He Appeared in Tense Times...

Praise in the address of "the national leader" Vladimir Putin became for the official Russia obligatory thing. Pesonality cult condemned in words is not a hindrance. Say, it's another matter. Our "stability factor" and "our all". Well, how not refrain from opening mouth in faithful "hurrah"? Authorities of Altay territory left others behind in expression of fidelity. During Putin's visit there in June they presented premiere the ode devoted to him. May be the text and notes can not be treated as great product but they are "correct".

Approximately at the same time when deeply moved prime minister accepted enthusiastic odes on Altai, expert report "Putin and Gazprom" was presented in Moscow. Report is curious as its passionless analysis of facts gives representation what road not knowing doubts "national leader" chose for our power.

"Gazprom" today is really "our all" and Putin generously shared it with friends. Last years series of swindles on funnel of assets out of company for the sum of more than 60 billion dollars was undertaken. Assets funneled out of "Gazprom" were used to build up business empire of bank "Russia" and the chairman of board of directors of "Russia" Jury Kovalchuk is familiar with Putin since times in Petersburg and is one of the closest to him businessmen. TV-channels NTV and TNT earlier supervised by "Gazprom" also got into business empire of bank "Russia" and Jury Kovalchuk, as well as broadcasting companies REN TV and "St.-Petersburg - 5^th channel", the most readable newspaper in the country "Komsomolskaya Pravda" and tens other newspapers (it's to the question about "freedom of speech" founded in Russia by Putin called in Altay "universal idol").

"Idol" transferred into ownership of personal friends other part of assets of the gas giant through sale of "Sogaz". "Sogaz" - "Insurance Society of Gas Industry" occupies the 6th place in rating of the Russian insurance companies - was sold to a consortium in the structure of bank "Evrofinans Mosnarbank", "Severstal-Group" and bank "Russia". 12,5 % of assets of "Sogaz" appeared under control of the company "Aktsept" which belongs to Michael Shelomov, the son of Vladimir Putin's cousin. 7.2 billion dollars from budgetary funds were pumped into "Gazprom" used then for transaction payment under repayment of oil company "Sibneft" from Roman Abramovich at obviously overestimated price. Putin was curator of that transaction. There's also something else.

Doubtful scheme with usage of "opaque intermediaries" for resale of Turkmen gas to Ukraine and its subsequent re-export to Europe was created by Putin's group in 2002. There was a company EuralTransGas registered in Hungary for that purpose. And since 2005 that company conceded the role of intermediary of operations in gas triangle Turkmenistan-Russia-Ukraine to the company "Rosukrenergo" registered in Switzerland. The share of profit from resale of the Turkmen gas which did not come to Russia and gone to unknown co-owners of "Rosukrenergo" only in 2005 made 478 million dollars. So, everybody is happy but for ordinary citizens.

As a result of manipulations made, as authors of the report predict, the Russians would have big problems with household gas which cost will sharply increase. Putin likes to speculate on the theme of personnel potential of the country and its main riches - people. It's interesting to look how these "riches" are formed. It appears for getting to the top the password "I used to go into the same section with Putin" is enough.

Sports - useful thing. But it is even more useful to go into "necessary sports" and in "necessary company". From small sports hall "Turbostroitel" where thin fellow Vova Putin perfected judo throws as from Gogol's coat grew up a lot of appreciable characters. Nikolay Kononov manages two successful companies - building and security ones, Valentine Stepanov heads key department at the large enterprise. Recent appointment of 33-year-old Andrey Turchak the governor of Pskov area seemed a riddle. But only not for those who knows that Turchak's daddy went into sports together with Vladimir Putin.

Arcady Rotenberg on joint trainings with Putin acted as his "sparring partner" and it appeared his main assets. Sportsman-businessman became "champion" in business. Today Rotenberg's structures in Petersburg posess bank "Northern Sea Way", 11 wine-vodka factories all over the country, recently his "business portfolio" was replenished with building assets and shares in several seaports including in key one - in Novorossiysk.

If you will look at such track record of "idol", you'll think that "the true road" which Putin chose for Russia is painfully familiar. It's a road of embezzlement of public funds and sponsorship. It's possible to imagine in advance what anger present toadies and alleluia-voicing will feel when after the lapse of time "national leader" will be drawn or will stumble. It's high time to take interest already what sports Dmitry Medvedev went into. As well as to prepare corresponding odes in advance. The beginning could be taken from the ode dedicated to Putin - there's no need to remake anything.

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