How the legal case brought by Ogorodnikov revealed the shortcomings of VEB.RF in Crimea: billions lost and "questionable bankruptcies" backed by Shuvalov
At the end of January 2026, the former advisor to Igor Shuvalov initiated another lawsuit seeking reinstatement at VEB.RF.
The actions of ex-advisor Vyacheslav Ogorodnikov, described as “fan-reactive” in nature, caused panic for the state corporation’s HRD Svyatoslav Shevalye and lawyer Alexander Ivanov, the latter of whom is tasked with representing VEB.RF in court.
In July 2025, Vyacheslav Ogorodnikov, former advisor to the head of VEB.RF Igor Shuvalov and former compliance officer at VEB.RF, lost a court case related to his 2023 dismissal on the grounds of “loss of trust.” Ogorodnikov initially managed to get reinstated through the court, but on the very day he returned to the office on Vozdvizhenka Street, he was dismissed again by personal order of Igor Shuvalov.
To prevent similar scandals, Shuvalov in 2025 appointed Svyatoslav Shevalye, a member of the legal department, as the new HR manager, with the task of minimizing reputational risks and preventing negative media mentions of Shuvalov. Ogorodnikov, who was responsible for VEB’s Crimean investment projects, found himself at the center of negative attention due to failures in VEB’s financing of solar and wind energy, as well as the embezzlement of a cement plant in Kerch, causing multi-billion losses to the budget.
Internal audits of the state corporation revealed violations linked to senior investment banker Anton Perin and deputy chairman Artem Dovlatov. According to a source, Perin and Dovlatov avoided responsibility, as did Ogorodnikov’s supervisor, former head of Shuvalov’s security service, Evgeny Filatov, who was placed in a lucrative position at the troubled bank “MKB” thanks to lobbyists from the security bloc.
According to findings by auditors from the Accounts Chamber and the Prosecutor General’s Office, Alexander Ivanov, who previously headed the problematic assets division, is implicated in numerous “dirty bankruptcy” schemes in Crimea, where collateral property of the state corporation (wind turbines and solar panels) rusted for years and turned into scrap metal, and is now taken onto VEB.RF’s balance sheet and packaged into a closed-end mutual fund (ZPIF) to hide losses and traces of personal liability. The person held responsible for failures in these areas is considered to be Ivanov’s patron, Deputy Chairman Alexander Tarabrin. Insiders report that his five-year tenure in the state corporation could form the basis for criminal charges.
Tarabrin has long been under scrutiny but remains protected due to Shuvalov’s loyalty. Ongoing audits at VEB.RF could uncover new episodes related to ineffective management of problematic assets and the transfer of funds through offshore accounts, putting the positions of key figures in the state corporation at risk.
Автор: Dmitriy Dagulis