As the URA.RU website wrote on January 22, the ambitious project for the construction of another high-rise building in Yekaterinburg - the Opera Tower - threatens to become one of the biggest scandals in the Middle Urals market in recent years. First the developer, " Atomstroykompleks", missed the deadline for the construction of the building, and then decided to completely withdraw assets from the project.
The struggle of business entities for the possession of assets has grown from ordinary arbitration into a criminal case for causing property damage on an especially large scale.
According to URA.Ru sources, on November 13, 2015, a certain LLC “MFK” with an authorized capital of ten thousand rubles was created and entered into the state register of legal entities in Yekaterinburg. And already on December 9, ASK-Hotel (part of Atomstroykompleks, in a state of bankruptcy) sold to this company “an unfinished construction project, degree of completion 5%,” with an area of 107.9 thousand square meters, located “within the boundaries of the streets Krasnoarmeyskaya - Malyshev". That is, the Opera Tower project passed into the hands of an unknown structure with a meager authorized capital.
“For investors, this turn of events came as a complete surprise. They were outraged that the developer had essentially taken the only existing asset out of the project. The owners of GoodRent expected that Atomstroykompleks would behave like a worthy company that values its business reputation and will find a way to settle the debt. The withdrawal of assets (and apparently, this is exactly what we are talking about) indicates, apparently, not only a contemptuous attitude towards investors and shareholders, but also serious economic problems in the company itself,” a company representative explained to URA.RU journalists “ GoodRent", one of the project investors, lawyer Maxim Kolesnikov.
Meanwhile, the Arbitration Court of the Sverdlovsk Region conducted an examination, which established that in the interests of the Atomstroykompleks Group of Companies, a transaction was concluded for the sale of the unfinished Opera Tower building, as a result of which the shareholders and investors of the project suffered damage in the amount of 954 million rubles. The case is serious - among the victims are UMMC and its bank "Ring of the Urals".
We managed to get a comment from the UMMC press service:
UMMC, through its controlled companies, is a shareholder of ASK-Hotel CJSC (the developer of the Opera Tower project), as well as an investor (shareholder) in the construction of the project. The total amount of UMMC funds invested in shares and shared construction (including loan funds from Ring of the Urals Bank) is about 140 million rubles. Due to the failure to fulfill the investment agreement of JSC ASK-Hotel and the refusal of Atomstroykompleks to negotiate, statements of claim were filed in the arbitration court demanding the return of invested funds. However, Atomstroykompleks decided not to return the funds to the shareholders, but tried to withdraw the property from the development company ASK-Hotel and bankrupt it. The withdrawn property was seized during arbitration proceedings. The amount of damage to investors and shareholders of JSC ASK-Hotel was assessed by the Arbitration Court at 954 million rubles. A criminal case was initiated under Art. 165 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation."
At the request of the Arbitration Court of the Sverdlovsk Region, expert, appraiser and civil engineer Lidiya Michkova made the following conclusions: “As a result of three transactions from JSC ASK-HOTEL, the buyer was given an unfinished construction project, which was accounted for in the line “fixed assets” on the balance sheet, which 2014 amounted to - 547,841,000 rubles, and for 2015 (after the transaction) amounted to - 4,359,000 rubles (that is, decreased almost 100 times)... Thus, the result of the transaction is a loss due to the sale of the ONS object at a price below the market price cost and below cost..."
The fact that ASK-Hotel CJSC, having sold the unfinished high-rise Opera Tower in Yekaterinburg to MFK LLC, caused damage to the project investors in the amount of 954 million rubles, was reported on November 8, 2016 by Interfax-Ural.
According to yet unconfirmed information, at the moment, the development director and son of the founder of the Atomstroykompleks company, Viktor Ananyev, has already testified twice during interrogation at the Main Investigation Department of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Sverdlovsk Region. For now as a witness.
According to sources in the Atomstroykompleks company, investigators are looking for Valery Ananyev himself to serve the summons in person.
Komsomolskaya Pravda tried to contact Viktor Ananyev by cell phone. However, he never picked up the phone. As the press service of Atomstroykompleks Corporation CJSC clarified for the Interfax-Ural agency, the implementation of the Opera Tower project is currently suspended.
