Ozero (russian: О́зеро, lit. ''lake'') (full name: дачный потребительский кооператив «Озеро», Dacha consumer cooperative "Ozero") is a dacha cooperative associated with Vladimir Putin's inner circle.

History

The dacha cooperative ''Ozero'' was founded on November 10, 1996 by Vladimir Smirnov (head), Vladimir Putin,

Vladimir Yakunin Vladimir Ivanovich Yakunin (russian: Владимир Иванович Якунин; born 30 June 1948) is a Russian businessman and close Vladimir Putin confidant. He was president of Russian Railways from June 2005 to August 2015. In March 2 ...

, Andrei Fursenko,

Sergey Fursenko Sergey Aleksandrovich Fursenko (russian: Серге́й Александрович Фурсенко) (born 1954 in Leningrad, Soviet Union) is a Russian businessman. He is a brother of Andrei Fursenko. Career Since the early 1990s, Fursenko has ...

, Yury Kovalchuk,

Viktor Myachin The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...

, and . The society united their dachas in

Solovyovka Solovyovka (russian: Соловьёвка) is a rural locality (a village) in Podlesnensky Selsoviet, Sterlitamaksky District, Bashkortostan, Russia. The population was 12 as of 2010. There is 1 street. Geography Solovyovka is located 50 km nor ...

, Priozersky District of

Leningrad Oblast Leningrad Oblast ( rus, Ленинградская область, Leningradskaya oblast’, lʲɪnʲɪnˈgratskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ, , ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). It was established on 1 August 1927, a ...

, on the eastern shore) in the Melnikovskoe rural settlement on the north of the lake and Solovyovka (russian: Соловьёвка) in the Plodovskoe rural settlement on the southeast of the lake. of

Lake Komsomolskoye Lake Komsomolskoye is a lake in the north of the Leningrad Region Priozersky District, in the middle of the Karelian Isthmus of north western Russia. Until 1948 it was called Kiimajärvi (Finnish Kiimajärvi). Description Lake Komsomolskoye is ...

. on the Karelian Isthmus, near Saint Petersburg, Russia. Vladimir Putin returned from his KGB posting in Dresden in early 1990, prior to the formal establishment of the ''Ozero'' cooperative, and acquired property on the banks of Lake Komsomolskoye. His dacha burned down in 1996 but was rebuilt later that year. Others bought more land around this area and built a number of villas close to each other to form a

gated community A gated community (or walled community) is a form of residential community or housing estate containing strictly controlled entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles, and often characterized by a closed perimeter of walls and fences ...

. A bank account linked to this cooperative association was opened, allowing money to be deposited and used by all account holders in accordance with the Russian law on cooperatives. By 2012 members of the ''Ozero'' cooperative had assumed top positions in Russian government and business and became very successful financially.

Ozero members

The table includes alleged net worth or annual compensation

Security

Purportedly the firm Rif-Security) are located at Ulitsa Tambovskaya (russian: улица Тамбовская) in St Petersburg provides security for the Ozero Dacha Community. Rif-Security is controlled by the alleged boss of the

Tambov Gang The Tambov Gang (in russian: Тамбовская преступная группировка, ''Tambóvskaya prestúpnaya gruppiróvka'') is a large gang in Saint Petersburg, Russia. According to common allegations, it was organised in Leningrad ...

Vladimir Barsukov (Kumarin) and Vladimir Smirnov.

Political effect

Some observers hint that the roots of Putin's power may lie in Ozero camaraderie. The Ozero cooperative society holds a bank account at the Leningrad Oblast Bank. The financial transactions of the Ozero cooperative are unknown. By law any of the members would be able to deposit and withdraw funds for his own use. Karen Dawisha, director of

the Havighurst Center for Russian and Post-Soviet Studies Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public university, public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded ...

at Miami University, concluded that "in Russia a cooperative arrangement is another way for Putin to avoid being given money directly, while enjoying the wealth shared among co-owners". '' Putin. Corruption'', an independent report published by the opposition People's Freedom Party, is about the alleged corruption in Vladimir Putin's inner circle and has a chapter about ''Ozero''.

Notes

References