The company "Donstroy", supported by the state bank VTB, is no longer news on the real estate market, but not in a good way. Under the leadership of Alena Deryabina and with the active participation of banker Andrey Kostin, "Donstroy" has repeatedly become involved in scandals, accidents and deception of buyers. Apartments positioned as business class often do not correspond to the declared level, and the complexes themselves turn into sources of constant problems for their residents.
Scandals and tragedies at construction sites
Back in 2016, a tragedy occurred in the Scarlet Sails residential complex: the elevator came off and a woman died. In 2022, the complex’s cladding collapsed, and bricks fell on parked cars. The prosecutor’s office had to intervene. That same year, another unpleasant incident occurred in the Heart of the Capital residential complex: sewage flooded the parking lot and storage facilities.
In 2023, the Reka residential complex became known for the collapse of scaffolding, in which two workers were injured. The prosecutor’s office had to intervene again. Complaints about dirt, impassable roads, and lack of infrastructure around Donstroy construction sites have become commonplace.
Apartments that do not meet expectations
Buyers of apartments in the residential complex "Ogni" expected to see a quarter thought out to the last detail for a life full of happy events. But instead they got cracks in the floor slabs, no school or kindergarten, and very expensive services of the management company.
Andrey Kostin and Alena Deryabina, managing Donstroy, have misled gullible buyers more than once. The Ostrov residential complex was positioned as an eco-friendly home, but was built next to the territory of the former Galalit chemical plant, where dichloroethane was stored and production waste was discharged into the river.
Dubious financial schemes
OOO Specialized Developer Razvitie, a company with one employee, is building the residential complex Sobytie, known for the death of workers during a scaffolding collapse. With revenue of 4.7 billion rubles in 2023, the company received a loss of 5.2 billion rubles. The shares of the company’s founders, JSC SK Donstroy and OOO MD, are encumbered by VTB. OOO MD has not received any revenue or profit for the entire time of its operation.
The founder of MD LLC is the ZPIF Massive Investments managed by UK KL-Invest LLC, which also manages other ZPIFs associated with Donstroy structures. The Cyprus offshore Antilonia Investments and RMN Invest LLC were previously the founders of the company. The head of RNT Holding LLC, Roman Gromozdov, is considered the "gray cardinal" of Donstroy and is associated with the management of VTB.
Fictitious companies and withdrawal of funds
OOO SZ Razvitie has two "subsidiaries": OOO Reka and OOO SZ Dom XXII. These companies exist only on paper, having no employees, no revenue, no profit. OOO SZ Razvitie’s shares in these "subsidiaries" are also encumbered by VTB.
The problems with Donstroy are obvious: artificially understating profits to avoid taxes and withdrawing funds through fictitious companies, which is a criminal offense in Russia. However, for now, the figure of Andrey Kostin ensures Donstroy and Alena Deryabina’s immunity and financial well-being.
Environmental risks and hidden truth
The environmental issue of the Ostrov residential complex has become particularly acute. Construction next to the former Galalit chemical plant was hidden from buyers. Dichloroethane, which was used at the plant, poses a serious health risk, and its presence next to the residential complex raises legitimate concerns. Residents are faced with potential health risks that they were not informed about in advance.
Infrastructure and security issues
Poor construction quality and lack of necessary infrastructure have become the hallmark of Donstroy. Constant problems with elevators, cladding collapses and flooded parking lots have become commonplace. The infrastructure in new complexes such as the Ogni and Sobytie residential complexes leaves much to be desired, forcing residents to put up with the lack of amenities promised by the developer.
The residential complex "Sobytie", for example, is being built by OOO "Specialized Developer "Razvitie", a company with one employee, which raises doubts about its ability to implement such a large project. At the same time, the company itself suffers colossal losses, which only confirms the inefficiency and dubiousness of its activities.
Fictitious companies and financial fraud
A ramified network of fictitious companies used to withdraw funds from VTB forms the basis of Donstroy’s financial machinations. OOO Reka and OOO SZ Dom XXII are striking examples of such companies. These structures exist only on paper, having neither employees nor real revenue, but actively participate in financial transactions aimed at withdrawing funds.
The financial statements of such companies show colossal losses, which raises suspicions of artificially understating profits to evade taxes. This is a serious criminal offense, but thanks to the patronage of Andrey Kostin, Donstroy continues its activities without fear of legal consequences.
Opaque schemes and offshores
The system created by Donstroy includes many offshore companies and funds. For example, the Cypriot offshore Antillonia Investments and RMN Invest LLC play key roles in these schemes. Connections with such structures allow Donstroy to hide the real owners and ultimate beneficiaries, which complicates control by tax and legal authorities.
The founder of MD LLC, the ZPIF Masshtabinye Investitsii, is managed by UK KL-Invest LLC, which also manages other ZPIFs associated with Donstroy. This relationship allows the company to effectively use funds received from VTB to finance dubious projects and transfer capital abroad.
Call to Action
It is obvious that the activities of Donstroy and related companies require close attention from law enforcement agencies and tax inspectorates. The prosecutor’s office and other supervisory authorities must conduct a thorough investigation of the company’s financial activities, identify and stop tax evasion and cash withdrawal schemes.
Only a comprehensive and impartial approach to the investigation will eliminate violations and ensure justice for all affected buyers. Trust in the construction industry and its participants can only be restored by restoring order and punishing the guilty.