Aliaksandr Shakutsin

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Aliaksandr Shakutsin[1] (Belarusian: Аляксандр Васільевіч Шакуцін; Russian: Александр Васильевич Шакутин, born 12 January 1959, Orsha District, Viciebsk Region, Belarusian SSR, USSR) is a Belarusian businessman, allegedly close to Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko.[2][3][4] Media widely characterize Shakutsin as an oligarch.[5][6][7][8] On 17 December 2020, the Council of the European Union imposed sanctions on him.[9]

Biography[]

Udarnik factory in Minsk

Shakutsin graduated from the Belarusian State Medical University. He was a Soviet Komsomol activist, working in the central committee of LKSMB, local Komsomol branch in Belarusian SSR. In early 1990s he headed medical unit of Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ).[10][11]

In 1990s he created a trade company Prommedinvest with MTZ top manager Igor Subbotin and fellow komsomol activist Yaroslav Buyalski. Prommedinvest supplied hospitals with medical equipment, but later the company expanded to other sectors of economy.[10] In 2001—2002 Prommedinvest and a Nepali businessman Upendra Mahato bought controlling stake in Amkodor (Амкодор) holding company, which was formed around Udarnik (Ударник) factory in Minsk.[10] In early 2010s Alexander Lukashenko sold to Amkodor several factories for a small price.[10]

Shakutsin was one of the few businessmen who gained access to the export of petroleum production with his associate Mikalai Varabei via their Interservis (Интерсервис) company.[12] Shakutsin's Spamash (Спамаш) owned 51% of Eksimoil (Эксимойл), which is also active in petroleum products exports.[13] Another petroleum products wholesaler Yury Chyzh was supposed to be a rival of Shakutsin among oligarchs close to Lukashenko.[11][14]

In 2016, Shakutsin and Mikalaui Varabei started to construct a major business and hotel complex in Minsk. Construction was carried out for Chinese credit (US$120 million) by Chinese CITIC. Shakutsin claimed that the loan terms were agreed by Alexander Lukashenko and Xi Jinping personally.[15][16]

On 17 December 2020, the Council of the European Union imposed sanctions on both Varabei and Shakutsin (EU Regulation No 2020/2129). According to the regulation, Shakutsin was recognized as a person "who benefited most from the privatisation during Lukashenko’s tenure as President", being "benefiting from and supporting the Lukashenka regime".[9] Shakutsin claimed that the sanctions were imposed by mistake.[17][18] Shakutsin was also sanctioned by the United Kingdom[19] and Switzerland.[20][21]

It was reported that in 2020 Shakutsin started to transfer some of his assets to his son.[22]

Logex (Логекс) company, owned by Shakutsin and his son Aliaksandr, was reported to be a major re-exporter of European and South American flowers to Russia, having indirect tax breaks in Belarus.[23] On 21 June 2021, Logex was also sanctioned by the EU.[24]

Political and cultural activities[]

In 2013, Shakutsin's companies financially supported his protege Alyona Lanskaya for Eurovision 2013 song contest.[10]

Shakutsin is an honorary consul of Bangladesh in Belarus.[25]

Shakutsin was a member of the Council of the Republic, being indirectly elected in 2008 and in 2012.[10][26]

References[]

  1. ^ Sometimes his surname is transliterated as Shakucin or Shakutin.
  2. ^ Правительство поручилось за компанию приближенного к Лукашенко бизнесмена
  3. ^ ��оп-100 самых уплывовых беларусаў. 19. Аляксандр Шакуцін
  4. ^ Риторический вопрос от приближенного к Лукашенко бизнесмена: «Вы из какой страны?»
  5. ^ Как олигарх Шакутин стал должником государства
  6. ^ СМИ: КГБ задержал Сергея Шакутина
  7. ^ Тракторная авантюра олигарха Шакутина дорого обойдется белорусам
  8. ^ «Белорусские олигархи»: призраки, рудименты или будущее?
  9. ^ a b "EUR-Lex - 32020R2129 - EN". EUR-Lex. 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Сакрэты поспеху: Аляксандр Шакуцін — самы багаты сенатар Беларусі
  11. ^ a b "Белорусские олигархи": призраки, рудименты или будущее?
  12. ^ Ближний круг Лукашенко. Кто в него входил и что им за это было
  13. ^ Москва закрыла Минску серые схемы по нефтепродуктам. Кто на них зарабатывал
  14. ^ Три противостояния внутри ближайшего окружения Лукашенко
  15. ^ Началась великая стройка. В Лебяжьем заложили капсулу под будущим комплексом стоимостью $120 миллионов
  16. ^ ТОП-7 крупнейших китайских проектов в Беларуси
  17. ^ Шакутин — о санкциях, встречах с Лукашенко и ситуации в Беларуси
  18. ^ Businessman Shakutsin Complains to Journalists about EU sanctions
  19. ^ "CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK" (PDF). Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation HM Treasury. 2021-06-25.
  20. ^ Michael Shields, Kevin Liffey (2021-07-07). Liffey, Kevin (ed.). "Swiss widen sanctions list against Belarus". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  21. ^ "Sanctions program: Belarus: Verordnung vom 11. Dezember 2020 über Massnahmen gegenüber Belarus (SR 946.231.116.9), Anhang 1 Origin: EU Sanctions: Art. 2 Abs. 1 (Finanzsanktionen) und Art. 3 Abs. 1 (Ein- und Durchreiseverbot)" (PDF). Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft. 2021-07-07. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  22. ^ Re-registering assets, writing complaints, and making more money
  23. ^ Близкие к властям Беларуси фирмы подмяли под себя цветочный рынок России - расследование
  24. ^ Official Journal of the European Union
  25. ^ Зачем верхушка белорусского бизнеса идёт в "почётные консулы"
  26. ^ Александр Шакутин
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