Stanislav Belkovsky
Encyclopedia
Stanislav Alexandrovich Belkovsky (born 7 February 1971, Moscow
, USSR) is a Russia
n political analyst and communication specialist. A political conservative, he is said to be very close to Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky. He is a founder and director of the National Strategy Institute and of the communication company Politech.
In 2003 the Council published a series of reports entitled "State and oligarchy" (June 9) and "New Vertical of Power" (September 22). The reports publication, which inter alia alleged the ongoing preparations of a putsch by Russia's oligarchs
, closely foreshadowed the start of the criminal prosecution against Yukos
and its top managers. The report, which was allegedly part of a "smear campaign", specifically mentioned Mikhail Khodorkovsky
as one of the alleged conspirators.
Since 2004 Belkovsky has been head of the National Strategy Institute, which is a think-tank gathering several Russian political scientists and analysts.
second term in power, amidst the heated debate in Russia about Putin's further intentions, Belkovsky was of the opinion that Putin would relinquish political power altogether, and assume a post designed simply to guarantee his personal security and wealth.
Die Welt
published his sensational allegations about Putin's personal wealth: Putin "controls a 4.5% stake in Gazprom
, 37% in Surgutneftegaz" as well as 50% in the oil-trading company Gunvor, which is run by his close friend Gennady Timchenko
.
However, some commentators questioned the true motives behind the statements of Stanislav
Belkovsky since he has been actively engaged in a campaign to discredit Mikhail Khodorkovsky
and is said to be close to Russian Prime Minister and leader of the Kremlin Silovik
faction, Igor Sechin
who was fighting by this time the growing influence of current president Dmitry Medvedev
, seen as more liberal. They even went so far as suggest that he made the disclosure about Putin's alleged wealth to convince Putin that he must remain in power and protect his alleged personal wealth.
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, USSR) is a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n political analyst and communication specialist. A political conservative, he is said to be very close to Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky. He is a founder and director of the National Strategy Institute and of the communication company Politech.
Biography
In 2002 he was allegedly hired by the Kremlin to launch a communication campaign against Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky and founded a non-profit organization The Council for National Strategywhich was used to spread rumours towar Khodorkovsky and his company Yukos.In 2003 the Council published a series of reports entitled "State and oligarchy" (June 9) and "New Vertical of Power" (September 22). The reports publication, which inter alia alleged the ongoing preparations of a putsch by Russia's oligarchs
Business oligarch
Business oligarch is a near-synonym of the term "business magnate", borrowed by the English speaking and western media from post-Soviet parlance to describe the huge, fast-acquired wealth of some businessmen of the former Soviet republics during the privatization in Russia and other post-Soviet...
, closely foreshadowed the start of the criminal prosecution against Yukos
YUKOS
OJSC "Yukos Oil Company" was a petroleum company in Russia which, until 2003, was controlled by Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky and a number of other prominent Russian businessmen. After Yukos was bankrupted, Khodorkovsky was convicted and sent to prison.Yukos headquarters was located in...
and its top managers. The report, which was allegedly part of a "smear campaign", specifically mentioned Mikhail Khodorkovsky
Mikhail Khodorkovsky
Mikhail Borisovich Khodorkovsky is a Russian prisoner, considered by some - such as Amnesty International - to have been imprisoned for political reasons, jailed until 2016 and a former Russian oligarch and businessman...
as one of the alleged conspirators.
Since 2004 Belkovsky has been head of the National Strategy Institute, which is a think-tank gathering several Russian political scientists and analysts.
Views and allegations
During president Putin'sVladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
second term in power, amidst the heated debate in Russia about Putin's further intentions, Belkovsky was of the opinion that Putin would relinquish political power altogether, and assume a post designed simply to guarantee his personal security and wealth.
Die Welt
Die Welt
Die Welt is a German national daily newspaper published by the Axel Springer AG company.It was founded in Hamburg in 1946 by the British occupying forces, aiming to provide a "quality newspaper" modelled on The Times...
published his sensational allegations about Putin's personal wealth: Putin "controls a 4.5% stake in Gazprom
Gazprom
Open Joint Stock Company Gazprom is the largest extractor of natural gas in the world and the largest Russian company. Its headquarters are in Cheryomushki District, South-Western Administrative Okrug, Moscow...
, 37% in Surgutneftegaz" as well as 50% in the oil-trading company Gunvor, which is run by his close friend Gennady Timchenko
Gennady Timchenko
Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko (also spelled Guennadi Timtchenko; (born 1952) is a prominent businessman, active in the energy trading business, citizen of Finland, currently living in Geneva, Switzerland....
.
However, some commentators questioned the true motives behind the statements of Stanislav
Belkovsky since he has been actively engaged in a campaign to discredit Mikhail Khodorkovsky
Mikhail Khodorkovsky
Mikhail Borisovich Khodorkovsky is a Russian prisoner, considered by some - such as Amnesty International - to have been imprisoned for political reasons, jailed until 2016 and a former Russian oligarch and businessman...
and is said to be close to Russian Prime Minister and leader of the Kremlin Silovik
Silovik
Silovik is a Russian word for politicians from the security or military services, often the officers of the former KGB, the FSB, the Federal Narcotics Control Service and military or other security services who came into power...
faction, Igor Sechin
Igor Sechin
Igor Ivanovich Sechin is a Russian official, considered a close ally of Vladimir Putin. Sechin is often described as one of Putin's most conservative counselors and the leader of the Kremlin's Siloviki faction, a statist lobby gathering former security services agents...
who was fighting by this time the growing influence of current president Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
, seen as more liberal. They even went so far as suggest that he made the disclosure about Putin's alleged wealth to convince Putin that he must remain in power and protect his alleged personal wealth.
The term "Puting"
Belkovsky is said to have authored the journalistic cliché "Puting" (Путинг), derived from the name of Russia's president since 2000 Vladimir Putin, to denote the process of renationalisation of Russia's oil industry assets.External links
- Stanislav Belkovsky's interview with Russia Today Russia TodayRussia Today TVRT, previously known as Russia Today, is a global multilingual television news network based in the Russian Federation run by the state-owned state-run RIA Novosti....
June 1, 2007. - Belkovsky's publications