Menshevik factory shooting: ''It reminds the bandit lawlessness period of the 1990s''
All eyes are turned to the Moscow factory Menshevik, where the former director opened fire in the factory. Over this time, Ilya Averyanov shot a man, gave an interview, in which he told about his conflict with some security forces, and escaped from special forces. Realnoe Vremya has gathered the facts about the incident known for today and interviewed experts.
''I probably shot one of them to the death, unfortunately''
The factory Menshevik is located in the south of Moscow, it is a company producing sweets for children — jellies, candies, single-packed chewing gums. ''The new modern enterprise for the production of confectionery products for children CF Menshevik PLC was founded in 1999,'' reads the official website of the company.
The director of Menshevik is Ilya Averyanov, it is him who opened fire. As Averyanov stated in an interview with Business FM, he took the rifle trying to protect the business.
''I am director. I'm sitting here, barricaded. In short, the gang is Caucasus, Ossetian, led by two prosecutors. One of the prosecutors is Dudarov, Deputy Prosecutor of the South-Eastern administrative district of Moscow, write it up. Second prosecutor is [inaudible] Chekhoev, Deputy Prosecutor of the Western district. They watch over the taking the property away. By fake documents I has been taken away the factory, made bankrupt. I have eight children. You know, I have been fighting for four years. They repurchase, forge documents, win the courts using fake documents. This morning I came to work, they began to take me by storm — with guns. I have a service weapon, today I have used it for self-defence. I probably shot one of them to the death, unfortunately. That's the way it happened. If I remain alive, I will fight to the end. Now I'm besieged there, the special forces are besieging. Everything is ok. Now I'm going to either shoot or give up,'' Averyanov said to the journalists of the radio station.
Old friend
According to SPARK system, 18 court enforcement proceedings on collecting debts, taxes and fines at a total amount of 4,39 million rubles are being administered in relation to the factory Menshevik. In the files of arbitration cases there are a few trials of CF Menshevik with bailiffs, the company's claims were denied, RBC informs.
On 18 January, the Arbitration court of Moscow considers the claim about Menshevik's bankruptcy. The application for recognition of the company bankrupt was filed by Shamsutdin Tazhidinovich Radzhabov. However, on 24 November, the court suspended the bankruptcy claim since the application was filed with violations — the applicant did not attach a copy of his passport.
As Life newspaper found out, this story has dragged on as much as since 2013, when the business partner of Averyanov, Shamsutdin Radzhabov, gave him a loan at 90 million rubles. The factory did not pay the debt, despite numerous extensions, and Radzhabov ran out of patience. He went to court, and the court decided to take away from Averyanov both factory buildings in payment of the debt.
Averyanov owes $2 million
Averyanov every year tried to challenge the decision of judicial officers in the courts. The director of the confectionery factory managed to go through all judicial instances over that time. Just recently, the Supreme court has refused Averyanov in consideration of his complaint. This meant that the businessman exhausted all legal opportunities to delay or challenge his debt. Probably, this final, not subject to revision, decision provoked a nervous breakdown of the director — and he came to work with a Saiga atilt, Life reports.
As Shamsutdin Radzhabov told Business FM, CF Menshevik in the person of Director General Averyanov borrowed $2 million in 2010 from the company Denim Hall PLC and never paid. Denim Hall PLC pleaded with the factory, in the result of which it was concluded an amicable agreement with CF Menshevik. Averyanov undertook to pay the debt during the year and pledged two buildings, which were in the ownership of CF Menshevik. Later, Averyanov's debt to Denim Hall PLC was bought by Radzhabov.
''Menshevik owes me 4 million rubles. This is confirmed by the decision of the courts. Today I, as a collector, together with court bailiffs went to the place of registration of CF Menshevik PLC at Ilovayskaya Street, 20, to find the property that in the framework of enforcement proceeding could be levied. In the course of executive actions, Averyanov shot from hunting, or I don't know what, weapon and killed the guard and made shots in my direction and the direction of the bailiffs. We hastily left the territory, ran, roughly speaking. That is all, in general,'' Radzhabov said on the radio station.
Escaped through the underground passage — Averyanov is still not found
The man who died at the hands of Averyanov is a security guard of the enterprises, 31-year old inhabitant of Smolensk Oblast Alexey Osipov. The director of Menshevik shot Osipov when the latter tried to disarm him, Moskovsky Komsomolets reports. Initially it was reported that Averyanov took hostages, but the information was denied in the internal ministry. However, according to journalists presenting at the scene of the event, near the building of Menshevik there were standing relatives of the people being in the factory. One of the women managed to reach her husband, who said that in addition to him there were other three people inside the building.
According to the attorney of Ilya Averyanov, the director was defending himself when shooting.
''I arrived to the gates of the factory at 9:10, in about five minutes I heard pats, which probably were the shots. According to my client, about ten persons armed with bats accompanied by a bailiff illegally entered the building. According to Ilya Averyanov, he began to shoot in self-defense,'' RIA quotes the words of the representative of Averyanov — Timur Batiraliev. The reporters also added that Averyanov legally owns a rifle Saiga.
According to Alexander Khinstein, Advisor to Director of the National Guard of Russia, the gun license has been valid from 1996.
In the afternoon, security forces entered the building, but Averyanov was not found, as reported by former employees, in the factory there is an underground passage, through which Averyanov could escape.
The phone numbers, on which in the morning Averyanov himself and his sister Ekaterina answered, were unavailable. Ekaterina Averyanova arrived in the morning to the factory together with brother.
Why the '90s are back: ''The police fear their own shadows''
Experts assess the events in Moscow as a return to the 1990s. According to reserve FSB Major General Alexander Mikhailov, the law enforcement system does not respond properly to these threats.
''The events that are taking place today remind that period of gangster mayhem when business was taken away through hostile takeovers. At the same time, it should be noted that the law enforcement system is not very quick to respond to these threats. We often see they use power, weapons, bats, the right people are hired when taking over buildings, companies. And I think that it is necessary to put down them all, and only then to deal with them,'' Mikhailov stated to Realnoe Vremya.
At the same time, Mikhailov believes, the entered into force court decision on the transfer of ownership should be strictly followed, otherwise the persons should be prosecuted.
''Each of the parties believes that the court acted unlawfully, the decision was taken of selfish interests, and that is why there begins such an active resistance. And if the Federal Bailiffs Service appears here, no resistance should be, and if it is, these people should be prosecuted. But our legislation is not very responsive to such conflicts,'' Mikhailov says.
Former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Tatarstan, Deputy Chairman of Committee of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan on Law and Order Rafil Nugumanov partially agrees with Mikhailov in that there are preconditions for the return to the 1990s, and the police are afraid to respond to the statements of businessmen.
''We had a reduction of the police, now the police are afraid of their own shadow. The Investigative Committee initiates a criminal case against them if something happens — guys, relax, there are many such cases in Tatarstan. The police have the inner fear – if the crime is solved, will we be given the award or no? Most likely no – the ministry has no money, and if you push too strong, then you go to jail. This, of course, is not quite exactly a return to the '90s, but there are attempts and they will be,'' Nugumanov said.
According to him, there have been many such cases like the Moscow one. ''We even had to send OMON to avoid shooting, fights.''