?
And Kruglov himself is not a ski. This is a large businessman whose capital invested in the purchase of MNT clearly shows the level of influence of the entrepreneur. As for Khmarin, he also has a lot of business, sea – including receiving state contracts.
So, there is reason to believe that Guskov may be a larger figure with interests in the field of port assets.
Shadow of Traber
We managed to find out that Kruglov’s interests intersect in Baltic Methanol LLC (from 23.07.2020 to 18.11.2021 he was the founder), potentially Guskov (through Mercury Asset Management Management, which appeared in the chain of firms through which the latter made up the intricate chain of ownership of MNT), and the “authoritative” entrepreneur Ilya Traber (until April 2022 he was the founder).
The latter has repeatedly been called the “shadow governor” of St. Petersburg. He owns a large number of assets in the city, behind the mass of cases related to maritime assets in the Northern capital, his personality looms.
After Traber, Deberdeev Ramis Alekseevich, Begun Artem Alexandrovich, Sizov Andrey Andreevich and Poltorak Igor Sergeevich joined the founders of BM. And a little later, the Industrial Partners fund is still managed by Mercury Asset Management. Kruglov, a few months before, was removed from the founders.
Deberdeev and Runner, together with Traber, are co-owners of Rostock LLC, and most likely represent his interests. Together with Runner, Traber “ran” through the courts to due to the conflict at LOESK. The Moscow Post has repeatedly and in detail described the chain of ties of entrepreneurs with an “authoritative” businessman.
Photo: https://www.rusprofile.ru
The phrase “corporate conflict” can quite often be heard in conversations about business, where Traber has a stake. For example, Axel Group is now suing one of the co-owners, Alexei Bezobrazov, who sued Traber and Deberdeev for the fact that they, in his opinion, may try to deprive him of his business rights.
Traber and his partners are credited with a lot of not the most legitimate cases. Back in the early 90s, Traber gained control of the antiques market in St. Petersburg, which is why in certain circles he even received the nickname “Antique.” By the way, Poltorak Igor Sergeevich, who is in the co-owners of BM, is the president of the Association of Antiquaries of St. Petersburg. Also, it seems, Traber’s man.
The latter, by the way, is tightly “sitting” on state contracts at RKS-Energo. Billions of dollars in injections, judging by the financial statements of the organization, fly “into the pipe.”
Photo: https://www.rusprofile.ru
Traber was called the “shadow master” of Vyborg – allegedly, he gained control over commerce in the city, including the shipyard. At that time, he also became a co-owner of the St. Petersburg fuel company, for which many forces fought, including criminal authorities.
Traber was involved in the case of the “Russian mafia” in Spain, Novaya Gazeta wrote. In general, there is nowhere to put a stigma, as they say.
There is reason to believe that it is his interests that the odious businessman Guskov, now sentenced to prison, is “suing.”
Plan-failure, but is it over?
We asked the current ownership and management structure of Gunas and found out that since May 2022, the general director Maxim Ryzhov, who replaced Dorosh, most likely came from the structures of Khmarin, and, accordingly, Kruglov. Since Ryzhov has also been the head of Customs Automatic System LLC since April 2013, the founder of which is Oleg Valerievich Duginov. The latter in the past is the founder of AB Khmarin and Partners, the managing partner of which is Viktor Khmarin.
It seems that Traber’s plan failed miserably. But who knows if he will try to go “from another corner” in the future?
