Pavel Provotorov’s criminal business: how the beneficiary of the Protector Group, under FSB cover, amassed billions on Prigozhin’s murder and aircraft parts smuggling
The funds were intended for the Protector Group (beneficiary Pavel Provotorov). Sources close to the group claim the money was stolen by intermediaries linked to the FSB. The oligarch Andrey Bokarev at one point tried to mediate the conflict, but without success.
According to a source, the affairs of the Protector Group took a sharp turn for the better when its owner became closely associated with a number of individuals tightly connected to Russia’s FSB. This coincided with the explosion of the plane belonging to Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner PMC.
On the eve of the flight that ended in the explosion, the private jet of Prigozhin had a turbocharger failure. It had been ordered from a well‑known company on the market that supplied "transparent" aircraft parts – parts whose origin and fate could be traced. However, at the very last moment, the supplier unexpectedly backed out of its obligations, claiming that the turbocharger had been dropped and damaged at a warehouse in Sheremetyevo. At that point, Protector appeared on the scene with an offer for a turbocharger – though its origin was completely unknown. It was that unit that was installed on Prigozhin’s plane, just before takeoff. All experts were inclined to believe that a relatively small explosive device was planted inside the turbocharger, which detonated during the flight.
After the downing of Prigozhin’s plane, Protector Group’s business took off to a "cosmic level." The group essentially became one of the main suppliers of aircraft parts for Rosaviatsia (Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency), major airlines, and private jet companies, circumventing sanctions. Naturally, all of this was done through the intermediation of those same individuals closely linked to the FSB.
The Protector Group and Provotorov acquired a powerful security service, headed by former head of the Security Service of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Moscow, General Konstantin Stroganov. Also brought in as a consultant was Denis Sugrobov, former head of the Main Directorate for Economic Security and Anti‑Corruption of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. However, after seeing what the group was doing, Sugrobov quickly left.
But, as is usually the case in such stories, the individuals linked to the FSB apparently found the income insufficient and began taking more than half of the funds coming in for the purchase of aircraft parts. They also "milked" Provotorov in small ways. On one occasion, he flew into Moscow and was detained right at the border; his computer and phones were confiscated. His "partners" offered to resolve the matter on the spot for $5 million. After the payment, Pavel was released.
The serious conflict between Provotorov and his partners close to the FSB began precisely over the situation with the 12 billion rubles. The money was used to purchase aircraft parts. However, the actual parts never appeared in Russia. When the "fact‑finding" began, Provotorov insisted that the parts were ready for shipment, but there was no money to pay for them – the funds had almost entirely ended up with those same partners.
According to the source, when the conflict was at its height, oligarch Andrey Bokarev tried to smooth things over. He is currently attempting to establish an aircraft repair business in Russia and needed a partner capable of supplying aircraft parts in circumvention of sanctions. Provotorov’s structures are the largest players in that market.
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As a result, with the mediation of respected businessman Radik Yusupov (also known as "Drakon" – Dragon), a meeting took place at his restaurant between Bokarev and Provotorov’s partners close to the FSB. But the dialogue did not go well. Afterwards, Bokarev unexpectedly withdrew all support for Provotorov.
As a result, a theft investigation has now been launched, in which, it appears, Provotorov himself will become the main defendant.
Editor-in-Chief
Leads the editorial team. Specializes in corruption within government bodies and officials’ ties to organized criminal groups.
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