Summer. It's hot in the village of Golubitskaya. The air is filled with the smell of barbecue and rotting algae. There is pandemonium on the beach: someone is splashing in the waters of a shallow Sea of ​​Azov, someone did not spare 500 rubles to visit a local attraction - the “real” Amazon water park. Sixteen slides, music, squealing children - who gave this joy to the seaside village in the Krasnodar Territory?

Allow me to introduce: Federal State Unitary Enterprise Rosoboronexport. The enterprise was established at the end of 2002 as a state intermediary for the export/import of military products. In theory, this is a marketing agency. In fact, over the past five years, the interests of Rosoboronexport have manifested themselves in dozens of different industries and areas of activity. Companies, one way or another controlled by a state intermediary, build residential buildings and office centers, melt metal, provide customs and storage services, trade in computers, produce cars. It would seem, what does the Moscow Magaltek LLC (production of forged rims for cars and motorcycles)? Meanwhile, Rosoboronexport, through CJSC NPC Restructuring and New Programs, participates in the authorized capital of this company as well.

So in the construction of the Amazon water park, a defense structure, the Southern Industrial Company Oboronprom, played a certain role. "We provide complete freedom our subsidiaries, including grandchildren, - says the general director of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Rosoboronexport" Sergey Chemezov to a Forbes correspondent. - Any business is not forbidden, our companies have the opportunity to work in almost all areas. Naturally, with a full report on their financial condition ... "

How did a marketing agency turn into an industrial empire?

In May of this year, the Center for Current Politics (CPC, a Russian independent research organization) published a study: seven large "influence groups" control a significant part of the Russian economy. The new Russian "chaebols" are Gazprom, Rosneft, Russian Railways, the groups of Oleg Deripaska and Roman Abramovich, the shareholders of Rossiya Bank and, of course, Rosoboronexport. In fact, this list is an analogue of the “seven-bankers”, oligarchic structures ten years ago. But there are two significant differences. First, the new “seven bankers” are not completely independent. “FIGs of the 1990s were more horizontal structures,” says Dmitry Abzalov, an expert at the CPC. “They had independent resource support. For any project, to one degree or another, it was possible to get a lobbying resource at different levels. Today, the key is the support of the federal center. First of all, the personal support of the President of the Russian Federation.”

The head of Rosoboronexport has such support. In the 1980s, Sergey Chemezov, an officer of the first main department of the KGB, headed the representative office of the Luch experimental industrial association in Dresden. Vladimir Putin worked in the same city. The officers lived in the same apartment building, were friends with their families. This connection was not interrupted even after the friends returned to their homeland.

In 1989, Chemezov became deputy general director of the Sovintersport organization, a monopolist in importing sports equipment and equipment from Western manufacturers into the USSR. The liberalization of foreign economic activity soon undermined the well-being of Sovintersport: the staff was reduced by four times, the company was interrupted by the provision of consultations and intermediary services related to foreign economic activity. Years passed, but Chemezov was still sitting in his office on the second floor of the mansion near the Arbatskaya metro station in Moscow.

“Putin (then an official of the mayor's office of St. Petersburg.-Forbes) came several times. I consulted with Sergei Viktorovich, resolved issues on some projects. I even went to have lunch at a diner around the corner,” recalls the chief expert of Sovintersport, Vladimir Abramov. In 1996, having established himself in the Administration of the President, Putin took his old friend to him. Since that time, the rapid career growth of Sergei Chemezov began, which eventually secured him the post of head of Rosoboronexport. Friendship grew into cooperation. Now, according to Forbes sources, Chemezov comes every week to the head of state at the Novoogarevo residence and receives an hour-long audience - officers discuss issues of defense exports and the development of Rosoboronexport.

But the head of Rosoboronexport does not forget old friends. The sign with the inscription "Sergey Chemezov" still hangs at the door of the office on the second floor of the Sovintersport mansion. Only now it has been added - “Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sport Foundation”.

Among the founders of the fund (its full name is the All-Russian Fund for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports) are Sovintersport and the Russian Olympic Committee. The President of the Foundation is Viktor Galaev, Chemezov's former boss at Sovintersport. The charitable organization, in particular, finances sports competitions.

For example, last year the foundation held the Russian championship among disabled football players in Pitsunda (Abkhazia).

The fund plans to earn money for such events and for its own activities through development projects (in particular, construction residential complexes in the north of Moscow and in Mytishchi). The project includes the construction of Info-City, 3 million sq. m of office and residential premises on the outskirts of Zelenograd. In the late 1980s, the construction of Zelenograd-2, a technology park for the development and production of modern electronic components, was already underway here. For obvious reasons, the construction was frozen, and now Info-City is largely continuing that undertaking: it will house technoparks, training centers for high-tech industries, and offices of venture companies. The project is led by Lev Zotov, Vice President of the Sport Foundation and at the same time Chairman of the Board of Directors of Oboronpromstroy (a subsidiary of Rosoboronexport). Specific construction parameters will be approved in December this year.

