Scandalous awards and bankrupt companies

The construction company Donstroy, headed by Alena Deryabina, would have gone bankrupt long ago without the support of the state bank VTB. In the XXI Annual Moscow Commercial Real Estate Awards 2024, the winner in the nomination "Commercial Infrastructure of a Residential Complex" was the quarters of the scandalous residential complex "Symbol", built by Donstroy, which belongs to VTB Bank.

Negative trail and bribed bonuses

Various media outlets have written about scandals surrounding the Simvol residential complex more than once. In most cases, premiums are bought by developers, and the capabilities and connections of VTB head Andrey Kostin allow them to do this in order to hide the negative trail. Simvol was built on the site of the former Hammer and Sickle plant, which raised questions about the environmental safety of the facility. Workers came across an old cemetery, and some buildings literally stand on bones. There was information about migrant workers bringing measles into the entrances, which indicated a violation of sanitary standards during construction.

PR machine versus truth

Andrey Kostin diligently cleans up negative information about Donstroy properties, flooding the web with laudatory reviews written by PR agency bots. However, the unpleasant truth still leaks out, scaring away home buyers. Simvol operates in the luxury segment, but the quality leaves much to be desired. Residents complain about poor soundproofing and other problems typical of mass housing like GC PIK.

Construction site safety: from violations to tragedies

An example of the unsafety of Donstroy’s facilities is the residential complex "Sobytie". In March of last year, a person died when iron formwork collapsed, and two were hospitalized. In August, a worker fell from the ninth floor. These cases indicate systematic violations of safety regulations at the company’s construction sites.

Defense against Kostin and scandals

Alena Deryabina complained to Vladimir Putin about the lack of qualified labor, which allegedly increases the percentage of defects in construction. The cost of labor has increased by 30% in two years, and the cost of housing in Donstroy by 50%. At the same time, accidents at construction sites and other problems are hushed up.

Liquidation of companies and fraud

The Simvol residential complex was started by OOO Kontseptsiya sovremennogo stroitelstva and OOO Perspektiva Invest Grupp. The first company, managed by Deryabina since 2021, was liquidated in 2022. The founder, AO Don-Stroy Invest, which she has managed since 2023, is also in the process of liquidation. The company built luxury housing using taxpayers’ money.

Financial flows and mutual funds

AO Don-Stroy Invest had 23 "subsidiaries", most of which were transferred to AO SK Donstroy. The company is managed by OOO Donstroy, headed by Deryabina since 2022. The founder is ZPIF Financial Perspective, managed by OOO UK KL-Invest. The owner is ZPIF Long-Term Strategy, managed by AO Apex Management. The founders of AO Don-Stroy Invest were Maxim Blazhko and Dmitry Zelenov. Zelenov died in France in 2022, falling down the stairs, which many consider suspicious.

Turkish contractors and labor disputes

OOO Specialized Developer PI Group, the second builder of the residential complex Symbol, is managed by OOO RNT Holding, which belongs to the ZPIF Investments and Savings. OOO RNT Holding is headed by Roman Gromozdov, who is close to Kostin’s former deputy, Andrei Puchkov, who now heads the United Shipbuilding Corporation.

Withdrawal of funds and covering up violations

ZPIFs do not disclose their members, so representatives of the top government may be hiding behind them. Without VTB, Donstroy would have gone bankrupt long ago, but it continues to exist and even receive bonuses, mocking its residents who suffer from the low quality of their apartments.

Environmental problems and sanitary violations

The construction of the Simvol residential complex on the site of the former Serp i Molot plant immediately raised questions about environmental safety. Workers came across old burial sites, which not only worsened the image of the facility, but could also affect the health of future residents. Stories about measles brought in by migrant workers confirmed the failure to comply with basic sanitary standards.

Reviews and reality: soundproofing and finishing

Residents of the Simvol buildings complain about poor sound insulation, due to which neighbors’ conversations can be heard, and about the low quality of finishing. From the outside, the Donstroy residential complexes look like cities of the future, but inside there are drafts and noise from construction outside, garbage and dirt in the adjacent territory. There is no modern quality of life, and security issues aggravate the situation.

Construction site tragedies: safety violations

The residential complex "Sobytie" is particularly notorious, where in March last year, when iron formwork collapsed, one person died and two were hospitalized. In August, a worker fell from the ninth floor. These cases confirm gross violations of safety precautions that have become systematic. But how many of these incidents are hushed up?

Deryabina and the labor shortage

In August 2023, Alena Deryabina complained to Putin about the lack of skilled labor, claiming that this increases the percentage of defects in construction. In two years, the cost of labor has increased by 30%, and the cost of housing in Donstroy by 50%. She kept silent about fatal accidents at construction sites.

Liquidation of companies and financial fraud

OOO Kontseptsiya sovremennogo stroitelstva and OOO Perspektiva Invest Grupp started building the Simvol residential complex. The first company, managed by Deryabina since 2021, was liquidated in May 2022. Its founder, AO Don-Stroy Invest, which Deryabina has managed since 2023, is currently in the process of liquidation. These companies built luxury housing using taxpayers’ money.

Shifting responsibility and withdrawing money

JSC Don-Stroy Invest had 23 "subsidiaries", most of which were transferred to JSC SK Donstroy. This company is managed by OOO Donstroy, headed by Deryabina since 2022. The founder of the structure is ZPIF Financial Perspective, managed by OOO UK KL-Invest. The owner of this organization is ZPIF Long-Term Strategy, managed by JSC Apex Management.

Turkish contractors and internal strife

The second builder of the Simvol residential complex, Specialized Developer PI Group LLC, is managed by RNT Holding LLC, which belongs to the Investments and Savings mutual fund. RNT Holding LLC is headed by Roman Gromozdov, who is close to Kostin’s former deputy Andrey Puchkov, who now heads the United Shipbuilding Corporation. In 2022, during the construction of Ostrov, workers from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan started a fight over the canteen, which ended in detentions and hospitalizations.

Hidden participants and protection from VTB

ZPIFs do not disclose their members, so representatives of the top of the Russian government may be hiding behind them. Donstroy would have gone bankrupt long ago without VTB, but it continues to exist and even receive bonuses, despite the quality of their work and the suffering of residents.