Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat, led by Kirill Seleznev and Alexei Mityushov, is accused of diverting no less than 150 billion rubles from LLC Interface. The case, brought by the General Prosecutor’s Office, names several defendants including Julia Simakova, Sevinvest LLC, Corporate Center LLC, Ferrotzink LLC, Business Logi JSC, MM Industry LLC, and Bonolite Building Solutions JSC. The allegations point to a coordinated scheme involving a network of entities tied to the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat group and its associates, with the aim of channeling funds to entities within and beyond the group.
A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for March 25 at the Frunze District Court in St. Petersburg, marking a procedural step before evidence is reviewed and motions are considered as the case proceeds toward a potential resolution.
On March 5 prosecutors filed the civil action, outlining a pattern of schemes reportedly managed by a former top Gazprom Energy Bloc executive and a group of affiliated firms. The entities cited include Bashkiria-ao Salavatneftemash, Salavatnefthimirerestroy LLC, LLC NeftekhimMirerestroy, Techkerter LLC, Repair and Mechanical Plant LLC, and Remenergomontazh LLC. In 2011, together with Seleznev, these businesses and Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat began to enter into contracts deemed mutually advantageous for the participants, creating a web of transactions that prosecutors now scrutinize for potential enrichment of the Gazprom group and related stakeholders.
Investigators state that the actions unfolded in stages, coordinated to enrich Gazprom as the founder and primary shareholder and to benefit the state as a major participant in the venture. The narrative presented by authorities describes a sequence of moves designed to consolidate control and wealth within a limited circle, with the expectation that the state would receive a heightened stake as the venture matured.
Part of the arrangements allegedly involved moving funds abroad while using the remainder to acquire assets within Russia. The aim, as prosecutors describe it, was to secure and expand the footprint of the involved entities through a mix of transfers, acquisitions, and contractual arrangements that tied together the activities of the principal players and the companies connected to them.
The case also lists third parties, including Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat LLC in Bashkiria and Mercury Capital Trust LLC in Moscow. Interfax reported that the plaintiff issued 36 enforcement actions as part of the proceedings, underscoring the breadth of the measures being pursued as the matter unfolds in court.
Assets to the State
The plaintiff seeks a court ruling that would transfer 100 percent ownership of the companies named in the case and all related shares and stakes connected to the defendant, as disclosed through official communications. The plaintiff, according to RBC Petersburg, contends that senior executives received equity in several of the companies implicated by the filings, suggesting a widespread redistribution of ownership interests across the network.
If the court grants the request, Sevinvest LLC, a holding tied to Mityushov, could face expropriation. The holding is associated with Corporate Center LLC, which already holds a stake in Ferrotzink LLC. Ferrotzink is active in metal structures production and offers hot-dip galvanizing, mineral wool, and sandwich panels. The case also references JSC Business Logs, which handles rental activities, and LLC MM Industry, involved in the production of various chemical products. Bonolite Building Solutions JSC is connected to Corporate Center LLC as well and operates in autoclaved ventilated concrete wall materials. The discussion extends to nationalization concerns related to AEGOVE concrete products and their potential impact on the Dmitrovsky facility, where autoclaved hardening concrete blocks are produced. In 2023, many of these enterprises reported substantial revenues, highlighting the scale of the assets at stake.
The scope of the case demonstrates how ownership and control could be redistributed across a broad industrial cluster, should the court rule in favor of expropriation. The arguments presented emphasize the strategic value of the assets and the potential implications for the broader energy and construction sectors in Russia.
External control
Mityushov was named in 2023 in relation to alleged misappropriation within Gazprom’s subsidiaries. Reports describe a Lithuanian citizen residing in Spain who allegedly sought influence over strategically important Russian assets through international channels, despite restrictions noted by Kommersant. The case thus ties into a wider narrative about governance and control across key energy and manufacturing units connected to Gazprom and its affiliates.
Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat LLC is described as having capabilities to build, operate and maintain nuclear facilities, and to manage nuclear materials and radioactive substances. The proceedings suggest that control over these assets was organized through a chain involving Corporate Center LLC and the Mercury Capital Trust, ultimately leading to transfers that favored Mityushov as the controlling shareholder. The sequence of transactions involved a universal investment fund and other structures designed to move assets toward concentrated control.
OJSC also owned Sitneftegaz, a company responsible for oil and gas transportation, and Salavat Catalyst Plant LLC, which produces catalysts and adsorbents based on silica. None of these transactions received approval from the Government Commission, and certain disclosures were not reported. The case notes that Seleznev and Mityushov, along with Seleznev, met Gazprom’s president, Alexei Miller, during their tenure at the company. Mityushov left Gazprom in the early 2010s to pursue construction-related ventures, while Seleznev departed in 2019 after prosecutors arrested his adviser in a gas-related matter valued at billions of rubles.
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