According to Zotov, Oboronpromstroy will take over a significant part of the concerns for the creation of Info-City. A cursory acquaintance with the project shows that private investors and contractors will get their piece in this pie. This is the second fundamental difference between the current state oligarchs and their predecessors from the 1990s - many of the current "groups of influence" have a two-level structure.

“There is a main base, a core, strategic assets. The rest is a chaotic, poorly controlled but loyal environment, says Abzalov of the Center for Current Politics. - The Group is always acquiring businesses, either related or developing in parallel. They have their own groups, their own spheres of influence - it's practically a network organization. In other words: trusted representatives of the head of state implement strategic projects in the economy (in the case of Rosoboronexport, the sale of weapons abroad or the withdrawal of AvtoVAZ from the crisis). And dozens of Chemezov's trusted representatives, for example, using the support of the "head structure", each diligently cultivate their own field. In what industry? Doesn't matter.

Most often, the expansion of the sphere of activity of the “influence group” occurs at the initiative of a person from the outside: entrepreneurs of various levels come to the group with an idea or a request for help.

August 2007 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky near Moscow. At the far end of the runway, among helicopters, business jets and giant airliners, there is a modest exposition of the AT-Spetstechnologiya company: a KamAZ-based fuel tanker, bizarrely shaped kerosene tanks. The management of the company, present at the stand, refuses to give interviews. It's a pity. The head of AT-Spetstechnologiya, Gennady Mulin, is one of those whose projects make it possible to expand the scope of Rosoboronexport's presence in the Russian economy.

In the 1990s, Mulin and his older brother Sergey, through NPO Aviatechnology, controlled factories in Stupino near Moscow and the city of Kulebaki in the Nizhny Novgorod Region - manufacturers of metals and alloys for the aviation industry. However, since 2000, the group began to have problems. The audit found in the "Stupino Metallurgical Company" fraud with metals from the reserves of the Federal Reserve. A criminal case was initiated against Sergei Mulin, the businessman fled abroad. Then the Stupino enterprise became a target for raiders, the Mulins retained only 20% in the company. Even later, the partners stole the Kulebak plant from the brothers; after a series of resales, the enterprise ended up in the hands of one of the top managers of the Severstal-auto group, Viktor Klochai. The $200 million business collapsed.

Now Gennady Mulin is back on horseback - he managed to find the "right partner" and offer him profitable business. In December 2005, a joint venture between NPO Aviatechnology and Rosoboronexport, the above-mentioned AT-Spectekhnologiya LLC, was registered. Partners received 50% each, Gennady Mulin headed the company. In the founding documents, the scope of the enterprise's activity is the production and sale of metals. After some time, Gennady Mulin began negotiations with metallurgists from different companies. The essence of these negotiations: "Rosoboronexport" is concerned about the quality of steels and alloys supplied for the production of military equipment; there is an idea to unite suppliers of strategic raw materials into a holding controlled by Rosoboronexport. The curator of this idea on the part of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise is the head of the department for the export of military products for the ground forces of Rosoboronexport, Igor Sevastyanov, a longtime partner and comrade of Sergei Chemezov.

What has been done since then? The new holding was named Russpetsstal. The Volgograd metallurgical plant Krasny Oktyabr was bought from the Canadian entrepreneur Alex Schneider. The representative of Russpetsstal headed the board of directors of the Stupino Metallurgical Company (the same one where Mulin had 20% left). Lawsuits have been filed challenging the sale of the Kulebaki plant, and its current owner, Viktor Klochay, was summoned for a conversation at Rosoboronexport: sell the plant or exchange it for a share in the capital of the holding (Klochay took time to think). Similar negotiations were held with the leadership of the Mechel and Magnitogorsk groups.

Russpetsstal is still in the process of formation; it is not clear whether Gennady Mulin will be a minority shareholder of the holding or whether he will simply sell his stakes in metallurgical enterprises to Rosoboronexport. It is clear that in the status of a junior partner of the state mediator, Mulin is very comfortable, he has a new planning horizon. AT-Spetstekhnologiya presented an airfield tanker at MAKS for a reason. A year ago, the production of such equipment was a small side business of the Stupino Metallurgical Company. In August 2007, at the initiative of AT-Spectekhnologiya (recall: the joint venture of Mulin and Rosoboronexport), TS-Aero LLC was registered. The scope of activity is the production of equipment for airports and the provision of aircraft refueling services. Let's calculate: there are 62 federal airports in Russia, each one needs from two to ten tankers, the cost of one mobile complex is about $500,000. Not a bad market, considering that there is hardly a serious competitor for a supplier under the flag of Rosoboronexport.

