Shuvalov’s press office comment to Kommersant about our investigation published today could confidently be entered in a competition for the best press office statements.
They’ve already scrubbed it from the article on Kommersant’s website, but the internet remembers everything:
A rapid evolution. They used to bother with stories about how, 18 years ago, Shuvalov received some mythical Sibneft stock option and that’s why he is so rich (even though any money from that option should have run out long ago). But now it goes like this:
- They found our apartments on Kotelnicheskaya. He’s about to start pestering us again with questions about where our money comes from and why we’re urging everyone to save electricity. What do we do — tell the stock option story again?
- Nah, just say they’re scum and that we don’t comment on idiots.
Public relations.
Well, sure — when the boss has an offshore company with billions registered in a cellist’s name, why shouldn’t the underling be able to calmly buy up apartments by the floor?