While the investigation is underway, the edifice of discord, Opera Tower, is slowly collapsing. The unfinished facility is currently under arrest and construction work is not underway. Since the actual owners did not carry out conservation of the facility in a timely manner, the resumption of construction of the designed 55-story building is in doubt due to the violation of structural strength.
Victor Ananyev: We need to do more and talk less
Head of the project management center of Atomstroykompleks Corporation CJSC, Deloross Victor Ananyev talks about how he built a parking lot, what Western education provides, how business and work in the City Duma are combined, and what are the current trends in the construction industry.
— Tell us a little about yourself...
— I was born in Yekaterinburg. He studied at gymnasium No. 9, in 2006 he graduated from the Faculty of Construction of USTU-UPI with honors. In 2009-2010, he studied at the University of London at the Faculty of Finance, Cass Business School MSc Real Estate. Received a master's degree in real estate.
He came to work at Atomstroykompleks at the age of 16. He started with a construction team - he built a parking lot on Krasnoarmeyskaya, and was involved in landscaping the yard. Then he was an understudy foreman, a foreman, a foreman, and a department head. Since I was 25 years old, I have been heading my own direction in business, which, of course, is in the orbit of Atomstroykompleks, but, nevertheless, it is a separate structure. I specialize in commercial real estate and the construction of complex, unique properties. Such, for example, as Opera Tower. In addition, we are now implementing a comprehensive development program for the city of Sredneuralsk. Since 2013 - deputy of the Yekaterinburg City Duma.
— Was it predetermined that you would become a builder?
— Considering that I am a third-generation builder, I think partly, yes. My grandfather is no less famous builder than my father. (Mikhail Mikhailovich Ananyev, director of DSK Sverdlovskgrazhdanstroy LLC. Under his leadership, the buildings of a circus, a drama theater, and the Uralmash Palace of Culture were built in Sverdlovsk, and the Opera and Ballet Theater was reconstructed). When I chose a specialty, there was a certain predetermination. But after I started working, a clear understanding came - this is really mine.
My activities at Atomstroykompleks have always been based on the principle - I work where it is difficult, where there are the most unresolved issues. I started as a foreman at sites that no one really wanted to go to. Then the technical department was in semi-working condition, it was necessary to organize the process - I worked there. Then we began to engage in commercial real estate, which the company had previously been engaged in, essentially, on a residual basis. I feel which sector has the most work or where there are problems, and that’s where I go.
— Is this a family principle?
— Yes, and it seems very reasonable to me. Neither grandfather nor father immediately became leaders. By the way, the demand from me has always been and remains stricter than from other employees. And this puts you within a certain framework, forces you to be on your toes all the time.
After returning from London, I decided that by the age of 30 it was necessary to ensure that my relationship with my father was built not on the “superior-subordinate” principle, but on the “senior partner-junior partner” principle. In principle, I managed to achieve this even a little earlier.
— What did Western education give you?
— First of all, studying in London gave a comprehensive, general understanding of the development processes of the real estate market and what it should be like. By the way, we will definitely reach the market level that developed in Europe 10-15 years ago. This is the level of global markets. The only question is whether it will be in a year, two or five. We have already started moving in this direction. So it was very helpful in terms of perspective. Secondly, when you live abroad for a year, a lot of current work issues are removed from you and time slows down. If here I measure time in intervals of 15 minutes, then there the intervals are hourly. Accordingly, there is time to think and sort everything out calmly. The experience is definitely positive.
— What is the most difficult thing in your business?
— In business there can be nothing simple or secondary. Everything is complex and important.
— Could you explain what “we are moving towards a global market” means?
— First of all, this means submitting to international rules, this is an opportunity to participate in international financial instruments. In Europe, this model began to take shape in the early 90s of the last century. Before this, real estate was regarded... well, just as an object. It was only in the 90s that real estate entered the global investment market. That is, they began to compare the return on real estate with the return on stocks. This is, of course, a very simplified diagram, but that’s the gist. Now we have similar processes going on, and we must participate in them.
— Could you name your main achievement in business?