The example of Gennady Mulin is another science. But how to get under the care of Rosoboronexport? The answer is obvious: to find a patron from among the people of the inner circle of Sergei Chemezov. Need an example?

In Tatarstan, about 30,000 AvtoVAZ vehicles are sold annually, which is almost 5% of the all-Russian market for the products of the Volga Automobile Plant. Until 2006, the official distributor of Zhiguli and Lads in Tatarstan, distributing quotas between dealers, was Bulgar-AvtoVAZ. Its activities were controlled by businessman Eldar Zinnurov. And through the network of Sapsan dealerships, Zinnurov sold up to 6,000 VAZ cars a year to consumers.

Now Zinnurov is cut off from AvtoVAZ deliveries. The distributor status was transferred to the new company KAN-Avto-VAZ. Its creator is businessman Nikolai Kolesov. Kolesov himself refused to talk to Forbes. According to Zinnurov, connections at Rosoboronexport helped Kolesov take the business away from Bulgar-AvtoVAZ.

Firstly, the entrepreneur has long been in the cage: he owned small stakes in two military plants. At one of them, Kazan Optical and Mechanical, Kolesov was the chairman of the board of directors, and the head of Rosoboronexport, Sergei Chemezov, was a member of the board.

Secondly, Kolesov was able to interest a member of the “influence group” in this project. Among the founders of KAN-AvtoVAZ are the Kolesov family, structures of Rosoboronexport and a certain Nikolai Shvets. A graduate of the Academy of the General Staff and former deputy head of the Directorate of the Joint Air Defense System of the CIS, Shvets until recently worked as an assistant to Sergei Chemezov - he is called the curator of many industrial projects of Rosoboronexport. Should we be surprised at the success of KAN-AvtoVAZ? The company now sells 700 vehicles a month and distributes quotas for another 1,700 units among dealers. Revenue - about $60 million a year.

Nikolai Kolesov was able to find right person at Rosoboronexport. But what about other businessmen who want to enlist the patronage of the powerful Federal State Unitary Enterprise? The answer to this question will be given to you by the experience of entrepreneur Andrey Dolzhych, co-owner of Natural & Organic Products Inc (NOP) registered in the Virgin Islands.

Doljic talks about himself reluctantly. Until 1991, he was an employee of the USSR State Security Committee, acquired connections in the countries of the Persian Gulf. Then he brought shuttle traders to this region. I got acquainted with a group of Russian scientists who developed a new type of soil modifiers - materials created on the basis of peat, which increase the fertility of sandy soils. Dolzhych was on fire with the idea of ​​planting deserts in the Gulf countries, spending billions of dollars on this. Scientists assured: their soil modifiers reduce the need for water for irrigation, and also prevent soil salinization.

It took five years and about $12 million to certify the technology and materials. Palm trees on the grounds of the royal palace in Bahrain now grow on soil produced by Doljic. The volume of annual deliveries was brought up to $40 million, or 30,000 cubic meters of product. A drop in the billion dollar market, but it's just getting started. Doljic's business is far from transparent. Financial flows and operations are distributed among numerous legal entities grouped around Natural & Organic Products Inc. One of them is Natural and Organic Products LLC. According to the SPARK-Interfax information disclosure system, a stake in this company is owned by Interbusinessgroup LLC, the only founder of which is Stanislav Chemezov, the son of the director of Rosoboronexport.

In November 2005, Techcom CJSC (a subsidiary of Rosoboronexport established to develop innovative projects in the civilian sector) established a joint business with Natural & Organic Products Inc. Doljic assures that now his products will be promoted by specialists in dozens of Rosoboronexport offices around the world.

The arms market is highly competitive, and buyers dictate the rules of conduct. The client is usually interested in: what additional benefit to his country can the seller bring if his product is chosen? What new technologies can be obtained as a deal bonus? Doljic hopes that his soils will be a pleasant “additive” to weapons for buyers from hot oil-bearing countries. To meet the growing demand, the second stage of the plant for the production of soil modifiers is being built in the Spas-Demensky district of the Kaluga region. The productivity of the enterprise will reach 1 million tons per year.

As for Stanislav Chemezov, his interests are not limited to peat processing. Interbusiness Group owns a stake in I.A.D. Business Industry (dual-purpose IT technologies, the project is supported by Rosoboronexport), Russian Industrial Nanotechnologies and shares in several construction companies. Chemezov Jr. is also on the board of directors of AvtoVAZenergo. This joint venture between the automobile plant and the Itera company was established at the end of last year. It is assumed that AvtoVAZenergo will purchase electricity for the car plant, and in the future will build its own power plant.

