AFK Sistema PAOis a largeRussianconglomeratecompany, founded by Vladimir Yevtushenkov, who was chairman of the corporation's board of directors until 2022. In April, Yevtushenkov's shareholding in Sistema has decreased to 49.2%, and he also stepped down from Sistema's board.[2][3]

OJSC JSFC Sistema
Native name
АО АФК Система
Company typePublic(OAO)
IndustryConglomerate
Founded1993;31 years ago(1993)
Headquarters
Moscow
,
Russia
Key people
Products
Revenue$12.3 billion[1](2023)
$1.37 billion[1](2023)
−$62.4 million[1](2023)
Total assets$27.7 billion[1](2023)
Total equity$1.74 billion[1](2023)
Number of employees
70,000
Subsidiaries
Websitewww.sistema

Sistema has its headquarters inMoscow.The company'sglobal depository receipts(GDRs) traded on theLondon Stock Exchangefrom 2005 until delisting in May 2023.[4]It has been under US sanctions since November 2023.[5]

History

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In 1993,[6]Evgeny NovitskyandVladimir Yevtushenkovfounded the holding company AFK Sistema, also known as Sistema JSFC, to group together several information technology (IT) and cell phone companies includingMTS.[7][8][9][10][a]

Structure

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Sistema operates a number of consumer service businesses in the areas of:

  • IT and telecoms —Mobile TeleSystems,Moscow City Telephone Network,SkyLink,Sitronics(formerly known as 'Science Center Concern'), NIIME, Mikron, STROM telecom.[12]
  • Banking —MTS Bank,East-West United Bank
  • E-commerce –Ozon
  • House-Building and Real Estate — Sistema-Gals till the end of 2010.[13]In February 2019, Sistema became the largest shareholder of Etalon Group[14]
  • Retail —Detsky Mir Groupuntil September 2020[15]
  • Media — Sistema Mass Media until 2016[16]
  • Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals — Medsi,Binnopharm[17]
  • Agroholding - Steppe (Russian:«Агрохолдинг Степь») which, according toForbesin June 2019, is the second largest land bank in Russia. It has holdings inRostov OblastandStavropol Krai.[18][19]
  • Segezha Group, a leading vertically integrated holding company in the timber industry performing a full cycle of operations from logging to advanced wood processing
  • Hospitality – Cosmos Hotel Group
  • Other businesses —Intourist(Travel Services), until July 2021[20]RTI Systems(Radio and space technology), Olympic Sistema (Sport)
  • Kronstadt Group until July 2021.[20]In addition, in 07.27.2021 AO Kronstadt acquired 80% of the shares of NPP Strela (Research and Production Enterprise,Bykovo,Moscow Region), engaged in helicopter-type UAV work.[21]
  • The corporation also invests in innovation projects, such as green hydrogen, and venture businesses.

In November 2021, “Sistema” was included in “Khabarovsky Project” (inKhabarovsk Krai) for pilot production of green hydrogen with projected 350 thousand tons per year, according toMinistry of Industry and Trade (Russia).[22]

Interests and subsidiaries

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Banking

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In February 2005, AFK Sistema owned a 49% stake inEast-West United Bank(Luxembourg), which was established in June 1974 as a "daughter" bank of theCentral Bank of Russiaand is one of the five Russian foreign banks of the VTB network.[23][24][25][26][b]In 2018, Sistema held a 100% stake in East-West United Bank (EWUB) with Sergei Pchelintsev (Russian:Сергей Алексеевич Пчелинцев) as the CEO.[35][36]In 2021, the company's revenue amounted to 24 billion rubles.[37]

Following the February and March 2022 sanctions issued against VTB and its subsidiaries which include the former daughter banks of the Soviet Union's State BankGosbankand later theCentral Bank of Russia,EWUB in Luxembourg has become the principal Russian overseas bank in Europe afterGazprombankceased operations in the region.[38][39]As of the end of March 2022, theVladimir Yevtushenkov(Russian:Владимир Петрович Евтушенков) controlled Sistema and its subsidiary East-West United Bank (EWUB) in Luxembourg have not been sanctioned due toRussian invasion of Ukraine.[38][40][41]He is no longer controls Sistema after reducing his stake in the Corporation below control (49.2%), and voluntary resignation from its board of directors in April 2022.[42][43]

Hotels

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According toArnold Tamm (Spivakovsky),[c]both thePeking Hotelat Bol'shaya Sadovaya Ulitsa, 5 in Moscow, where Oleg Kuznetsov (Russian:Олег Кузнецов) was the administrator from 2002 to 2016, and theCosmos Hotelat 150 Mira Avenue in Moscow, are owned by Sistema.[46]

Aerospace and defence

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Until July 2021[20]AFK Sistema PAO had an aerospace and defence subsidiary,Kronstadt Group,which was acquired in 2015 and developed unmanned aerial vehicles, and flight simulators. AFK Sistema no longer controls any assets related to the defense industry.[20]

