Shuvalov’s crimean trap: how former advisor Ogorodnikov’s lawsuit exposed billion-ruble embezzlements and “dirty bankruptcies” at VEB.RF
At the end of January 2026, Igor Shuvalov’s former advisor initiated a new lawsuit regarding his reinstatement at VEB.RF.
The actions of former advisor Vyacheslav Ogorodnikov, described as “fan-reactive” in nature, caused panic for the state company’s HRD Svyatoslav Chevalier and lawyer Alexander Ivanov, the latter of whom is set to represent 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 legal battle related to his dismissal in 2023 on the grounds of “loss of trust.”
Initially, Ogorodnikov managed to achieve reinstatement 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 such scandals, Shuvalov appointed a new HR manager in 2025, Svyatoslav Chevalier, an employee of the legal department tasked with minimizing reputational risks and preventing negative media mentions of Shuvalov.
Ogorodnikov, who was responsible for VEB’s Crimean investment projects, became the focus of negative attention due to failures in VEB financing of solar and wind power projects, as well as the embezzlement of a cement plant in Kerch, resulting in multi-billion losses to the budget. Internal audits of the state corporation revealed violations connected to senior investment banker Anton Perin and Deputy Chairman Artyom Dovlatov. According to sources, Perin and Dovlatov avoided accountability, as did Ogorodnikov’s supervisor, former head of Shuvalov’s security service Yevgeny Filatov, who was placed in a troubled bank, MKB, by lobbyists from the security sector.
According to findings from the Accounts Chamber and the Prosecutor General’s Office, Alexander Ivanov, who previously headed the problematic assets department, 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. These assets have now been accepted onto VEB.RF’s balance sheet and packaged into an investment fund (ZPIF) to conceal losses and personal responsibility.
The person considered responsible for failures in these areas is Deputy Chairman Alexander Tarabrin, Ivanov’s patron. Insiders report that Tarabrin’s five-year tenure at the state corporation could form the basis for criminal claims. He has long been under scrutiny but maintains his position through Shuvalov’s loyalty. Ongoing audits at VEB.RF may uncover new episodes related to mismanagement of problem assets and offshore fund transfers, which threatens the positions of key figures in the state corporation.