So, bit by bit, the Rosoboronexport empire was assembled. The turnover of companies controlled by Sergei Chemezov now exceeds $13 billion. These enterprises employ about 200,000 people. Entire regions fall under the influence of Rosoboronexport. The already mentioned Nikolai Kolesov was appointed governor of the Amur Region on June 1, 2007 (perhaps, the fact that the former mayor of Kazan, Kamil Iskhakov, works as the presidential envoy in the Far Eastern Federal District, played a role in this). Nikolai Shvets, his partner in KAN-AvtoVAZ, went to a distant region as Kolesov's first deputy. The 22-year-old student Alexander Kolesov, the son of the newly-made governor, remained in charge of the automobile market of Tatarstan. And the former deputy general director of Rosoboronexport (and for a short time the head of AvtoVAZ) Vladimir Artyakov has been ruling the Samara region for the second month.

The prospects for the group are very bright. At the initiative of Rosoboronexport, state concerns for the production of electronics and aircraft engines are being formed. The State Duma already has a bill on the creation state corporation « Russian technologies". All the concerns and holdings of Rosoboronexport and the weapons broker itself will come under its control. Sergey Chemezov himself is aiming for the leadership of the megaholding. What is the result? “Industrial Gazprom, revenue of tens of billions of dollars, gigantic political influence. And great opportunities in private business for the younger members of Chemezov's group.

However, will the emerging giant become an analogue of the "chaebols" that stretched the economy in due time? South Korea? Hard to tell. You can analyze what has already been done. “AvtoVAZ acted like a madman in Tatarstan. The commodity distribution network for any manufacturer is the holy of holies. And they knocked dealers out of the game, the best that were in the republic,” Eldar Zinnurov is experiencing his defeat in business. Zinnurov, of course, has his own interest - he continues to sue AvtoVAZ and Kolesov's firms for the return of car trade quotas. But here are the statistics: only in the first half of this year, AvtoVAZ sold 15% less products than in the same period of 2006. And this is not a good sign.

What is Rosoboronexport

The basis of the industrial empire under the leadership of Sergey Chemezov today is strategically important corporations with a total turnover of $13 billion

Arms export. In 2006, Rosoboronexport supplied $5.3 billion worth of military equipment abroad, the commission of the state intermediary amounted to about $500 million. Part of this money went to the maintenance of FSUE representative offices abroad, and part to foreign lobbyists who promoted Russian equipment in their countries. The amount of Rosoboronexport's net profit and the purposes for which it is spent is information that is closed to the public.

Automotive. AvtoVAZ, the crown jewel of Rosoboronexport's industrial collection, had sales of $5.6 billion last year. automotive companies in the world. So far, negotiations have not been successful.

Helicopter building. Oboronprom, a subsidiary of the weapons broker, has established control over all Russian enterprises producing helicopters. Their total turnover is about $1.03 billion. Having consolidated the industry, Oboronprom began to restructure it: duplicate production facilities are being eliminated at factories, and the range of manufactured equipment is being optimized.

Metallurgy. So far, Rosoboronexport's ownership in this industry is limited to only two enterprises - the world's largest titanium producer VSMPO-Avisma (sales in 2006 $ 1.05 billion) and the Volgograd metallurgical plant Krasny Oktyabr (sales $ 360 million).

Deputy head of Rosoboronexport Igor Sevastyanov / Photo: www.roe.ru

In an interview with RNS, Deputy Head of Rosoboronexport Igor Sevastyanov assessed the prospects for deliveries of Russian weapons to NATO countries, spoke about contacts with European partners under sanctions, and described Russian developments in the field of combating terrorism, from urban monitoring systems to weapons for special forces.

- Rosoboronexport traditionally participates in Eurosatory exhibitions. What caused the interest, if the probability of Russian arms supplies to NATO countries is small?

Eurosatory is a land-based Le Bourget, where dozens of delegations from all regions of the world come. Therefore, as the only state-owned special exporter, we cannot miss events of this magnitude. We have planned negotiations both with European partners and with delegations from other regions. Of course, today the prospects for the supply of Russian equipment to NATO countries are vague, although we have positive experience, for example, with Greece and the Czech Republic. In the case of Eurosatory, it is important for us to maintain contact with European manufacturers in the face of sanctions. But the most important thing, of course, is a demonstration of the capabilities of the Russian military-industrial complex for potential customers.

- Did the organizers of the exhibition have any problems with Rosoboronexport in connection with the sanctions? Were there any demands from their side to reduce the exposure, the number of participants or reduce the representation?

No, there were no such requirements from the organizers.

- Chapter Federal Service on military-technical cooperation previously reported that in 2016 the volume of Russian arms exports could reach $14 billion. What share will fall on Rosoboronexport? What are the company's targets for 2016?

The plan for this year is comparable to the indicators recent years. It is carried out according to the schedule. The intensity of contracting remains on high level, there is a small but stable growth in export volumes. The current situation is connected primarily with the fact that a certain saturation has occurred in a number of segments of the world arms market. For example, this applies to military transport helicopters. Some countries have generally completed major rearmament programs. The international economic crisis and the workload of enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex in connection with the implementation of a large-scale rearmament program also affect national army and fleet.