— Well, I hope that the main thing is, of course, ahead.
— You are a deputy of the Yekaterinburg City Duma. How does this help business?
— My election as a City Duma deputy is not related to business. This gives you a certain circle of contacts and, most importantly, a vision of the situation. Working as a deputy, I can take a broader look at the processes associated with urban planning in particular and the development of the city in general, and from the side of the city authorities. You see a bigger picture, and this is always good and useful for business.
— Are you considering options for a further political career?
— Time will tell. For now I am interested in the municipal level. There is still a lot to be sorted out and a lot to be done. I believe that there is where to work and there is something to learn from. Unfortunately, we have very few young people in power, those who will develop the city in the future.
— Could you describe the portrait of a modern businessman?
- This is a man who does more than he talks. This is very important for modern business. For those who organize production and work in the real sector. Business is increasingly becoming a service business, because assets are separated and need to be managed competently.
- Education?
— Yes, but it’s not the diploma that’s important, it’s the education. It is this that gives the correct outlook, allows you to correctly evaluate things. In order to do business at a serious level, you definitely need education. Moreover, it is very important not to stop.
— There are rules for a person who decides to do business.
— Businessmen are all very different. Sometimes even multidirectional. I like it when people have such qualities as decency and the ability to fulfill their obligations. By the way, I would like to note that now more and more entrepreneurs have begun to think about their own image and reputation. That is, we return to this “merchant word” that has already become a common noun. After all, you can’t put everything on paper.
— Modern construction business, what is it like?
— Construction, development, real estate operations, architecture, design lie at different levels and differ in the degree of detail. Look, there is the scale of the city, district, quarter. There is the scale of the house: what the walls are made of, how many floors, what kind of windows, etc. An even smaller scale is the apartment: what kind of partitions, decoration, etc. And all of this, from the city to the apartment, we call in one general word - construction. In order to create a good product and a comfortable environment, you need to work very hard on all scales. Because if some stage jumps out somewhere, it will turn out bad. You need to work thoughtfully. That is, technologies, of course, change, but the key approach remains the same.
Modern trends are the most in-depth study of the planning system. From the city scale to the apartment. We started thinking about entrances, courtyards, sidewalks, bike paths, and building lighting. The fact that all this is appearing suggests that approaches to construction are changing in the right direction.
It's definitely more interesting to work now. Back in the 90s, you could build a house with 16 floors and that’s it, you’re doing great. Nowadays, in order to create an object that you would be truly proud of, and that would harmoniously fit into the urban environment, you need to make enormous efforts.
— What brought you to Business Russia? Are public organizations necessary for businessmen?
— Public associations are needed, but it is very important who works there. Are they capable of solving any specific problems, or is this just a club of interests. I understand the goals and objectives of Business Russia, I see how the work is structured, how the result is achieved.
In September 2018, the term of office of deputies of the Yekaterinburg City Duma of the VI convocation ends. In this regard, “AiF-Ural” decided to find out: what each specific people’s choice was, what they did, and what they became famous for over these five years.
As criteria, we took financial “maturity”, the independence that follows from it, enterprise in acquiring assets (in the broad sense of the word) and public assessment of the parliamentarian’s work. We plan to consider our heroes alphabetically and in the future we will mainly follow this principle. So, A - Ananyev Victor.
"Golden youth
Viktor Valerievich Ananyev is a fairly public figure in Yekaterinburg. He did not come to the City Duma empty-handed; behind him loomed the capital and authority of his father, the founder of a powerful corporation. NP Atomstroykompleks today includes construction and management companies, factories for the production of building materials, real estate agencies and much, much more. From open sources it follows that in 2012 the value of all assets of ASK was about 13 billion rubles (almost half of the annual budget of Yekaterinburg!). The money was earned through “backbreaking labor,” including the spot development of the center of the capital of the Urals.
