Journalists reveal 1.1 billion rubles worth of government contracts signed with father of Russia’s new deputy communications minister

Two construction companies belonging to businessman Mukharbi Cherkesov — the father of Russia’s new Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media, Bella Cherkesova — have received more than 1.1 billion rubles (about $14.4 million) worth of government contracts since she began working for the government in 2008, reports MBX Media.

MBX Media cites their own calculations in the investigation. One of Cherkesov’s companies, the Chesiko Firm, received 35 government orders amounting to 901.5 million rubles ($11.8 million by today’s exchange rate) between 2008 and 2018. Another one of his companies, Narteks, received 84 contracts totaling 209.7 million rubles ($2.75 million) from 2009 to 2017. These contracts were mainly signed with the ministries of education and science, as well as the People’s Friendship University (RUDN), Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), and Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (MGSU).

Mukharbi Cherkesov is the founder of both companies. He owns a 70 percent stake in Chesiko and works as the company’s CEO. He appears to have sold his stake in Narteks in March 2018. Since then, the company has received just ten government contracts worth 8.4 million rubles (about $110,000), MBX Media notes.

According to the business newspaper Kommersant, Mukharbi Cherkesov also owns shares in another construction company — Ashemez, which is based in Karachay-Cherkessia. Whether or not this company received government contracts remains unknown.

• According to her government profile, Bella Cherkesova graduated from MGIMO in 2008 and went on to occupy various positions in the Russian government’s press service. She’s worked for the Presidential Executive Office in various capacities since 2012. On October 23, Cherkesova replaced Alexey Volin as Russia’s Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media.
• According to the government’s website, Cherkesova’s predecessor was dismissed from his position at his own request. Alexey Volin had served as deputy minister of digital development since July 2012.