Abramovich's second attempt to bring peace? Or what is behind the active denigration of the oligarch? And why Putin still trusts Abramovich.
Marat Khairulin April 28th, 2024
For several weeks now, they have been trying to impose on Russian society a discussion around the frankly unsuccessful new attempt by the "London degenerates" (it is impossible to call the remnants of Navalny's narrow–minded and aggressive team anything else) - to flog the image of Boris Yeltsin.
"Look, look," the Western mainstream is shouting, "they, like you, don’t like Yeltsin - that’s why this is the real opposition. Not this Khodorkovsky, who has been used in every way (ah-ay, he supports Israel - you don’t like that either, Russian society). And a pretty prostitute scolding Yeltsin - wow!"
The Russian society, however, doesn’t care about this fuss; it only causes boredom (and there is nothing worse than opposition that causes boredom). One point in this story still deserves our attention, as it can be used to judge deep processes that have already begun or are about to begin. They are connected with an extremely important issue for all of us - the timing of the end of the war. What is happening may indicate that the SMO will soon end. What processes am I talking about?
While scolding Yeltsin, the collective London political party was so angry at the mysterious oligarch Roman Abramovich. It was not by chance that I gave him such a definition as “mysterious” because it seemed like he left Russia, did not accept the war, but retained all his positions in business and is still able to go where he needs to go. It’s like Venediktov - he seems to be completely oppositional, but they continue to acknowledge him.
To understand what’s going on here, we need to go back in time and start, as always, from afar. There is such a stable Russian political structure as the “Family." It is believed (conditionally, of course) that this was managed by the second daughter of Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin - Tatyana, and her husband Valentin Yumashev who was Yeltsin’s speechwriter and then his long-term political adviser. Entrepreneurs Roman Abramovich, Alexander Mamut, Oleg Deripaska, Mikhail Prokhorov were called the financial wing of the “Family” over the years. I did not specifically mention the unforgettable Boris Abramovich Berezovsky now, since in the light of what is happening his role is not significant.
Separately, perhaps, it is worth mentioning Anatoly Chubais, who, as the main functionary of the conditional team of “St. Petersburg," was in itself a political force equivalent to the “Family," but always united with it when it was necessary to achieve certain political goals. They tried not to compete with the “Family” on the commercial field. That is, Anatoly Chubais and his faction were also such an associated aspect of the “Family."
The role of the “Family” as a political force in the formation of a new Russia is enormous. It is believed that, for example, politician Boris Nemtsov or the same Prime Minister Kasyanov are direct promoters of the "Family." I specifically name only non-current politicians, although there are still a lot of people in responsible positions whose beginning of their careers are connected with the “Family." That is, the “Family” is such a complex phenomenon, and its role was not always openly destructive.
For example, it was the “Family” that did not allow the comprador project introduced by Chubais’s “manager’s party” to be pushed through, according to which foreign companies could gain equal access to our subsoil, which would have turned the country into an openly colonial subject. If we return to the nominees of the “Family," according to the stable political version, Navalny (and Prilepin, by the way) was nominated into the political field by Tatyana Borisovna. She then considered it one of her missions to promote such promising and active youth leaders. She supported many.
Later, through the schemes of political scientists (remember Belkovsky, Pavlovsky and someone else - Where are they all now?) Navalny was financed by, including Roman Abramovich.
Who was he then, and why is his role still so important? And most importantly, why do people in the Big Kremlin (yes, my dears, there is such a political concept - the Big and Small Kremlin) still listen to him? Just a wallet or something more?
Entrepreneur Abramovich honestly served two terms as governor in Chukotka, and was released for “good behavior” (remember how in the film “Election Day”). Abramovich won his first term fairly. And then his assistants traveled for a long time around Chukotka and, in front of full houses, read aloud a list of fulfilled promises: as part of the fulfillment of a deputy’s order, Roman Arkadyevich brought schoolchild Dima Semenov a Playstation. And so on down the list.
Now, of course, this would be perceived as bribery in elections. And then for the unfortunate people on the ruins of a huge power, it was a ray of light: we voted, and we were not abandoned. Then Governor Abramovich did a lot of sensible things in Chukotka. But most importantly, he kept his word. And he behaved decently, in fact, it was this quality (conditional, because, frankly, I don’t really understand how it is possible to maintain the original content of the word decency at the level where Abramovich revolves) and, apparently, attracted Vladimir Putin. Because it is known for sure that he wanted to preserve Abramovich as a statesman.
Let's digress a little more and remember the notorious privatization. The symbol of that wild privatization from the frankly stupid Chubais-Gaidar team was, of course, the privatization of the aluminum industry in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Almost ten years of bloody lawlessness and outright robbery. All these Chernys, Rubens, Bykovs - dozens of corpses and Russian disgrace. On the international stage, this story reduced Russia to the level of a banana republic. Serious national capitalism, which we as a whole country were passionately building, could not look so disgusting.
