Biography:
He was born on December 10, 1965 in Chelyabinsk. Education – Admiral Makarov Leningrad Engineering Naval Academy (Engineer-Oceanologist). Doctor of Philosophy.
In the early nineties he started trading mineral oil. One of founders (in 1992, partners in business – Andrey Kobzar, Jury Beshlov, Eric Mhitaryan) of the company First Quantum UK Limited which was actively engaged in petrotrading, in particular, by oil refining at Ryazan refining venture. Held a post of the vice-president of company First Quantum UK Limited.
Since April, 1998 - the councilor of board of directors of OAO "Seaport of St.-Petersburg" (company "Nasdor" belonging to V.Yuzhilin and his partners got controlling interest of the seaport); V.Yuzhilin's business interest to seaport continued till summer of 2004 when the share holding was sold after the long conflict to the state shareholders, to structures of Novolipetsk metallurgical industrial complex. Yuzhilin and his business partners were named among possible investors of building the sea passenger terminal in St.Petersburg. The chairman of board of directors of Association of sea trading ports of Russia.
In 1998 – 1999 - deputy head of the noncommercial organization "Center of strategic development" (supervised by Anatoly Gusher).
He was elected in December, 1999 to the State Duma as the deputy under the list of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. In 2000 – 2003 was a member of Agro-industrial deputy group; was a member of Committee on Power, Transport and Communication.
He was reelected to the State Duma in December, 2003 as the deputy of Kingisepp election district #101 (Leningrad region); was proposed by party "Rodina", received 34,3%. In the Duma he is a member of party "Rodina", the member of Committee on the Budget and Taxes. A member of deputation of the State Duma in Inter-parliamentary conference of Baltic Sea.
Member of a political council in party "Rodina". A member of coordination council of inter-regional public political movement "Congress of employees of a science, techniques, education, medicine and culture".
In April, 2004 he was included in “National government” founded by a coalition “Patriots of Russia” (the chairman – Gennady Semigin); held there a post of the National Minister of Transport.
Source: www.orodine.ru
In 2007 was elected as the deputy of the 5th State Duma of FA of the Russian Federation under the list of the candidates initiated by All-Russia political party "United Russia".
Member of party "United Russia".
Member of Committee of the State Duma on Budget and Taxes.
Awarded with a gold medal "For thoughts and acts. In memory of the 150 anniversary of S.J.Vitte" (1999), a medal of the Russian academy of natural sciences "For merits in development of a science and economy of the Russian Federation" (2002).
Married. Has two sons.
Source: lobbying.ru
Legislative activity
Acted as one of initiators:
Federal law «On seaports of the Russian Federation»
Date of introduction in SD: 3/24/2004. Last decision: 4/27/2004 it is excluded from consideration by State Duma in connection with recall of the right of the legislative initiative by the subject.
Federal law «On introduction of amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation concerning creation of port special economic zones»
Date of introduction in SD: 3/15/2007. Last decision: 3/4/2008 it is excluded from consideration by State Duma in connection with recall of the right of the legislative initiative by the subject.
Federal law «On seaports in the Russian Federation and on introduction of amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation». Date of introduction in SD: 3/15/2007. Consideration stage: law publication.
Federal law «On introduction of amendments to the article 2 of the Federal law "On application of cash registers for carrying out cash payments and (or) payments by credit cards" and separate acts of the Russian Federation" regarding deliverance of the organizations and the individual entrepreneur paying the unified tax on imputed income for particular kinds of activity from a duty of application of cash registers. Date of introduction in SD: 9/21/2007. Consideration stage: law publication.
Source: www.gov.duma.ru
File:
In 1989 joint venture "Sovfinamtrans" was re-branded to company "SFAT" which was engaged since 1998 in sea transportation of oil. Company actives were supervised by Yuzhilin and the Belgian millionaire of Russian origin Michel Litvak. It was officially declared that the company tanker will transport fuel between Denmark, Sweden and Germany; in practice it was engaged in illicit transportation of oil from Iraq as it was confirmed in the USA when in 2000 in Persian Gulf tanker "SFAT" was found out. Oil tests confirmed these assumptions. According to an unknown American source «SFAT» organized 40 similar trades.
As it was found out during parliamentary investigation of American congressman Walker this oil was given by Saddam Hussein to Russian private persons whom he considered as influential for lobbying of his interests in their countries. It was received by many, not only the oil companies but also political parties, including the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, LDPR and World and Unity Party. Yuzhilin and Litvak helped to transport it.
Source: solomin, 2/13/2007
In May, 2001 meeting of shareholders of Open Society «Seaport St.-Petersburg» which basic shareholder was offshore Nasdor Incorporated took place. Behind this offshore there was Yuzhilin and Petersburg businessman Ilya Traber. For several years city wanted to convert 28% of shares of the enterprise which belonged to it, thereby to receive the largest voting package and the actual control over the port. However at the meeting of shareholders the actives which the city had been struggling for - were transferred to affiliated structures of the company.