Bashneft interest seizure and Rosneft lawsuit

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In 2014, 72% of Sistema's interest inBashneftwas seized by the Russian government.[56][57]

On May 3, 2017, Sistema shares plunged about 37% following a $1.9 billion lawsuit filed byRosneft.[58]

On 15 May 2017, the Arbitration Court ofBashkortostanregistered a RUB 106.6bn claim filed byRosneftandBashneftagainst Sistema, a preliminary hearing of the case was scheduled for 6 June,Irina Nurislamovawas appointed as a judge for the case.[59][60]

In December 2017, AFK Sistema reached an amicable agreement with Rosneft and agreed to pay out 100 billion roubles ($1.7 billion) to resolve the dispute.[61]

According to a declaration given on 18 October 2018 in Spanish court by Sergey Dozhdev (Russian:Сергей Дождев),Igor Sechinuses his offshore companies to control Sistema throughMTSand Bashneft.[46][51][d]

Management

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On 27 June 2020,Etienne Schneiderbecame an independent director of Sistema at which his close political friendJeannot Kreckéhad been a director at Sistema since May 2012.[8][26]Positions they resigned in February 2022.

Notes

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  1. ^Novitsky is alleged to be one of the treasurers of theSolntsevskaya Bratvaand is very close toSemion Mogilevich.[11]
  2. ^With the support of Mr.Pierre Werner,who was the Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, on 12 June 1974, the East-West United Bank (EWUB) (Luxembourg) was formed with both the State Bank of the USSR orGosbankand after the end of the Soviet Union, theCentral Bank of Russia,andRussia's Foreign Trade Bank Vneshtorgbank (VTB)as the main shareholders from founding until 1992.[27][28][29]From 1992 to 2000,Imperial Bankhad a major stake in EWUB of 49%[27][28][29]and Tokobank held a 28% stake in EWUB in 1998,[30][31]but, on 17 April 2000, Imperial Bank was dissolved.[32]Imperial Bank focused on oil and natural gas supplies to East Germany and later to Germany including the oil-for-pipes program.[33][34]With Vnesheconombank managing Soviet debt, Imperial Bank speculated in GKOs but collapsed with the demise of the GKO market following the1998 financial collapse in Russia.[33]From 2000 to 2007, VTB had a major stake in EWUB.[27][28][29]Beginning in 2001, theVladimir Yevtushenkovled Sistema gained a stake in EWUB and since 2007 Sistema has had the majority stake in EWUB.[27][28][29]
  3. ^Arnold Tamm (Spivakovsky)(Russian:Арнольд Тамм (Спиваковский);death March 2019, age 51), also known asArnosha,a member of theSolntsevskaya Bratva,was involved with finances and is the right hand man ofSergei Mikhailovalso known asMikhas.Tamm's attorney was Dmitry Yakubovsky (Russian:Дмитрий Якубовский) also known as "General Dima" (Russian:"генерал Дима").[44][45]In the early 2000s, Tamm was a deputy director of thePeking Hoteland Oleg Voropaev (Russian:Олег Воропаев) managed the Dolls club.[46][47][48]Gazpromgate which occurred beforeAlexei Millerbecame head ofGazpromin 2001, allegedly involved stolen money from the CEORem Vyakhirev(Russian:Рэм Вяхирев) led Gazprom and was laundered through the Union Development Bank (Russian:Союзный Банк Развития), which Evgeny Suvorov (Russian:Евгений Суворов) was a vice president and was also a member of the Dolls club, using Motor Technology JSC (Russian:АО "Технология моторов") in which Gazprom owned a 49% stake.[47]In September 2017, Tamm was arrested inMarbella,Spain,during the Spanish operationOligarch(Spanish:operación Oligarca) under suspicion of tax evasion, money laundering, and involvement in the activities of the Solntsevskaya organized crime group.[49][50][51][52][53]Arnold Spivakovsky was the son of Arnold Tamm, who was a writer and Estonian translator of Russian materials, obtained his lastnameSpivakovskyfrom a former wife, and had a civil marriage withLolita Milyavskaya.[45][49][54][55]
  4. ^Sergey Dozhdev (Russian:Сергей Дождев) stated "The real Russian mafia is those who rule the world. In particular, it includes Igor Sechin, a man who took over Sistema through Bashneft and MTS using his offshore companies. The Rotenberg brothers, who control the Platon Company, are in the mafia too. 75 percent of Platon belongs to offshore companies, which the Rotenbergs use to siphon off money to Europe. Arnold Tamm used to co-own Sistema. However, he had a disagreement with the Rotenberg brothers, and Herman Gref ceased the refinancing of loans through his son Arkady. The company incurred artificial liabilities, and Sechin bought it at a low price through offshore companies."[46]

References

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