In 2018, 1.4 trillion rubles were allocated for the procurement of new weapons. It’s an enormous sum, but we’re told: the Russian army has to rearm, after all.
And indeed, it does. Turning all those cool cartoons that Putin showed in his famous address to the Federal Assembly (Russia’s parliament) into reality clearly costs money.
There’s one super-missile, another mega-missile, and a third hypersonic missile with no equal anywhere in the world.
It’s all so impressive, and all so secret. And almost all these marvels are made by the state corporation Tactical Missiles Corporation.
Today, Novaya Gazeta has published an absolutely excellent investigation into how money is siphoned off there. Be sure to read it—you’ll understand that of the 1.4 trillion rubles allocated, at least 1 trillion is being stolen.
A small spoiler: for example, this super-secret corporation’s procurement contracts worth billions of rubles have been centralized and outsourced to a private company. And 20% of that company was handed over to a 23-year-old girl who does wedding hairstyles.
At first you’ll be surprised, and then you’ll learn that the girl is the daughter of Boris Obnosov, CEO of Tactical Missiles Corporation. A trusted representative of V.V. Putin.
There’s a lot more on this there, and it’s very interesting.
But the ACF (Anti-Corruption Foundation) was also, in parallel, looking into another executive at a secret defense corporation. For 10 years, the post of chairman of the board there was held by Sergei Prikhodko, whom you may remember from the investigation “Yachts, Oligarchs, Girls: A Man-Hunter Exposes a Bribe-Taker”.
This man is very fond of money, and his family lives lavishly. So naturally we became interested in one question: where does it all come from?
And we found something astonishing: Prikhodko’s son-in-law is also involved in the “business” of “missile weapons.” And he’s in partnership with that wonderful missile hairstylist.
We became intensely interested in another question: where exactly is the Prikhodko family investing the money earned from, let’s be honest, carving up the country’s missile defense shield for profit?
Maybe in Crimea? Or the Russian Far East—it does need development, after all.
No. A bit farther west. We explain and show you.
Documents (obtained from official sources) for those who prefer to verify things for themselves:
Here is Prikhodko’s daughter setting up a company to manage real estate in France. Type of property: a chalet.
Cadastral extract for the chalet, showing that it is owned by a specific company. (entry no. 14, disposition no. 2)
Extract from the French business register, showing that this company belongs to Prikhodko’s son-in-law, Sadchikov
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