Interview - Evgenia Vasilyeva, accused in the case of Oboronservis
The main person involved in the case of Oboronservis about the course of the investigation, his life in prosperity, relations with the former Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdyukov and his new appointment
Today, the Moscow City Court will consider extending the house arrest of Evgenia Vasilyeva - the most senior and well-known figure in the Oboronservis case, because of which Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov lost his position a year ago. Despite the overactive coverage of this case by the investigating authorities and the media, many of its basic facts, including the biography of Vasilyeva herself, have not yet been clarified. In the answers to Vedomosti's questions, transmitted through lawyers, the former head of the property department and the Ministry of Defense apparatus says that she is charged with undervaluing when selling objects of the Ministry of Defense within the margin of error of the assessment. It should be noted that the Chairman of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, has repeatedly stated that proving a malicious price reduction will be the most difficult in this matter. Vasilyeva also speaks about his relations with Serdyukov, and about the origin of his wealth, which did not become the subject of the case, and their value turned out to be clearly overestimated. But it was this Vasileva’s image created by the filing of the investigation and which caused the class hatred of the general public to make an objective investigation of her guilt difficult, and justification or amnesty in the event of the breakdown of evidence is highly unlikely, she admits.
- Is it true that your apartment in Molochny Pereulok, where you are serving house arrest, was acquired for you with the help of SU-155, where you worked, by means of complex netting? When it was acquired, what is its price, who paid for it? If you paid, from what means?
- The apartment in Molochny Pereulok is my property, bought before work in the Department of Property Relations (DIO) of the Ministry of Defense. She has no relation to my work in the Ministry of Defense, as well as all my real estate objects. My dad (entrepreneur Nikolai Vasilyev, co-owner of companies engaged in the supply of fiber optic cables and plastic pipes. - “Vedomosti”) helped me buy this apartment, for which I thank him very much.
- Have you really settled in the "SU-155" under the patronage of the former vice-mayor of Moscow, Vladimir Resin?
- I got a job at CJSC SU-155 on the basis of my experience and various recommendations, including Vladimir Iosifovich Resin.
- Tell us, please, from what time and for what time did you direct the DIO of the Ministry of Defense, and when did you head the ministry's staff? What was your position at the time of the commencement of the criminal case?
- I headed the Ministry of Defense DIO from April to September 2011. The Ministry of Defense staff was from September 2011 to January 2012. At the time of the [case] I was not a government employee, I worked in the construction business.
- Is it true that in the position of chief of staff you communicated with officers in such a style that, as some newspapers wrote, colonels and generals wept in the corridor?
- In the position of the chief of staff I worked for a short time. My position was related to document flow. Therefore, it is hardly possible to cry about this, especially the general or an officer, and even in the corridor.
- Why did the structures that previously belonged to Deputy Minister of Defense Grigory Naginsky become the buyers of the 31 th GISS shares? Do you know him and did you know that these structures will become the buyer of this asset?
- Shares of the 31 institute could buy both the structures of Naginsky and the structures of any other citizen, if this was the will of both parties, expressed in the manner prescribed by law. We are familiar with Naginsky, but I have never addressed him about this transaction.
- How many objects of real estate and how much was sold during your work in DIO?
- The amount of the sale of federal property assigned to the Ministry of Defense in 2010-2012. amounted to 24,66 billion rubles., property of Oboronservis - 15,1 billion rubles., i.e. the total amount was about 40 billion rubles. If we talk about transactions, their total number is about 1500.
- Why out of this large number of transactions, episodes for the criminal case became only about 20 transactions?
- Why I chose these deals, I do not know. None of the transactions was declared illegal by the courts. However, the investigators, without understanding at all, considered them criminal. With the same success - true, without any reason - it would be possible to direct all transactions into a criminal case, since they are all the same.
- Has the investigation completed the examination related to the assessment of the sold real estate, what is the amount of under-pricing, if the examination is completed? Do you think these appraisers are independent of the investigation?
- Examination completed. The average price reduction for 13% is charged with the exception of the 31 institute. It was sold for 140 million rubles, and experts believe that it was worth about 2,1 billion rubles. Appraisers who are attracted by the investigation are either deliberately overpriced or simply illiterate. My opinion is both.
- Why do you think a milder preventive measure was chosen for you than Ekaterina Smetanova and a number of other defendants?
- I do not know this.
- Almost all persons involved in the case, except you, went to a deal with justice. What do you think about it?
