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Court has recognized the evidence collected by the Head Military Investigations Directorate of Russia’s Investigative Committee sufficient to convict former CEO of OAO Slavyanka (OJSC) and founder of ZAO Bezopasnost i Svyaz (CJSC) Alexander Yelkin, CEO of ZAO Bezopasnost i Svyaz (CJSC) Alexander Lugansky, head of current repairs department of Slavyanka (OJSC) Konstantin Lapshin, acting head of Economic Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defense and Yulia Rotanova who actually was an assistant to the CEO of ZAO Bezopasnost i Svyaz.

Depending on their parts they were considered guilty in crimes under part 4 of article 159 (fraud),  paragraphs “a” and “b” of part 4 of article 204 (receiving of commercial bribery), part 5 of article 33, paragraphs “a” and “b” of part 4 of article 204 (complicity in receiving of commercial bribery), part 3 of article 30, paragraphs “a” and “b” of part 4 of article 204 and part 3 of article 30, part 5 of article 33, paragraphs “a” and “b” of part 4 of article 204 of the RF Penal Code (attempted receiving and aiding in commercial bribery).

In the course of preliminary investigation and ruling, it was found that for the purpose of illegal enrichment Yelkin used money from federal budget funds, created and headed an organized criminal group formed from his subordinates and trustees.

In summer 2010, the Russian Ministry of Defense concluded with Slavyanka (OJSC) a state contract on maintenance and servicing of barracks and water supply network of military camps worth more than 30 billion rubles. Yelkin both personally and through Lapshin demanded from heads of 7 commercial organizations working in several regions of Russia money for concluding works contracts and subcontracts with their companies.  Otherwise they promised to create difficulties in paying for repairs executed under the contracts. Rotanova on Yelkin’s orders made false accounts on behalf of phony firms OOO StroyTekh (LLC) and OOO Ilion (LLC) for allegedly supplied by them building materials and rendered services, which were passed to representatives of commercial organizations for further transfer of money for commercial bribery. In the period from July 2010 to January 2012 the members of the organized group have received and cashed over 130 million rubles of so-called kickbacks.

In December 2010 Economic Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry signed a contract with ZAO Bezopasnost i Svyaz for complex servicing of the Russian Defense Ministry's buildings and constructions in Moscow, with a total area over 102 thousand square meters.

Despite of the fact that 4 buildings with a total area over 20 thousand square meters were under reconstruction and capital repairs, ZAO Bezopasnost i Svyaz acting through Yelkin, and afterwards through Lugansky, in the period from January 2011 to September 2012 issued fake monthly reports of completion, mainly signed by Ryabykh on behalf of a customer. As a result of the said actions, the Russian Defense Ministry groundlessly paid to commercial organization over 83 million rubles, cashed and stolen by Yelkin and members of his organized criminal group. During preliminary investigation by the Russian Defense Ministry a legal action was initiated for recovery of damage inflicted to state to the fullest extent.

When the lawsuit was sent to the court, Yulia Rotanova was being under the pledge not to leave and behave decently, Yelkin, Lapshin, Ryabykh and Lugansky were being under arrest.

During searches and seizures conducted in houses of accused and different banks, military investigators have found and seized money in Russian and foreign currency totaling over 1.1 billion rubles at the official exchange rate. Moreover, in the course of preliminary investigation 47 objects of movable and immovable property with total cost exceeding 300 million rubles were arrested, including 11 flats in Moscow with a total area of 784 square meters, 9 land plots with a total area over 1.33 ha and 3 residential houses with a total area of more than 1 thousand square meters in the Moscow region, as well as 6 land plots with a total area of more than 1 ha and 2 residential buildings with a total area over 260 square meters in Khosta and Adler Districts in the city of Sochi.

Tver District court of the city of Moscow sentenced Yelkin, Lapshin, Ryabykh, Lugansky and Rotanova to 11, 9, 5, 7 and 6 years respectively to be served in a maximum-security correctional facility by Yelkin and Lapshin and in a standard regime correctional facility by others, as well as to fines of 500 million, 450 million, 300 thousand, 700 thousand and 500 thousand rubles respectively. Also the court has deprived Yelkin of colonel in reserve rank and Lapshin was deprived of lieutenant colonel rank. Moreover, the court banned Yelkin for three years from occupying managerial positions at state service and performing business activities. 

Also, the court has answered the plea to the fullest extent and obliged the convicted to recover over 83 million rubles of damage inflicted to state.

Previously 13 people were sentenced in relation with other criminal cases linked to stealing in the Russian Defense Ministry: former Head of Property Relations Department of the Russia’s Defense Ministry Yevgeniya Vasilieva, former CEO of District Material Storehouse of Armed Forces Moscow District Maksim Zakutaylo, CEO of Oboronstroy Larisa Yegorina, former General Director of Khors Company (LLC) and Roniks Plus (LLC) Irina Yegorova, former General Director of 31st State Design Institute of Special Construction (JSC) Yuri Grekhnev, former General Directors of  legal advice center Expert (LLC) Dinara Bilyalova and Yekaterina Smetanova, former colonels of the Russian Defense Ministry and Moscow Criminal Investigation Department Boris Miroshnikov and Alexander Ambarov, former acting General Director of Oboronstroy (JSC) and Main Directorate for Provision of Troops (LLC) Vladislav Germanovich, former CEO of Voentelecom Andrei Scherbakov, former General Director of Voentelecom Nikolai Tamodin and ex-project manager Sergey Pobezhimov, as well as former General Director of Military Cartographic Factory Natalia Dynkova.   The state has received 4 billion rubles of damage recovery.

Head of Media Relations                                                                                              V.I. Markin