In the Urals, and not only, opposition parties have always formed their lists for pragmatic reasons. This is exactly how Viktor Ananyev and his colleague, real estate entrepreneur Alexander Smolin (we will talk about him later) found themselves in the ranks of SR in 2013. It is believed that thanks to their financial support, they managed to push other Fair Russians into the Duma of the sixth convocation - Ilya Lobov, Anton Shvalev and Alexander Karavaev. By the way, the same Karavaev who, without having a higher education, managed to fail the entire overhaul program in the Sverdlovsk region in 2015. The unofficial cost of a seat in the City Duma five years ago was about 50 million rubles. From this we can conclude how much it cost Ananyev Jr.’s “game of politics” for the family.
The future people's representative was born on October 17, 1984 in Sverdlovsk. He graduated from elite gymnasium No. 9, studied at UPI and City University of London, and today serves as development director in his father’s company. As you can see, all the signs of “golden” youth are evident. By the way, the deputy’s grandfather, Mikhail Mikhailovich Ananyev, was at one time the director of the Sverdlovskgrazhdanstroy DSK. Under his leadership, the buildings of a circus, a drama theater, and the Uralmash Palace of Culture were built in the city, and the opera and ballet theater was reconstructed. Perfect pedigree!
Why Ananyev Jr. even went into politics is not very clear; perhaps there was a banal financial “divorce” on the part of “SR”. Viktor Valeryevich himself explained his decision as follows: “My election as a City Duma deputy is not related to business. This gives you a certain circle of contacts and, most importantly, a vision of the situation. Working as a deputy, I can take a broader look at the processes associated with urban planning...”
Attempt to escape
It may not seem strange, but the brightest spot in Viktor Ananyev’s political career was the long epic... with his resignation. Local media wrote that in August 2015, the parliamentarian unexpectedly wrote a statement on his voluntary resignation, saying that he wanted to focus on business, and in the future he intended to run for nothing less than the State Duma of the Russian Federation. But he failed to “escape”...
The Duma majority, under a variety of pretexts, constantly refused to release Viktor Valerievich to “freedom”, demanding public explanations. True, the parliamentarian avoided them all the time, citing certain “personal circumstances” or not appearing at City Duma meetings at all. His colleagues said different things, including that the governor’s administration was allegedly putting pressure on the deputy. Allegedly, he once voted for city manager Alexander Jacob, although he promised the regional authorities the opposite. The politician was in such a “suspended” state for about a year, but in the end... he remained in the Duma. “I am withdrawing my resignation letter, because in the question of ‘you can’t leave, you can’t stay,’ only I have to decide where to put the comma,” said the people’s representative.
The political independence of the deputy, of course, was largely based on his father’s money. Although it is known that Ananyev Jr. is not a poor man himself. In 2016, he earned 10.7 million rubles. He is the only one among the deputies who declared real estate abroad - a villa in Cyprus with an area of 260 square meters. In addition, in Russia he has 10 plots of land and an apartment. Let us also note that a year earlier the people's choice earned half as much.
By the way, Viktor Ananyev somehow did not show himself particularly well in the deputy field. He appeared in the media as a member of the working group that approved a project to increase land tax rates in 2016. The owners of commercial real estate, especially hotels, suffered the most from this initiative. Payments for the latter have almost tripled!
Apple of discord
Today, regional media write that Ananyev Jr.’s political activities have begun to significantly interfere with his father’s business. In particular, evil tongues claim that it was Viktor Valerievich who became the indirect culprit of the scandal with the laying of paving stones on Lenin Avenue, which was criticized by the governor of the Sverdlovsk region (the work was carried out by the Atomstroykompleks corporation). Allegedly, Evgeny Kuyvashev did not forgive the deputy for criticizing the demolition of the unfinished TV tower in Yekaterinburg. The head of the region said that until all the shortcomings are eliminated, the builders will not see money.
An equally fatal role in the political career of our hero was played by the conflict of the Ananyev family with the general director of UMMC Andrei Kozitsyn, in which the notorious “tower of death” also became a bone of contention.
In December 2017, the laboratory of socio-political communications of the IPP Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, together with the Ura.ru agency, surveyed 38 experts (officials, deputies of the Sverdlovsk Legislative Assembly, political scientists, etc.) and compiled a “Survival Rating of Deputies of the Yekaterinburg City Duma.” The position of Viktor Ananyev is reflected in it as “unstable”...
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