After the arrest of Vadim Moshkovich, co-owner of the company «Rusagro», who unexpectedly stumbled over the oil and fat «Sunny Products», it was the turn of the sunflower oil producer, CEO of the company «Blago Invest» Dmitry Fosman. The thematic block of various oils was, however, supplemented by no less large-scale and shocking news about the production of various investigative actions against the recently dismissed former governor of the Sverdlovsk region Yevgeny Kuyvashev.
Doing business in Russia, as well as holding any responsible positions, has long become a dangerous affair, but the coincidence in the timing of the arrests of such significant figures and the tsunami of deprivatization suggests a systematic, yet chaotic redistribution of property and simultaneously the political space. It would seem that in such situations it would be possible to do without law enforcement — there are civil lawsuits, there is an institution of demonstrative demotions. But, apparently, the current system of power is arranged in such a way that it cannot act without applying extreme measures of violence against its own.
Its own — because, of course, large businesses and prominent officials are part of the system of «patronal autocracy» (Balint Magyar), where patron-client ties are widespread in both the political and economic spheres. And the largest sub-patrons and clients, of course, are woven into a sprawling crown leading to the main patron. All of them, according to the same researcher of post-communist regimes Balint Magyar, are part of the «adoptive political family». But, as the saying goes, «there is no family without a black sheep», and in what community of this type are there no clan wars. And clan wars have victims, even if they behave quite loyally towards the main patron. Although, for example, in Kuyvashev's actions one could sometimes find grains of common sense and even liberalism, and Moshkovich participated in a very good educational project, which contradicts the policy of brain unification in Putin's Russia.
Vadim Moshkovich in the Meshchansky Court of Moscow, March 27, 2025. Photo: Stanislav Krasilnikov / RIA «Novosti»
Dmitry Fosman. Photo: Government of the Voronezh Region
Former governor of the Sverdlovsk region Yevgeny Kuyvashev. Photo: www.globallookpress.com/Kremlin Pool/Global Look Press
Of course, all these scandalous cases have a background known to very few within this «adoptive political family». But whatever and whoever stands behind each of these stories, they, like the tsunami of deprivatization motivated by foreign ownership, strategic significance of pasta and other security, create an impression of war of all against all within the Russian politico-economic elite.
As they say, do not ask for whom the bell tolls — it tolls for thee. If the regime has taken up, with rolled-up sleeves, the political figures, it will simultaneously and no less spectacularly take on its own. Because the system is disassembled: violations of its own laws and Constitution regarding one category of citizens echo with the persecution of other categories on unclear grounds. The state's monopoly on violence is blurred, as is the monopoly on violating its own laws — competition arises among those who have the right to do anything regarding competitors, opponents, those who crossed the line. Thus, the system devours its children and moves towards chaos.
The RSPP remains silent about all the cases, including the story of Moshkovich, who belonged to the category of crème de la crème of Russian business, meaning he was a visitor to meetings with the president. And it does not receive promised explanations from the government about whether there will be any rules in the process of deprivatization and what and whom to fear tomorrow. The lack of an answer means this: we do not know. We do not know who is in charge here. And «papa» is silent or occasionally reports that there is no campaign. This is not called strong dirigiste power, it means the absence of power. Because power — is rules, and if not the separation of its branches (one can only dream of this), then at least a clear understanding of responsibility for different areas. And also agreement on fundamental points — do we have a «big privatization» planned, as the finance minister promises, or a large nationalization, consistently carried out by competent authorities? And if they are not stopped, then it means they are approved from the very top of the pyramid.
What is happening with businesses — is not even nationalization. Because the state does not strictly speaking need the assets turned in its favor. It does not know how to manage them. It did not create these jobs and this added value, which arose only because the enterprises had a private owner. The state can transfer these assets to the nephew of the next sub-patron of the big patron or to the president of the Amateur Boxing Association, as happened with «Rolf», a company created by Sergey Petrov, whose only guilt was his open liberal political views. And then on behalf of the new owner it is reported that the «unique corporate culture» of the company will be preserved. They let it slip — the business was too good not to take it away. Now they will have to fight with all their might for the corporate culture created not by the new owners. And what if under such a «corporate culture» the authorities and these owners — are temporary?
It turns out that in such a system there is no right to private property, because ownership-use-disposal — is temporary. And the owner in the face of those who have the monopoly on interpreting the law, — is a temporary holder and manager. This way, many businesses can be destroyed. The market economy, which still saves the regime from economic bankruptcy and provides those 75 percent who (for now) «support» with food and consumer goods, can be undermined.
But already the structure of the economy is skewed, the labor market is already crooked, the budget deficit seems inevitable, oil prices are falling, inflation is not decreasing, and problems in entire industries, such as metallurgy and coal, are not being resolved, warehouses with cars, trucks, and trailers are being overstocked, small businesses often exist on the brink of survival, and imports do not fully satisfy the needs of citizens. And Trump has prepared a big stick of sanctions in case peace negotiations drag on, and as everyone now knows, he does not like to joke.
These are the kind of sunflower byproducts we get from over-tightened screws, self-deception up to the point of closing statistics from ourselves, and blurring the monopoly on law violation. One can console oneself with the fact that the people are silent and recalculate GDP growth to tenths of a percent. This is autotraining — patrimonial autocracies only create an impression of efficiency and order. In fact, they generate inefficiency and chaos.
* Andrey Kolesnikov is considered a «foreign agent» by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.