Igor Sechin: the epitome of power in Putin's Russia

[Uncle Joe]

(snip)

Sechin, a close ally of Vladimir Putin who has been described as the second most important person in Russia, never publicly claimed ownership of the Amore Vero. However, a reporter at Moscow-based Novaya Gazeta traced a series of pictures on Rozhkova’s Instagram that matched the 86-metre vessel and its movements through the world’s most glamorous ports. The boat accommodates up to 14 guests in eight staterooms, plus a private owner’s deck and a swimming pool that turns into a helipad.

(snip)

While Sechin served a four-year term as deputy prime minister from 2008, it was his arguably his appointment as Rosneft chief in 2012 that marked his key position in Putin’s regime. Under his eye the company struck deals with Italy’s Eni, Norway’s Statoil (now Equinor), China’s CNPC and America’s ExxonMobil – then led by Rex Tillerson, later hired as US secretary of state by Donald Trump.

The EU claimed Sechin has been “rewarded” by Putin with “great wealth” to outdo even his Rosneft pay, reported at as much as $11.8m in 2015. (Sechin’s pay was not disclosed in the latest annual report.)

Rosneft returns the favours. The EU said the oil company financed the vineyards of a palace complex used personally by Putin near the Black Sea resort town of Gelendzhik.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/mar/04/igor-sechin-the-epitome-of-power-in-putin-russia-rosneft-economy

[Igel]

1. Ah. Gelendzhik.

A two hour drive (less, at more than 55 mph) to Crimea.

And a bit more than 2 hours to Abkhazia. Nicely centered between Putin's conquests of other countries' territory.

Perhaps his paranoia runs so deep that he figures he needs to protect his mega-dacha.