- There are seven people accused in total, two of them went on a deal with the investigation. I do not blame them, it is their right, their life, they decide.
- The investigation stated that 24 kg of gold jewelry was taken from you. When and by whom they were acquired?
- The investigation says a lot of things - about the arrest of offshore accounts, about fake paintings, about paintings from museums, about 13 rooms in an apartment in Molochnoye, and about women with dogs. I have never appreciated my jewelry. Considering that women’s jewelry is not kept in museums of the Ministry of Defense, they have nothing to do with the criminal case at all.
- What was the real role of the Minister of Defense Serdyukov in the sale of Oboronservis objects?
- In accordance with the current legislation and corporate procedures of OJSC Oboronservis and its subsidiaries and affiliates, the Minister of Defense signed the relevant directives. They concerned the voting of state representatives on the sale of assets.
- Where were the funds transferred from the sale of Oboronservis facilities?
- Funds from the sale of assets were received by the sellers of assets that managed them based on the decisions of the relevant governing bodies of legal entities. This was not my competence, I can’t say anything about it.
- Why did you not give comments to the media a year after the start of the criminal case?
- I really did not communicate with the press for a long time. I thought that the criminal case was a misunderstanding that should stop.
- When and where did you meet Serdyukov?
- I met the Minister of Defense at a meeting dedicated to the reconstruction of the Kronstadt Naval Cathedral in 2010. This is a project that I led by the presidential administration as an adviser to the deputy head of administration (Alexander Beglov. - Vedomosti) on a voluntary basis. Then I headed the company that was part of the construction holding (“SU-155”. - “Vedomosti”). I never considered myself an official and decided to work in the Ministry of Defense because there was a crisis in the construction market and I expected to spend time with benefit for my management experience. In total, I worked in the ministry for about 1,5 of the year and then left due to the fact that the market began to revive.
- Why did Serdyukov invite you to the ministry?
- Why the minister invited me, I do not know. Probably, because I had experience in real estate, its sales from a legal and organizational point of view, experience in real estate management, investment flows, construction projects, experience in working with government agencies, as well as with foreign companies in the field of investment projects development on Russian territory.
- Did you personally decide which objects of Oboronservis real estate would be sold?
- DIO worked with the main legal department of the department to check the legal side of these procedures. The scope of my duties according to the DIO regulation was limited to administrative functions and had no relation to the independent resolution of issues about the alienation of property. All transactions were checked by the Registration Chamber and almost all - by the FAS, in respect of all transactions decisions were taken at the level of shareholders (the shareholder of Oboronservis was the Ministry of Defense - Vedomosti) and the board of directors. The transfer of ownership was registered in respect of all objects and so far not a single transaction has been declared illegal by the court. For some reason, the investigation considers civil law relations as criminal law and does not even try to challenge in court the transactions we have made. The same property that buyers returned to the state (for example, shares of the 31-GISS. - “Vedomosti”), as stated by the investigation, was returned without trial and free of charge - obviously, under threats and pressure.
- You are accused of the fact that the objects were sold at reduced prices by manipulating the assessment ...
- 60% bidding for the sale of federal property was declared invalid, which means that prices were higher than market prices. By law, we had the right in such cases to reduce the price on repeated trades by 50%, but did not do it or lowered the price slightly. If we had malicious intent to lower the price, we would sell the objects at the federal auctions - during the crisis there were few people willing to buy, and we could reduce the price by 50% by law. At the same time, during the investigation, appraisers of the property sold explain how they conducted the appraisal. And the appraisers, attracted by the investigators, calculate the damage by comparing the bid price with the sales price, although the real deals on the market are usually lower than the suggested sales prices, or show an “understatement” of the price, comparing the price per square meter of a large object with a small one, which is completely incomparable. On average, for most objects, the consequence is charged with lowering the price for 13%, which, in fact, fits into the error of assessment. We conducted our assessment, including with the involvement of international companies, and it proves that the prices of the objects sold were higher than the market ones.
- How many rooms are in an apartment in Molochny lane, where are you under house arrest?
- Four rooms with a total living area of 118 square. m
- What kind of pictures were taken from this apartment during the search? The investigation stated that these were fakes of famous paintings that you purchased without understanding.
