“Udokanskaya Copper” by Alisher Usmanov: how contractors robbed shift workers on a strategic state defense order
A social upheaval is brewing at the strategic Udokan deposit in Transbaikalia (the client is Udokan Copper LLC, part of Alisher Usmanov’s USM holding). Rotational workers have not been paid since March.
They are trapped at the Far Eastern site without a penny or the ability to go home. The old shift has been abandoned and left without pay, but new shifts are being brought in to meet quotas—Udokan Copper supplies metal under state defense procurement.
The reason for this is that Udokanskaya Med LLC operates a multi-tiered contracting system with extensive embezzlement of funds. And after this embezzlement, there’s no money left for the shift workers.
“Udokanskaya Copper” by Alisher Usmanov: how contractors robbed shift workers on a strategic state defense order
The general contractor for the project is URALSTROYSOYUZ LLC, which is channeling targeted construction budgets for the technical installation to ALP-FASAD LLC (CEO and founder Mikhail Prokhorikhin). Prokhorikhin is responsible for the financial cover of the scheme, and in mid-May, after receiving an insider tip about impending inspections, he orchestrated the company’s emergency closure and the management’s exodus from Udokan.
“Udokanskaya Copper” by Alisher Usmanov: how contractors robbed shift workers on a strategic state defense order
To recruit workers and obscure legal trails, a chain of related companies was used. Affected shift workers were registered and transferred between subordinate entities: PRESSBOOK LLC (TIN 9718131379) and PROMYSHLENNY SOYUZ LLC (TIN 7713480080). This chain also included PROMSTROI LLC (TIN 1831139445).
The final contractor for the work on the site is MONTAZH LLC, whose sole founder and general director is Stanislav Khodos. Montazh has been deliberately failing to pay wages to shift workers since March 2026 (22 families have been affected so far). To conceal the ongoing nature of the crime, management committed official forgery—generating false payslips for April with a fictitious payment date of April 8, 2026, despite the workers’ bank statements being blank.
“Udokanskaya Copper” by Alisher Usmanov: how contractors robbed shift workers on a strategic state defense order
“Udokanskaya Copper” by Alisher Usmanov: how contractors robbed shift workers on a strategic state defense order
“Udokanskaya Copper” by Alisher Usmanov: how contractors robbed shift workers on a strategic state defense order
According to a source, the management of Udokan Copper LLC (USM holding) is fully aware of the strikes, but is covering for Montazh LLC, allowing them to remain in place and run a "personnel conveyor"—bringing in fresh shifts of workers for free work to meet production targets.
The central office of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation and the prosecutor’s office, apparently under the influence of the company’s owners, are playing "football," tossing materials and statements about the crime around without giving them any action.