The Owner Of One Of Russia's Largest Gold Mining Companies Was Detained While Trying To Flee The Country
- 6.07.2025, 15:15
The billionaire tried to leave the Russian Federation on a personal Bombardier jet.
Russian FSB officers prevented Konstantin Strukov, the beneficiary of Yuzhuralzoloto (YuGK) and deputy chairman of Chelyabinsk's Chelyabinsk City Council, from flying from Chelyabinsk to Turkey on July 5, according to "Kommersant".
According to the newspaper, the billionaire tried to leave Russia on a personal Bombardier jet worth over $50 million despite a court injunction. The newspaper published images of operational footage showing Strukov sitting in the cabin of the plane, with several law enforcers standing next to him. It is reported that Rosaviatsia at the last moment banned the flight from taking off, then bailiffs boarded the plane and confiscated the businessman's passport, which had already been canceled by the Interior Ministry's migration service.
On July 2, Strukov and his family members were banned from traveling abroad as part of a lawsuit filed by the Prosecutor General's Office, which demanded that his assets - shares and stakes in 11 companies, including YuGK - be seized as corrupt. According to the agency, using his status and having "unlimited influence on the authorities of the region," he took possession of gold mining and coal companies, registering them on his relatives and controlled persons. Earlier, the billionaire said he had no intention of hiding from law enforcement agencies. "I don't have anywhere to go," he assured them.
SYGK denies that the businessman tried to leave Russia. A company spokesman claims that Strukov was at his workplace in the Moscow office during Saturday. Similar information was given by the billionaire's granddaughter Ulyana in the commentary "Beware of the news". She could not explain the appearance in the media of a video of an airplane and a photo of the cabin with Strukov sitting in it, noting only that there had been "quite a lot of throw-ins towards the family" before.
According to law enforcers, the businessman helped his relatives acquire citizenship of several European countries. In particular, his daughter Alexandra has a Swiss passport, and she does not live in Russia, despite the fact that she is listed as the owner of a stake in YUK and a number of legal entities in the Urals. Strukov himself owns a hotel business in Montenegro, and his wife has a commercial company in Serbia. According to law enforcement and tax authorities, the money the billionaire earns in Russia is then sent to "unfriendly" countries.
Yuzhuralzoloto is the third largest gold producer in Russia. The company's assets include deposits in the Chelyabinsk region, Khakassia and Krasnoyarsk Krai. In 2024, it produced 10.6 tons of gold, generating revenue of 25 billion rubles. At the same time, the net loss amounted to 7.2 billion rubles. Strukov himself is ranked 78th on the Forbes list with a fortune of $1.9 billion.
July 2, the offices of YuGK and its affiliated organizations were searched as part of a criminal case on violation of environmental legislation, industrial safety and operation of industrial facilities. So far Strukov has not appeared in the case.