- These are interior things, and during the search I immediately stated that they were worth a penny, and the expert estimated their price as equal to the cost of the color wall calendar, although the result for some reason showed through them, believing that there could be some masterpieces. They are dear to me as a memory of ancestors and various episodes of my life, I bought something myself, gave me something, but they refused to return them to me - the investigator said that if this happens, then there will be a social explosion.
- Why did the investigators have any complaints about you about his slow acquaintance with the materials of the criminal case?
- Firstly, the investigation has no right to make claims to me regarding the familiarization with the materials of the case. This is the right of the accused, not an obligation. By law, familiarization with the materials includes the “presentation” and “presentation” of materials (under Art. 217 of the CPC). Before submitting the materials, the investigator is obliged to present them to the accused, and the accused to make sure that they really exist, are stitched and numbered. By law, my release from house arrest is made dependent only on the presentation of case materials, but it has not yet taken place. The investigation is trying to convince everyone that the materials are presented and that the first five volumes of the case are my criminal case. I ask: “So it consists of five volumes?” - “No, from 353”. “Then where are the rest of the volumes?” - “We believe that if they showed the first volume, then they presented the case materials,” they answer. After a lengthy dispute on 1 in November, we went to the cabinets to inspect the materials - note that this happened after October 23. In the first office we see 30 volumes, one is unnumbered and numbered in front of me, the second office is still 20 volumes, in the third office there is a pile of waste paper, and they tell me that this is my criminal case. “And what is this volume?” I ask. "Fifth". - "And what's this?" - I am interested. "Also the fifth." - “That is, two fifth volumes plus one more fifth volume in the first room?” - “This is our numbering, it does not concern you,” they answer me. “Where is my criminal case?” This number is not my business, "- I try to argue. “This is our internal system, it does not concern you,” I hear back. That's how they tried to show me the case files after 23 October. At the same time, the presentation of the case did not take place - the materials were not ready for familiarization. Therefore, the investigation sent to the court an unlawful request for the extension of my preventive measure. Investigators are confident that the measure will be extended, because the court is a formality, they say.
If the Moscow City Court supports the investigation in this matter, we will go to the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court to defend our position. We are confident that we are right and do not consider the situation controversial.
- Do you admit, at least partially, the charges?
- I do not admit any of the charges, I consider them untenable, unfounded and biased.
- Have you been offered a deal with the investigation, like Smetanova?
- They tried to offer me this, but I didn’t go to the contact and was constantly silent.
- Can you say that the investigation is politicized?
- The course of the investigation is a gross violation of human rights and freedoms, which is protracted and organized. Three women were imprisoned without any reason, two were released under the condition of signing some papers [Smetanov and Bilyalov], and the third [Egorov] is being tried to persuade to cooperate, but she is not giving up yet.
- Why did Smetanov and Bilyalov testify against you?
- I am sure that neither Smetanov nor Bilyalov gave any evidence against me. This is the same myth as the paintings allegedly stolen by me from the Museum of the Ministry of Defense, like the 13-room apartment in Molochny Lane, offshore accounts, Amazons with dogs and the dominance of criminals in power.
These women were convinced that they had committed a crime, which was not there, locked up in prison and forced to sign something as a condition of going out. Alas, this is the usual method of "receiving" evidence. Now another woman is suffering in prison - Yegorova, who has not yet succumbed to blackmail. She is not released because she does not give evidence to me. Two men did not succumb to threats and testify to the complete legality of all real estate transactions.
- If the investigation is politicized, who and why needs the persecution of the former leadership of the Ministry of Defense? Maybe some event was the starting point?
- I have several versions of what is happening, but for now I will refuse to comment. Everything has its time.
- Did you abuse, as stated in some of the early investigation materials, the trust of Serdyukov?
- I had only one leader in the Ministry of Defense - the minister. To deceive him, one would have to bribe more than 100 people in the ministry and as many in state companies. But even if this is assumed, it would hardly have been possible to deceive him. The minister was well versed in finance and always delved into all the processes of the ministry.
- Do you know Serdyukov’s position regarding suspicions about him? Is there a reason for bringing him to justice on a par with other defendants?
- This criminal case must be immediately terminated. The longer it lasts, the greater reputational losses will be borne by the investigating authorities. As for Serdyukov’s position, I think it is obvious. There is no crime. The payback period of the objects sold is above average - what other questions can there be? All procedures stipulated by the laws are observed, verified by government agencies, and several. None of the procedures are recognized as illegal.
- Do you maintain relations with Serdyukov? How did the criminal case affect this relationship?