- What is the share of ground armaments in the total order portfolio of Rosoboronexport? What weapons and military equipment is it about?

The volume of the portfolio of orders for equipment of the ground forces exceeds $ 8.4 billion. We are talking about a large number of different samples. These are armored vehicles, artillery and missile systems, melee weapons, engineering equipment, ammunition, communications and electronic warfare equipment, simulators, and so on.

- What means of anti-terror will be presented in Paris?

We will definitely present in Paris our new project "Integrated Security Systems", which combines all the necessary technical means, weapons and equipment to combat terrorism and crime. Thanks to this project, we plan to intensify military-technical cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies and special services. In many countries, the budget allocated to these structures is comparable to the cost of the armed forces. The project "Integrated Security Systems" combines all possible solutions for combating terrorism offered by Russian enterprises. Depending on the needs, the customer can choose certain components, whether it be a city monitoring system or weapons for special forces.

- Is their share of anti-terror means growing in the total volume of exports?

If we talk exclusively about weapons and equipment for equipping special forces, then their share in the total export volume is insignificant due to the fact that the volume of purchases of such products is small. Sometimes we are talking about piece samples. But, despite this, we attach great importance to the promotion of these products. It is in demand and is in steady demand.

- Will Rosoboronexport present air defense systems at the exhibition in Paris? What share do they occupy in the total Russian arms export? Is the demand for Russian air defense systems growing?

The portfolio of orders for Russian air defense systems exceeds $9.5 billion. Russia is the leader in this segment, so demand remains at a very high level. In Paris, we will certainly represent various systems, including the Buk-M2E, Tor-M2E, Pantsir-S1, and Igla-S anti-aircraft systems. The demand for Russian air defense systems is stable, in addition to the listed systems, I would also note the S-400 and Antey-2500 anti-aircraft missile systems, the new Verba portable anti-aircraft missile system, the Kasta, Harmon, Nebo radars, "Opponent", "Istra".

- In which countries can anti-aircraft missile and gun systems "Pantsir-S" be delivered? Has Brazil refused to buy them?

First of all, these are the countries of the Middle East and North Africa, the states of the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. As for the issue of supplying Pantsir-S1 complexes to Brazil, our partners have not refused to purchase them. Negotiations are ongoing.

- Will Russian small arms be presented in Paris? What companies represent it? What are the competitive advantages of our melee weapons? Does the new generation AK-12 assault rifle have export potential?

Small arms at the exhibition will be presented at the stand of Rosoboronexport and the Kalashnikov Concern. Optical sights will show Shvabe. Russian small arms are well known in the world for their efficiency and workmanship. This fully applies to the new AK-12 assault rifle, which has a great export potential. It has the most modern technologies combined with legendary reliability. While the machine is being tested. When the appropriate export permit is issued, we will promote it to the international market. Interest in him is very great.

- Are projects for the licensed production of our small arms abroad being considered? Where can such enterprises appear?

In terms of licensed production, first of all, we are talking about Kalashnikov assault rifles of the “hundredth” series. In particular, a project to create a joint venture in India is being discussed. Negotiations are also underway on this topic with other countries, but for the time being I would refrain from making additional comments.

- Is there a demand in the world for Russian armored vehicles? Which combat vehicles are in demand?

There is a steady demand for T-90S tanks, BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers of the BTR-80 family, Tiger armored vehicles, KamAZ and Ural vehicles. Our partners are also showing interest in the T-90MS tanks, the new highly protected Typhoon-K and Typhoon-U vehicles. Given the large number of previously delivered Russian and Soviet-made armored vehicles in service with many countries, an important area of ​​our work is the promotion of comprehensive programs for its repair and modernization. This mainly applies to infantry fighting vehicles BMP-2, as well as T-72 tanks, which still form the backbone of the ground forces of many countries.

- When can the first armored vehicles based on the Armata universal platform be exported?

It is too early to talk about the export prospects of the Armata tank, especially since it is first necessary to satisfy the demand of the most important customer - the Russian Ministry of Defense.

MOSCOW, IA RAMBLER NEWS SERVICE
12

A scarlet wreath of artificial flowers sways on a raft on a sharp lead-blue swell. In the autumn season, in these harsh lands, you can no longer find real flowers ... 76 ° 09 "02" north latitude, 87 ° 47 "east longitude - "coordinates of glory." Passing this point in space, each ship flying the Russian flag must stop move, line up the crew on the quarterdeck, lay a wreath on the water and half-mast the flag to the middle of the topmast - in memory of the sailors who have been resting under these waves for the eighth decade ...

In the autumn of 1944, a modest border guard with tail number 29, "Diamond", heroically died here in a battle with the enemy.

Photo. "Wreath of Glory" on the waters of the Arctic.

