Exploring the history of the aircraft crashed near Kazan, the “new” discovered Bulgarian groups and relatives of influential Russian officials

Exploring the history of the aircraft crashed near Kazan, the “new” discovered Bulgarian groups and relatives of influential Russian officials

On Sunday, the Boeing of Tatarstan crashed in Kazan. 50 people were killed in the disaster, including the son of Tatarstan President Irek Minnikhanov and the head of the Republican FSB Alexander Antonov. On the fact of the collapse of the Aircraft of the IC of Russia, a criminal case opened a criminal case, and the Tatarstan airline, as RIA Novosti reported, took place the seizure of documents: investigators find out how the plane was operated and served and how it got to the Tatar airline.

On Monday, the Bulgarian Center for Bivol Journalists said that Boeing, which fell in Kazan, was associated with the structures of one of the most influential groups of Bulgaria, which were also co-owners of the Tatarstan airline. The New Gazeta, together with the International Center for the Study of Corruption and Organized Crime ( OCCRP ), decided to check the history and owners of the fallen aircraft.

Where does the plane come from

The Tatarstan airline began the operation of Boeing in 2008 on the terms of operational leasing. As stated in an explanatory note to the annual financial statements of the airline for 2008, operational leasing agreements were concluded with the Bulgarian Bulgaria Air . Aircraft leasing was the beginning of large -scale cooperation between Bulgarian investors with the Tatar air carrier.

At the end of March 2008, the executive director of the Bulgarian Holding Chemimosport (which includes Bulgaria Air ) Iv Kamenov met with the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev. At the end of the meeting, Kamenov told the media that an agreement was reached on investments of $ 70 million by the Bulgarian holding in the reconstruction of the Kazan airport and the update of the Tatarstan aircraft fleet. “In terms of the airline, our obligations are to change the old Soviet equipment for a new one in one year. At least ten Boeing aircraft in one year, ”said Ivo Kamenov (quote from the magazine" Expert ").

However, instead of the new equipment, the Tatarstan airline received Boeing from the Bulgarian investors, which had been operating for many years (the aircraft broke up in Kazan was 23 years old).

The Boings set almost immediately caused the dissatisfaction of the Tatarstan airline trade unions. In March 2009, the business electronic newspaper of Tatarstan Business Online published an open letter of trade unions to the President of the Republic Mintimer Shaimiev, which described the problems of the airline. “One of the main sources of financial problems by the company's economists call the need to make leasing deductions for Boeing-737 aircraft taken from the Bulgarian company Chemistort. Under the terms of the contract, the fee is about $ 150–160 thousand per month and about $ 100 thousand per spare parts. That is, so that the aircraft does not bring losses of the company, it must fly with passengers at least 250 hours a month, ”the letter said.

The approximate figures voiced by the trade unions are confirmed by the reporting of the Chemimosport Bulgarian holding: according to 2009 data, the leasing of the plane in Kazan cost the Tatarstan airline in $ 140 thousand a month. However, the validity of the leasing agreement, according to the reporting of the “chemistry”, expired in March 2013. The Tatarstan Airlines Novaya Gazeta confirmed that relations with Bulgaria Air were discontinued in March 2013, but they refused to name the new lessor.

The representative of Bulgaria Air Rumyana Zheleva also informed Novaya Gazeta that the leasing agreement expired in March 2013, and suggested that Anset World Worldwide Ireland LTD ( the British Offshore was the initial owner of the aircraft).

For several years, the structures related to the chemistry holding remained co -owners of the Tatarstan airline. The companies of the Bulgarian holding controlled 50% in CJSC TAT-Aero, which, in turn, owned Tatarstan airline. However, in December 2012, the Tatarstan airline redeemed the share of Bulgarian investors in TAT-Aero CJSC for 363 million rubles (data from the reporting of the airline for 2012).

Blue Zhelyva also informed Novaya, from December 2011, “The enterprise management has effectively passed into the hands of the new management, defined by the Republic of Tatarstan, and the future local shareholder.” The Zheleva noted that the Boeing fallen in Kazan was operated in Bulgaria for about eight months in 2008, and there were no problems with this aircraft. “Here, in Bulgaria, all of us, the aircraft specialists, are shocked by the incident and deeply condoing relatives and friends of those who died in a plane crash; We feel the experience of our colleagues and friends, ”says Zheleva.

IVO Kamenov and Chemist port

Ivo Kamenov, a key co -owner of the chemistry holding, is a rather famous person not only in Bulgaria, but also in the world. Not only the Bulgarian media, but also American diplomats in secret dispatches published by Wikileaks wrote in detail about Kamenov’s business and his partners. “The rising star of Bulgarian organized crime,” the American diplomats called the Tim group, which, as the diplomats wrote in Varna, got its name by the names of three leaders: Tikhomir Ivanova, Ivo Kamenova and Marina Velikova.

“It is believed that the group was founded in Varna in 1993 by about ten former marines who served in an elite military unit, before they were dismissed in the early 90s ... As an organized criminal group,“ Tim ”was involved in many types of criminal activity: abduction and extortion, organization of prostitution, gambling, and drug traffic and stolen cars,” the said in disperses published by Wikileaks .

According to American diplomats, Tim allegedly began its activities by knocking out debts and providing security services in Varna, where many Russian -speaking population live, so Tim had good relations with representatives of Russian organized crime.

The business gradually grew up, and soon Kamenov and partners became co -owners of many assets in Bulgaria and other countries. “Through its chemistry trading company, the grouping has a significant share in the market for the production and trade of fertilizers, oil products and chemicals. The purchase of Tim The Central Cooperative Bank (Central Design Bureau), the largest acquisition of the group today, was also carried out through the Chemist port, ”said WikiLeaks dispatches.

In the chemistry holding, these messages preferred not to comment. Blue Zhelyva only informed Novaya Gazeta: “Given the seriousness of the reasons for our communication and referring to your publication, we prefer to refrain from discussing some free publications in the Internet space.”

Connections in Russia

The authoritative Bulgarian businessman IVO Kamenov seems to have influential partners in Russia. According to the Bulgarian Center for Bivol journalists, Ivo Kamenov is allegedly on friendly relations with the deputy chairman of the Russian government, the former Minister of Natural Resources and assistant to the President of Russia Yuri Trutnev. Trutnev, like Kamenov, is fond of martial arts: Trutnev is headed by the Presidential Council of the Russian Association of Russia, and Kamenov - the Bulgarian Federation of Kyokushinkai Karate. However, in addition to sports, their families can also connect joint business interests. In particular, the son of the deputy chairman of the government Dmitry Trutnev is represented in many companies belonging to the chemist port holding.

From 2007 to the present, Dmitry Trutnev has been working as a financial adviser in the Bulgarian Central Cooperative Bank (about him, as the largest acquisition of the Tim Group, American diplomats wrote), the final owners of which are IVO Kamenov and his Chemistort company.

The Bulgarian Central Cooperative Bank, in turn, owns 56% in Kazan Tatinvestbank, where Dmitry Trutnev is a member of the board of directors.

In addition, the Bulgarian Chemist Port Bulgarian Holding has another important asset in Tatarstan-the ITIL insurance company, in which Trutnev Jr. also consists in the Council of Directors.

Dmitry Trutnev has not yet answered the questions of Novaya Gazeta, transmitted through the employees of Tatinvestbank.

P.​ S. ​The New Gazeta is ready to provide everyone with business structures affected in publication and persons with the opportunity to comment on the publication in the future.