- Relationship does not support. I am sure that the matter did not affect them in any way.
- There is a version that you suffered because of a personal relationship with Serdyukov. He allegedly returned to the family, and this may stimulate you to testify to him.
- I can testify that I did not commit any illegal actions, the minister did not give me any illegal instructions. If someone has a desire to mislead the public, I have enough arguments to dispel this myth. I was silent for a long time, I tolerated the investigating authorities to understand the situation. But, apparently, they do not want to understand.
- What were the additional sources of income that allowed you to acquire your wealth?
- Since my childhood I lived in prosperity, I have a wealthy family, I have outstanding parents, I am proud of them. At the beginning of my career, I worked in a holding that was engaged in the export of ferrous metals, then moved to an American law firm that serviced Western investment in Russia, then worked as general director of the territorial division of the largest construction company in Russia. And then 1,5 worked for the Ministry of Defense, and then returned to the business.
- Do you have accounts and assets abroad?
- Not. And everything that I own is written to me personally. I did not intend and do not intend to go abroad.
- Do you think that your case may fall under the amnesty?
- As for the amnesty for me, it will not be - otherwise a social explosion.
- On Friday it became known about the appointment of Serdyukov CEO of JSC "NIITs-M". Do you think it will be effective in the role of the head of the engineering site? Is this his level, because before that he was running a much more complex system?
- I consider Anatoly Serdyukov an effective leader. I can not assess whether this appointment is the level of Serdyukov, since I have no idea about the scale of activity of this enterprise. At the same time, I think that if he accepted this proposal, then this is a serious structure with good development prospects.
- Is it possible to regard this appointment as his political rehabilitation?
- I can not say anything about the rehabilitation of Serdyukov, because I do not think that his merits can be seriously discredited, however much someone would like to.
- Please tell us about your life - with whom do you communicate, where do you go, how do you spend time, do you spend a lot of time in the apartment, what do you read, do you watch a movie, what did you like from what you saw lately? Do you have any hobbies? Maybe now you have time for him or new hobbies?
“Now I mostly spend time with my lawyers and practice law.” I always had only one hobby - work. Now we have to raise in the memory of their knowledge in the field of criminal law and process. By the way, at the university these were my favorite subjects.
The court extended the house arrest Vasilyeva
Today, the Moscow City Court will consider extending the house arrest of Evgenia Vasilyeva - the most senior and well-known figure in the Oboronservis case, because of which Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov lost his position a year ago. Despite the overactive coverage of this case by the investigating authorities and the media, many of its basic facts, including the biography of Vasilyeva herself, have not yet been clarified. In the answers to Vedomosti's questions, transmitted through lawyers, the former head of the property department and the Ministry of Defense apparatus says that she is charged with undervaluing when selling objects of the Ministry of Defense within the margin of error of the assessment. It should be noted that the Chairman of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, has repeatedly stated that proving a malicious price reduction will be the most difficult in this matter. Vasilyeva also speaks about his relations with Serdyukov, and about the origin of his wealth, which did not become the subject of the case, and their value turned out to be clearly overestimated. But it was this Vasileva’s image created by the filing of the investigation and which caused the class hatred of the general public to make an objective investigation of her guilt difficult, and justification or amnesty in the event of the breakdown of evidence is highly unlikely, she admits.
- Is it true that your apartment in Molochny Pereulok, where you are serving house arrest, was acquired for you with the help of SU-155, where you worked, by means of complex netting? When it was acquired, what is its price, who paid for it? If you paid, from what means?
- The apartment in Molochny Pereulok is my property, bought before work in the Department of Property Relations (DIO) of the Ministry of Defense. She has no relation to my work in the Ministry of Defense, as well as all my real estate objects. My dad (entrepreneur Nikolai Vasilyev, co-owner of companies engaged in the supply of fiber optic cables and plastic pipes. - “Vedomosti”) helped me buy this apartment, for which I thank him very much.
- Have you really settled in the "SU-155" under the patronage of the former vice-mayor of Moscow, Vladimir Resin?
- I got a job at CJSC SU-155 on the basis of my experience and various recommendations, including Vladimir Iosifovich Resin.
- Tell us, please, from what time and for what time did you direct the DIO of the Ministry of Defense, and when did you head the ministry's staff? What was your position at the time of the commencement of the criminal case?