The lines of the technical form, yellowed from time to time, are strict and brief: “The border guard ship SKR-29“ Brilliant ”, built according to the project of the base minesweeper, is the second ship in a series of four units built at shipyard No. 190 in Leningrad for the naval units of the border guard of the NKVD troops . Laid down on October 19, 1934, launched on November 15, 1935, accepted into the current unit on December 18, 1936. On June 6, 1937, as a PSKR, he became part of the 1st guard detachment of the Border Guard of the NKVD naval border detachment in Murmansk. The commander of the ship is Captain-Lieutenant B. Chernyshev "...

From the memoirs of retired captain I rank B. I. Chernyshev:
- I accepted "Diamond" in January 1938. It was built by our wonderful Komsomol members, and it was listed as a youth ... It was a well-armed, high-speed ship of the BTSC type for that time. An elevated forecastle, providing good seaworthiness for a modest ship, a flat, low-lying poop above the water. On the forecastle is a gun with a long barrel - a universal rapid-fire "weave", in addition, three 37-mm machine guns and six machine guns ... Not enough, it seems? But it’s quite enough for the border service, after all, if anything, we don’t have to fight battleships. Navigational equipment - modern for those years: a gyrocompass, the latest radio direction finder, an electric log. Electric steering... Wonderful ship!

Photo. SKR-29 "Diamond" at the pier in Yokang.

The first war for the "Brilliant", equipped with a Komsomol crew, was Finnish. The tasks of the watchdog are escorting transport convoys along sea lanes, anti-submarine and air defense of naval formations, patrolling territorial waters ... Due to the shallow draft of the minesweeper, the "Brilliant" even took part in the landing operation in Liinakhamari. He approached almost close to the shore, took up a position between two treacherous rocky shoals - where larger ships could not turn around - and with artillery fire cleared the foothold for the landing of marines from the enemy ...

Photo. At full speed - to the shore occupied by the enemy ...

In the battle with the Nazi Air Force "Brilliant" entered almost the first of the entire fleet. On May 30, 1941, the guard carried out the usual service to protect the border in the Orloaka Bay area. The sea was deserted, low cumulus clouds were creeping over the horizon, a thunderstorm was gathering ... At 20 hours 25 minutes, an observer on the bridge of the "Brilliant" noticed a winged shadow that had fallen from a thick thundercloud ahead along the course ... An airplane! The pilot did not react to signals that his course was violating the state border, and without hesitation, invaded the airspace of the USSR. Combat instructions order in such cases to make a warning shot - and "Brilliant" uncovered anti-aircraft guns ...

And the plane, carefully turning around ... went into a dive. And the ringing shot of a machine-gun burst splashed over the superstructures! There are no warnings here! Having transmitted a message about a provocative attack to the base, "Diamond" opened barrage anti-aircraft fire. He didn’t shoot down the German, but he forced him to turn away from the combat course.

On that day, during combat patrols, the guard was twice more subjected to attempts at a demonstrative attack from the air. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the crew. The reader could probably ask why the malicious aerial shooter was not simply destroyed ... But war had not yet been declared, the Non-Aggression Pact was in force between the USSR and Germany, and the naval border guards were restrained by strict orders not to succumb to provocations. Shooting down someone else's plane, even if over your own territorial waters, is obviously at risk of acting as the initiator of hostilities, which for the time being were not included in the plans of the High Command.

Photo. The watchman "Thunderstorm", which also patrolled the state border in May 1941.

On the morning of June 22, 1941, "Brilliant" met in his native port. At 3 hours 50 minutes, a combat alarm sounded: hiding behind a foggy haze, a wave of German bombers was heading towards the city ...

One of them was never able to break through either to the ships standing in the roadstead or to the residential quarters of the town spread out on basalt rocks - it collapsed, howling with a crippled engine, into the sea under fire from the 37-mm anti-aircraft gun "Brilliant". For the first victory over the enemy, won 10 minutes after the sudden invasion, the anti-aircraft gunners of the guard were presented with medals.

From memories former commander guard detachment, rear admiral, retired A.I. Dianova:
- At the beginning of the war, there were few patrol ships in the Northern Fleet, and this placed a great responsibility on the border ships, since they could successfully perform the functions of anti-submarine ships. Therefore, the main burden of service in combat patrol, in search of submarines, protection and escort of allied convoys fell on them. Suffice it to recall that only in 1941 we destroyed seven enemy submarines and ten aircraft. And here I would especially like to note the crew of "Diamond". On July 12, 1941, when the "Brilliant" was guarding a transport convoy, at 19:48, observers discovered a breaker around the submarine's periscope. The watchman rushed towards him at full speed. The boat, sensing a threat, immediately sank. "Brilliant" began to jam it with depth charges - in areas. As soon as the first series of bombs was dropped, oil stains appeared on the surface of the water, some debris floated, debris ... Did it really hit the first time? But German submariners sometimes they cheated - they dumped the contents of the garbage can through the torpedo tube, seasoned with a certain dose of used grease. The enemy will see a vile spot on the water, decide that the boat is dead, and leave it alone, and she, the infection, meanwhile lies at the bottom of her life, preparing for a new breakthrough to the convoy. But "Brilliant" went to the second call! After the second series of bombs was dropped, a strong underwater explosion occurred, several bodies of dead German sailors were thrown to the surface. Now the boat was definitely finished. The Military Council of the Northern Fleet announced gratitude to the crew of SKR-29.

