Ozero
Ozero (Russian: «О́зеро», lit. lake) (full name: дачный потребительский кооператив «Озеро», Dacha consumer cooperative "Ozero") is a dacha cooperative in northwest Russia associated with Vladimir Putin's inner circle.
History
The dacha cooperative Ozero was founded on November 10, 1996 by Vladimir Smirnov (head), Vladimir Putin, Vladimir Yakunin, Andrei Fursenko, Sergey Fursenko, Yury Kovalchuk, Viktor Myachin, and Nikolay Shamalov. The society united their dachas in Solovyovka, Priozersky District of Leningrad Oblast, on the eastern shore of Lake Komsomolskoye on the Karelian Isthmus, near Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Vladimir Putin returned from his KGB posting in Dresden in early 1990, prior to the formal establishment of the Ozero cooperative, and acquired property on the banks of Lake Komsomolskoye. His dacha burned down in 1996 but was rebuilt later that year. Others bought more land around this area and built a number of villas close to each other to form a gated community. A bank account linked to this cooperative association was opened, allowing money to be deposited and used by all account holders in accordance with the Russian law on cooperatives.
By 2012 members of the Ozero cooperative had assumed top positions in Russian government and business and became very successful financially.
Ozero members
The table includes alleged net worth or annual compensation
| Ozero member | Full or Partial Ownership, Board Memberships, Directorships as of 2014 | 2013 Alleged Net Worth or annual compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Andrei Fursenko | Center for Strategic Research Northwest, Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (2004-2012), Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation (2012-present), Honorary Consul to Bangladesh in St Petersburg | Unknown |
| Sergey Fursenko | Lentransgaz subsidiary of Gazprom, Gasprom Gas-Motor Fuel, president of National Media Group, president of the Russian Football Union (2010-2012) | Unknown |
| Yury Kovalchuk | Bank Rossiya and its subsidiaries (e.g. co-owner of National Media Group), Center for Strategic Research Northwest, Honorary Consul to Thailand in St Petersburg | $1.4b net worth |
| Viktor Myachin | former Director-General of Bank Rossiya (1995-1998, 1999-2004), CEO of the investment company "Abros", a subsidiary of Rossiya Bank (2004-present): This investment company owns 51% of the Согаз, a big insurance company in Russia | Unknown |
| Vladimir Putin | President of Russia | see Personal wealth |
| Nikolai Shamalov | Vyborg Shipyard, Bank Rossiya, Gazprombank | $500m net worth |
| Vladimir Smirnov | Techsnabexport (2002-2007) | Unknown |
| Vladimir Yakunin | deputy minister of transport (2000-present), president of Russian Railways (2005-2015) | $15m annual salary |
Security
Purportedly the firm Rif-Security provides security for the Ozero Dacha Community. Rif-Security is controlled by the alleged boss of the Tambov Gang Vladimir Barsukov (Kumarin) and Vladimir Smirnov.
Political effect
Some observers hint that the roots of Putin's power may lie in Ozero camaraderie.
The Ozero cooperative society holds a bank account at the Leningrad Oblast Bank. The financial transactions of the Ozero cooperative are unknown. By law any of the members would be able to deposit and withdraw funds for his own use. Karen Dawisha, director of the Havighurst Center for Russian and Post-Soviet Studies at Miami University, concluded that "in Russia a cooperative arrangement is another way for Putin to avoid being given money directly, while enjoying the wealth shared among co-owners".
Putin. Corruption, an independent report published by the opposition People's Freedom Party, is about the alleged corruption in Vladimir Putin's inner circle and has a chapter about Ozero.
See also
- Corruption in Russia
- Political groups under Vladimir Putin's presidency
- LLCInvest (LLCInvest is often referred to as "digital consumer cooperative Ozero").