- I headed the Ministry of Defense DIO from April to September 2011. The Ministry of Defense staff was from September 2011 to January 2012. At the time of the [case] I was not a government employee, I worked in the construction business.
- Is it true that in the position of chief of staff you communicated with officers in such a style that, as some newspapers wrote, colonels and generals wept in the corridor?
- In the position of the chief of staff I worked for a short time. My position was related to document flow. Therefore, it is hardly possible to cry about this, especially the general or an officer, and even in the corridor.
- Why did the structures that previously belonged to Deputy Minister of Defense Grigory Naginsky become the buyers of the 31 th GISS shares? Do you know him and did you know that these structures will become the buyer of this asset?
- Shares of the 31 institute could buy both the structures of Naginsky and the structures of any other citizen, if this was the will of both parties, expressed in the manner prescribed by law. We are familiar with Naginsky, but I have never addressed him about this transaction.
- How many objects of real estate and how much was sold during your work in DIO?
- The amount of the sale of federal property assigned to the Ministry of Defense in 2010-2012. amounted to 24,66 billion rubles., property of Oboronservis - 15,1 billion rubles., i.e. the total amount was about 40 billion rubles. If we talk about transactions, their total number is about 1500.
- Why out of this large number of transactions, episodes for the criminal case became only about 20 transactions?
- Why I chose these deals, I do not know. None of the transactions was declared illegal by the courts. However, the investigators, without understanding at all, considered them criminal. With the same success - true, without any reason - it would be possible to direct all transactions into a criminal case, since they are all the same.
- Has the investigation completed the examination related to the assessment of the sold real estate, what is the amount of under-pricing, if the examination is completed? Do you think these appraisers are independent of the investigation?
- Examination completed. The average price reduction for 13% is charged with the exception of the 31 institute. It was sold for 140 million rubles, and experts believe that it was worth about 2,1 billion rubles. Appraisers who are attracted by the investigation are either deliberately overpriced or simply illiterate. My opinion is both.
- Why do you think a milder preventive measure was chosen for you than Ekaterina Smetanova and a number of other defendants?
- I do not know this.
- Almost all persons involved in the case, except you, went to a deal with justice. What do you think about it?
- There are seven people accused in total, two of them went on a deal with the investigation. I do not blame them, it is their right, their life, they decide.
- The investigation stated that 24 kg of gold jewelry was taken from you. When and by whom they were acquired?
- The investigation says a lot of things - about the arrest of offshore accounts, about fake paintings, about paintings from museums, about 13 rooms in an apartment in Molochnoye, and about women with dogs. I have never appreciated my jewelry. Considering that women’s jewelry is not kept in museums of the Ministry of Defense, they have nothing to do with the criminal case at all.
- What was the real role of the Minister of Defense Serdyukov in the sale of Oboronservis objects?
- In accordance with the current legislation and corporate procedures of OJSC Oboronservis and its subsidiaries and affiliates, the Minister of Defense signed the relevant directives. They concerned the voting of state representatives on the sale of assets.
- Where were the funds transferred from the sale of Oboronservis facilities?
- Funds from the sale of assets were received by the sellers of assets that managed them based on the decisions of the relevant governing bodies of legal entities. This was not my competence, I can’t say anything about it.
- Why did you not give comments to the media a year after the start of the criminal case?
- I really did not communicate with the press for a long time. I thought that the criminal case was a misunderstanding that should stop.
- When and where did you meet Serdyukov?
- I met the Minister of Defense at a meeting dedicated to the reconstruction of the Kronstadt Naval Cathedral in 2010. This is a project that I led by the presidential administration as an adviser to the deputy head of administration (Alexander Beglov. - Vedomosti) on a voluntary basis. Then I headed the company that was part of the construction holding (“SU-155”. - “Vedomosti”). I never considered myself an official and decided to work in the Ministry of Defense because there was a crisis in the construction market and I expected to spend time with benefit for my management experience. In total, I worked in the ministry for about 1,5 of the year and then left due to the fact that the market began to revive.
- Why did Serdyukov invite you to the ministry?
- Why the minister invited me, I do not know. Probably, because I had experience in real estate, its sales from a legal and organizational point of view, experience in real estate management, investment flows, construction projects, experience in working with government agencies, as well as with foreign companies in the field of investment projects development on Russian territory.
- Did you personally decide which objects of Oboronservis real estate would be sold?