Photo. A watchman fires at the submarine's dive site with a Hedgehog-type bomber.

The second submarine "Brilliant" sank on July 14, 1941, when, together with his partner, the same border guard "Zhemchug", he escorted a caravan of transports in the area of ​​Savikhi Bay. A German submarine tracked down the convoy and tried to attack from a semi-surface position, but the guards forced it to dive with artillery fire. If you don't want a 100-millimeter projectile into the wheelhouse, you'll dive in! And then - work for the acousticians ... Having approximately determined the position of the hidden boat, the ships passed right above it and bombed. The depth was not great, and the explosion was so strong that the boat, literally torn in half, was thrown in parts to the surface.

Photo. German submarine of the seventh series - a thunderstorm of transport convoys.

The capture of Murmansk could provide the German troops with strategic dominance in the region and guaranteed to deprive Soviet Union contact with British allies. Therefore, on July 17, 1941, the fascist mountain chasseur divisions launched a desperate offensive along the Pechenga-Murmansk road. A day later, border ships "Brilliant", "Smerch" and "Iceberg" came to support our troops defending the islands of Sredny and Rybachy. For six hours they fired at the enemy, suppressed several artillery and mortar batteries, covered a large concentration of infantry. The attacks of the Nazis, who sought to break through the Musta-Tunturi ridge, were repulsed. Supported by naval artillery fire, units of the Red Army stopped the further advance of the enemy and frustrated plans to storm the city.

Photo. The same type with "Brilliant" SKR-23 "Rubin".

But the naval detachment, already returning to Yokanga Bay, unexpectedly underwent a massive attack from the air. About forty German bombers hit the flotilla. "Tornado" and "Iceberg" managed to retreat into the fog. And the "Brilliant" hesitated a little - and all the power of the German attack went to him ...

From the logbook SKR-29 "Brilliant":
Attacked by enemy bombers. They dive three at a time, in front. Dropped several bombs. One bomb exploded in the bow, 50 meters away, the second at 40 meters, the third behind the stern at 70 meters. From strong close explosions, the deck was covered with water, fragments and dirt from the bottom ... From hydrodynamic shock during a close gap in the mains drinking water leak opened. Planes attack wave after wave. I conduct hurricane fire from guns and DShK. Out of ammo...

Photo. Lieutenant Makhonkov - the future commander of the "Brilliant" with a group of officers - maritime border guards.

He had enough ammunition for two hours of continuous anti-aircraft fire. During this time, 8 eight massive attacks from the air were repulsed, one Junkers was shot down. The nimble and agile guard escaped from an unprecedented raid even without losses in the team, and after 4 days of repair was ready for new battles.

While anchoring the Yokanga raid, he somehow missed the link of the Junkers, which set in from the direction of the low northern sun and suddenly fell on the guard with bombs ... Two bombs exploded right at the side, opened the hull, riddled the unarmored tank with a whirlwind of hot fragments ... A fire broke out on the deck, which the crew extinguished to the last. Until the order to leave the sinking ship, given by the commander - Lieutenant A. Kosmenyuk. The political officer of "Diamond" Pavel Ponomarenko, who led the fight for damage, did not have time to fulfill this order ...

From the order for the fleet:
“On September 23, 1943, the assistant commander for the political part of the patrol ship SKR-29 “Brilliant”, senior political instructor Pavel Vasilievich Ponomarenko, who heroically died along with the ship during an enemy air raid on the Yokang Naval Base on May 12, 1942 ".

For courage and courage in this battle government awards the crew members of the "Brilliant" were awarded senior lieutenant Dobrik, lieutenant Gavrilov, foreman of the 1st class Volkov, sailors Galtsov, Kochnev and many others ...

Photo. The lifebuoy SKR-29 "Brilliant" is now on display at the Museum of the Development of the Arctic and the Northern Sea Route in St. Petersburg.

It would seem that this is the end of the biography of the brave "Diamond". But the small depths in the place of flooding and the acute shortage of small escort ships in the theater of operations made the command of the Northern Fleet think about trying to raise the ship. The diving expedition of the fleet for four months sealed the hull of the "Diamond" at the bottom. In addition to two major bomb damage in the skin of the SKR-29, divers counted ... more than 800 fragmentation holes.