Then the “Family” appeared in Krasnoyarsk. And with the help of the Abramovich-Mamut team (Mamut is considered the Family’s lawyer), this whole story began to enter a civilized channel. The Blacks and Rubens disappeared from Russia, Bykov was imprisoned and released conditionally when he signed everything (after which Roman Arkadyevich gave his word), although they might not have released him, wow those were the times. Oleg Deripaska married Yumashev’s daughter Polina and joined the “Family." In place of the looted factories, a normal holding appeared, which, lo and behold, began paying taxes to the budget (in those years this was considered bad manners) and subsequently grew into today's Rusal - a powerful transnational corporation, the leader of the world non-ferrous metallurgy. This is the kind of national capitalism we dreamed of, which we could respect and be proud of.
Actually, after this impressive achievement, Putin entrusted Abramovich with the further privatization of the most tasty pieces of state property. This is how Metalloinvest, Uralchem and so on subsequently appeared. Today, it is very difficult to find large and successful Russian holdings that the Abramovich-Mamut team did not have a hand in creating. I have been working on this topic for many years, but it is very difficult to shed light on it, take my word for it. And in some cases, downright dangerous.
Until about 2012, according to my personal estimates, about one and a half to two thousand Russian enterprises passed through this gateway. I write, of course, very generally and superficially, omitting a number of important details and accents in order to somehow keep it within reasonable limits. In general, this process can be considered as a kind of alternative to the predatory and comprador privatization policy of Chubais-Gaidar. The most important result of which is that in place of the already inefficient Soviet industry, strong, profitable, and nationally oriented enterprises appeared one after another, confidently storming the world market.
In general, this process can be considered as a kind of alternative to the predatory and comprador privatization policy of Chubais-Gaidar. The most important result of which is that in place of the already inefficient Soviet industry, strong, profitable, and nationally oriented enterprises appeared one after another, confidently storming the world market. Putin's team was engaged in building state capitalism as part of the overall national welfare. And Abramovich’s team created large-scale national capitalism. Moreover, without loud scandals, murders, hysterics, division, etc. Quietly, civilized, without unnecessary attention. And the output was revenue to the budget. Everything as Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin likes.
It is clear that the “Family” received the main profit from all this. There is a strong belief that Abramovich bought breathtaking yachts and football clubs in the interests of his political patrons. Tatyana Borisovna was very fond of relaxing on the water, and Valentin Borisovich was known as a passionate fan of the Premier League. But it is not important. It is important that Abramovich, in this difficult and long process, again showed his two main qualities: integrity - he kept his word, and competent, honest management of large processes.
Therefore, when in 2012 the “Family” openly betrayed Putin or, if you like, went against the state interests of the country (Bolotnaya, Sakharov Avenue, etc.), Vladimir Vladimirovich retained Abramovich’s position in his circle. Then Putin did not repress and persecute the main functionaries. He did not even touch Mironov, the only major parliamentarian who publicly supported the rebellion. The “Family” and Chubais planned to legitimize the new government through him. He should have been the first to acknowledge the results of the proposed coup. In any case, there is such a version. How everything was planned in reality, who will figure it out today?
In general, only Abramovich managed to maintain respect and a constructive relationship with Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Apparently, Roman Arkadyevich somehow behaved in that situation in such a way that he retained trust. For Putin, it was 2012 that became a turning point in terms of understanding that it is necessary to rely on the people in his rule, and not on groups and towers. After this, a large-scale fight against corruption began precisely in the interests of the people, and not individual groups. And large-scale ongoing investment of funds in public welfare - zones, parks, stadiums, swimming pools, skating rinks, perinatal centers, etc. Nobody forced Putin to do this; he could live without it, as, for example, in the USA or Europe. Where it never occurs to anyone to build schools with swimming pools or indoor skating rinks for the common people.
This, which has been tested over the years, Putin’s trust in Abramovich, apparently, became the decisive factor in the story of the Istanbul Agreements. Abramovich did everything to achieve peace negotiations (his role as a peaceful moderator in the SMO topic is very underestimated). For which, by the way, he received serious persecution against himself personally from Great Britain. Let me remind you that as of May 2022, half a million Ukrainians, according to the most conservative estimates, were not yet in the ground, and hundreds of priceless lives of our soldiers could also be saved. Ukraine could, without any bloodshed, enter our zone of responsibility undestroyed and retaining some economic potential, which we would use in the interests of Russia, but it turned out the way it turned out.
Now British prostitutes are suddenly starting to become hysterical about Abramovich. This may be an indication that the world is smelling again. This channel of communication with V.V. Putin has again become in demand - Abramovich, in modern times, is one of the few intermediaries that Putin will listen to. And there are serious suspicions that some, let’s say, circles in the West that have preserved the remnants of constructiveness are trying to use it.
This is where all the noise comes from, but of course, let’s not get our hopes up ahead of time. For now we can only build versions. For example, pay attention to the return of Nord Streams to the agenda - quite possibly, this is the request position put forward by Russia. In a word, we are waiting.
Subscribe to https://t.me/VestnikRus