- DIO worked with the main legal department of the department to check the legal side of these procedures. The scope of my duties according to the DIO regulation was limited to administrative functions and had no relation to the independent resolution of issues about the alienation of property. All transactions were checked by the Registration Chamber and almost all - by the FAS, in respect of all transactions decisions were taken at the level of shareholders (the shareholder of Oboronservis was the Ministry of Defense - Vedomosti) and the board of directors. The transfer of ownership was registered in respect of all objects and so far not a single transaction has been declared illegal by the court. For some reason, the investigation considers civil law relations as criminal law and does not even try to challenge in court the transactions we have made. The same property that buyers returned to the state (for example, shares of the 31-GISS. - “Vedomosti”), as stated by the investigation, was returned without trial and free of charge - obviously, under threats and pressure.
- You are accused of the fact that the objects were sold at reduced prices by manipulating the assessment ...
- 60% bidding for the sale of federal property was declared invalid, which means that prices were higher than market prices. By law, we had the right in such cases to reduce the price on repeated trades by 50%, but did not do it or lowered the price slightly. If we had malicious intent to lower the price, we would sell the objects at the federal auctions - during the crisis there were few people willing to buy, and we could reduce the price by 50% by law. At the same time, during the investigation, appraisers of the property sold explain how they conducted the appraisal. And the appraisers, attracted by the investigators, calculate the damage by comparing the bid price with the sales price, although the real deals on the market are usually lower than the suggested sales prices, or show an “understatement” of the price, comparing the price per square meter of a large object with a small one, which is completely incomparable. On average, for most objects, the consequence is charged with lowering the price for 13%, which, in fact, fits into the error of assessment. We conducted our assessment, including with the involvement of international companies, and it proves that the prices of the objects sold were higher than the market ones.
- How many rooms are in an apartment in Molochny lane, where are you under house arrest?
- Four rooms with a total living area of 118 square. m
- What kind of pictures were taken from this apartment during the search? The investigation stated that these were fakes of famous paintings that you purchased without understanding.
- These are interior things, and during the search I immediately stated that they were worth a penny, and the expert estimated their price as equal to the cost of the color wall calendar, although the result for some reason showed through them, believing that there could be some masterpieces. They are dear to me as a memory of ancestors and various episodes of my life, I bought something myself, gave me something, but they refused to return them to me - the investigator said that if this happens, then there will be a social explosion.
- Why did the investigators have any complaints about you about his slow acquaintance with the materials of the criminal case?
- Firstly, the investigation has no right to make claims to me regarding the familiarization with the materials of the case. This is the right of the accused, not an obligation. By law, familiarization with the materials includes the “presentation” and “presentation” of materials (under Art. 217 of the CPC). Before submitting the materials, the investigator is obliged to present them to the accused, and the accused to make sure that they really exist, are stitched and numbered. By law, my release from house arrest is made dependent only on the presentation of case materials, but it has not yet taken place. The investigation is trying to convince everyone that the materials are presented and that the first five volumes of the case are my criminal case. I ask: “So it consists of five volumes?” - “No, from 353”. “Then where are the rest of the volumes?” - “We believe that if they showed the first volume, then they presented the case materials,” they answer. After a lengthy dispute on 1 in November, we went to the cabinets to inspect the materials - note that this happened after October 23. In the first office we see 30 volumes, one is unnumbered and numbered in front of me, the second office is still 20 volumes, in the third office there is a pile of waste paper, and they tell me that this is my criminal case. “And what is this volume?” I ask. "Fifth". - "And what's this?" - I am interested. "Also the fifth." - “That is, two fifth volumes plus one more fifth volume in the first room?” - “This is our numbering, it does not concern you,” they answer me. “Where is my criminal case?” This number is not my business, "- I try to argue. “This is our internal system, it does not concern you,” I hear back. That's how they tried to show me the case files after 23 October. At the same time, the presentation of the case did not take place - the materials were not ready for familiarization. Therefore, the investigation sent to the court an unlawful request for the extension of my preventive measure. Investigators are confident that the measure will be extended, because the court is a formality, they say.
If the Moscow City Court supports the investigation in this matter, we will go to the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court to defend our position. We are confident that we are right and do not consider the situation controversial.
- Do you admit, at least partially, the charges?
- I do not admit any of the charges, I consider them untenable, unfounded and biased.
- Have you been offered a deal with the investigation, like Smetanova?
- They tried to offer me this, but I didn’t go to the contact and was constantly silent.