Nevertheless, it was raised, towed with water drains to the shipyard in Arkhangelsk and restored for new battles with the enemy. In the autumn of 1944, the patrol boat revived came to the Laptev Sea - to participate in the protection of transport convoys on this section of the Northern Sea Route.

The way along the northern waters from the Vilkitsky Strait to the icy Dikson is long. On September 22, 1944, a transport convoy with a cargo of ammunition and food for the front left the Laptev Sea by this route. There were seven guards guarding the convoy. Ahead of the caravan, four minesweepers combed the waves from the mines. "Brilliant" was commanded by Senior Lieutenant M. Makhonkov, who took over the ship recently - still under repair.

It was September 23rd, dead northern midnight. At 01:13 midnight, the Brilliant observation watch noticed a thin steel periscope rod in the black water, framed by an elongated ring of white foam. And above the teeth of the cold swell, a lens gleamed dully in the light of a powerful spotlight ... A boat! Diamond raised the alarm.

At the first sounds of the howler, which broke the sensitive silence, the boat dived. Escort ships surrounded the transports in a dense ring, uncovering artillery barrels, preparing sets of depth charges for dropping. Searchlights flickered across the waves...

Suddenly, to the left, on the course of the "Diamond", under a layer of lead black water, a silver path appeared - a trace of a torpedo. The deadly German "cigar" went straight to the "Revolutionary" transport - one of the largest ships in the convoy, on board of which the caravan headquarters was also located. Another moment - and the steel "fish" will break into the high black side, a deafening explosion will crush the bulkheads, letting in the cold the sea inside the dying ship, and the gigantic - in comparison with the tiny patrol boat - the steamer will collapse in a heel ...

Photo. Transport ships waiting for unloading.

Full speed ahead! - Senior Lieutenant Makhonkov briefly threw into the ear pad of the speaking tube and twitched the handle of the machine telegraph ...

The torpedo explosion seemed to split the low night sky in two. An orange glow blazed above the masts. A huge column of water stood at the side of the "Revolutionary" and fell down, dousing the deck with ice splashes ...

When silence again reigned over the sea, the "Diamond" was no longer on the surface.

Photo. Document on the death of Senior Lieutenant Makhonkov.

From the memoirs of retired captain 1st rank B. Valinsky, commander of the SKR-23 Rubin, participant in the convoy operation:
- When we approached the place of death of SKR-29, we saw a large solar patch on the water, two boats torn off the rosters and flooded with water, several cork mattresses and wooden fragments. There were no people... Apparently, the torpedo hit the guard in the diesel engine area, and his death was instantaneous, none of the team managed to escape. At the final analysis of the campaign regarding the death of the "Brilliant", all the officers expressed a unanimous opinion: Makhonkov, noticing the trail of a torpedo aimed at the transport, blocked her path with the side of his ship. Possessing good maneuverability and a large margin of speed compared to that of the transport column itself, the "Brilliant" could easily evade the torpedo, but then it would hit the transport with cargo for the front ... And the communist Makhonkov made the only decision ...

Later it turned out that one sailor from the "Diamond" still survived this battle. Aleksey Stakhanov, the signalman, namesake of the famous Kursk-born miner, was wounded in the explosion and thrown overboard by the blast. In the dark, other watchmen did not find him, and holding on to a piece of deck board, Stakhanov, a Red Navy sailor, sailed more than 100 kilometers - to the deserted coast of Taimyr Island. Here the strength left the sailor, and he could no longer reach the weather station of the island - he died from blood loss and fatigue on a narrow path lost between cold rocks. His remains were found by an expedition of hydrographers only in 1961.

Photo. Lists of casualties of the crew of the SKR-29 "Brilliant".

In 1985, at the Mosfilm studio, directed by Rudolf Fruntov, based on the script by Alexei German, the film “There Lived a Brave Captain” was shot, one of the main “heroes” of which is the border guard patrol SKR-29 “Memory of Ruslan”, in the role of which the minesweeper BT-820 starred . The material for the "biography" of the film character was the fate of "Diamond".

Photo. The minesweeper is a participant in filming.

Now the name "Brilliant" is the newest ship of the coast guard - already the fourth in this glorious family ...

Photo. The heir of a glorious name.

PERFORMANCE DATA PSKR-29 "BRILLIANT"
- Maximum length, m. . . 67.5
- Width, m ........ 7.3
- Draft, m ........ 2.2
- Displacement, t. . 600/1000
- Speed, knots ...... 16.8
- Diesel power, l. With. . 2x1100
- Crew, pers. ...... 68
- Armament:
- artillery - 1 102-mm gun, 3 37-mm anti-aircraft naval guns, 2 12.7-mm machine guns on turrets;
-- mine: rails and stern slope;
- bombing: 2-tray bombers, 2 bombers;
-- chemical: 6 marine large smoke bombs (MBDS) in baskets.

Photo. bench model SKR-29 "Diamond".