- Can you say that the investigation is politicized?
- The course of the investigation is a gross violation of human rights and freedoms, which is protracted and organized. Three women were imprisoned without any reason, two were released under the condition of signing some papers [Smetanov and Bilyalov], and the third [Egorov] is being tried to persuade to cooperate, but she is not giving up yet.
- Why did Smetanov and Bilyalov testify against you?
- I am sure that neither Smetanov nor Bilyalov gave any evidence against me. This is the same myth as the paintings allegedly stolen by me from the Museum of the Ministry of Defense, like the 13-room apartment in Molochny Lane, offshore accounts, Amazons with dogs and the dominance of criminals in power.
These women were convinced that they had committed a crime, which was not there, locked up in prison and forced to sign something as a condition of going out. Alas, this is the usual method of "receiving" evidence. Now another woman is suffering in prison - Yegorova, who has not yet succumbed to blackmail. She is not released because she does not give evidence to me. Two men did not succumb to threats and testify to the complete legality of all real estate transactions.
- If the investigation is politicized, who and why needs the persecution of the former leadership of the Ministry of Defense? Maybe some event was the starting point?
- I have several versions of what is happening, but for now I will refuse to comment. Everything has its time.
- Did you abuse, as stated in some of the early investigation materials, the trust of Serdyukov?
- I had only one leader in the Ministry of Defense - the minister. To deceive him, one would have to bribe more than 100 people in the ministry and as many in state companies. But even if this is assumed, it would hardly have been possible to deceive him. The minister was well versed in finance and always delved into all the processes of the ministry.
- Do you know Serdyukov’s position regarding suspicions about him? Is there a reason for bringing him to justice on a par with other defendants?
- This criminal case must be immediately terminated. The longer it lasts, the greater reputational losses will be borne by the investigating authorities. As for Serdyukov’s position, I think it is obvious. There is no crime. The payback period of the objects sold is above average - what other questions can there be? All procedures stipulated by the laws are observed, verified by government agencies, and several. None of the procedures are recognized as illegal.
- Do you maintain relations with Serdyukov? How did the criminal case affect this relationship?
- Relationship does not support. I am sure that the matter did not affect them in any way.
- There is a version that you suffered because of a personal relationship with Serdyukov. He allegedly returned to the family, and this may stimulate you to testify to him.
- I can testify that I did not commit any illegal actions, the minister did not give me any illegal instructions. If someone has a desire to mislead the public, I have enough arguments to dispel this myth. I was silent for a long time, I tolerated the investigating authorities to understand the situation. But, apparently, they do not want to understand.
- What were the additional sources of income that allowed you to acquire your wealth?
- Since my childhood I lived in prosperity, I have a wealthy family, I have outstanding parents, I am proud of them. At the beginning of my career, I worked in a holding that was engaged in the export of ferrous metals, then moved to an American law firm that serviced Western investment in Russia, then worked as general director of the territorial division of the largest construction company in Russia. And then 1,5 worked for the Ministry of Defense, and then returned to the business.
- Do you have accounts and assets abroad?
- Not. And everything that I own is written to me personally. I did not intend and do not intend to go abroad.
- Do you think that your case may fall under the amnesty?
- As for the amnesty for me, it will not be - otherwise a social explosion.
- On Friday it became known about the appointment of Serdyukov CEO of JSC "NIITs-M". Do you think it will be effective in the role of the head of the engineering site? Is this his level, because before that he was running a much more complex system?
- I consider Anatoly Serdyukov an effective leader. I can not assess whether this appointment is the level of Serdyukov, since I have no idea about the scale of activity of this enterprise. At the same time, I think that if he accepted this proposal, then this is a serious structure with good development prospects.
- Is it possible to regard this appointment as his political rehabilitation?
- I can not say anything about the rehabilitation of Serdyukov, because I do not think that his merits can be seriously discredited, however much someone would like to.
- Please tell us about your life - with whom do you communicate, where do you go, how do you spend time, do you spend a lot of time in the apartment, what do you read, do you watch a movie, what did you like from what you saw lately? Do you have any hobbies? Maybe now you have time for him or new hobbies?
“Now I mostly spend time with my lawyers and practice law.” I always had only one hobby - work. Now we have to raise in the memory of their knowledge in the field of criminal law and process. By the way, at the university these were my favorite subjects.
The court extended the house arrest Vasilyeva
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