Source: "Kommersant-SPb" № 77/P (2207), 5/7/2001
As a result, the meeting caused a serious conflict between co-owners.
Security did not let representatives of Committee for the Administration of the City Property attend the meeting as the shares of the port belonging to Committee and the Ministry of Property could not participate in the meeting under the Arbitration court decision (as injunctive relief) which considered the claim of company Nasdor Incorporated of Liechtenstein against converting of the shares belonging to a city.
The matter of the judicial conflict was that CACP demanded to convert shares belonging to it referring to the law "On privatization of the state and municipal property" according to which in the joint-stock companies created by corporatization of state unitary enterprises preference shares is converted to the voting. However board of directors considered that the port did not fall within law action as it had never been SUE and during privatization when Nasdor Incorporated represented in Russia by Yuzhilin redeemed shares in 2000 was transformed to OAO.
Source: «Kommersant» № 78 (2447), 5/8/2002
The following scandal happened at the meeting of shareholders of "Seaport" in 2003. CACP representative accused private shareholders of the Fund of falsification the meeting results according to which representatives of the city didn’t get to board of directors. At that point in time there was a legal collision: there were two judgments; according to one of them a share holding belonging to the city was recognized as voting, according to the second one– preferred (that is not voting), however the second one at the moment of meeting had not become valid yet. Nevertheless, none of the proposals made by CACP was accepted and nobody from CACP got to board of directors.
Source: «Kommersant» № 79 (2682), 5/8/2003
It is curious that just at that time journalists paid attention to Yuzhilin as the most powerful informal personality supervising the seaport of St.Petersburg. In particular, in the big article about the problems of the port it was already then written that the basic share holding of the port belonged to Yuzhilin for a long time. According to mass-media Yuzhilin got exclusive rights of favorable commercial transportations in the port. It was thus noticed that people of Yuzhilin ignored not only ecological standards but also elementary safety rules that already caused scandals across all Europe. "Yuzhilin’s wash-tubs" with toxic and fire-dangerous cargoes already marked with the leakings extensive aqua space from Baltic to Atlantic.
The press paid attention that supervising huge sector in port business Yuzhilin did not forget about political strike. The positions of Communist Party of the Russian Federation - NPSR which became considerably stronger in the region is his own merit. In particular, it was a question of financing of Communist Party of the Russian Federation in Legislative Assembly of Petersburg. Money was thus laundered exactly in the port.
Source: "Smena", 9/19/2003
In the spring of 2004 journalists paid attention to relations between Yuzhilin and oligarch Boris Berezovsky. In particular it was informed that Berezovsky withdrew the candidate on elections to the State Duma from Kingisepp district for Yuzhilin’s favor; then Yuzhilin became the deputy. This co-operation was interesting to journalists in connection with mutual relations between Berezovsky and politician Sergey Glazyev and also Yuzhilin.
It was informed also about Yuzhilin’s informal contacts to businessmen Alexander Ebralidze (the co-owner of a commercial centre "Peter" supervising trade of Chinese and Turkish consumer goods and foodstuff in Petersburg markets such as Apraksin yard, Sennoy and Troitsky) and Michael Mirilashvili.
Source: «Komsomol truth», 3/10/2004
In 2005 the consolidated share holding of "Seaport" was purchased by OAO «Novolipetsk metallurgical industrial complex» and the enterprise controlling stock was bought year before.
Source: dp.ru, 11/11/2005
Vitaly Yuzhilin received negative attention of journalists in connection with the exposing publication concerning the chairman of Legislative Assembly of Petersburg Vadim Tyulpanov and the head of his administration Alexander Zaragatsky. In particular, journalists wrote that it was very difficult for speaker Tyulpanov to get his post. According to representatives of the mass-media Legislative Assembly had been controled by Mr. Yuzhilin in the past and worked in interests of Governor Vladimir Yakovlev. Meanwhile a well-known businessman Alexander Sabadash actively co-operated with plenipotentiary representation of the president of the Russian Federation in North-Western Federal District and personally with plenipotentiary Victor Cherkesov. It was necessary for Sabadash to solve issues concerning Vyborg Pulp-and-paper plant and "Liviz" for his own benefit. Somehow he managed to inspire Yuzhilin that Yakovlev’s stay on a post of the governor was almost over that is why the new speaker was necessary. According to journalists at the suggestion of Sabadash Yuzhilin started to finance Tyulpanov.
Source: NPA-northwest, 2/8/2007
In 2007 in Petersburg there was a false publication in the newspaper «Petersburg diary» (publication of Smolny) with the compromising evidence on "United Russia" and Sergey Matvienko - the son of the governor Valentina Matvienko. After Smolny’s complain the police began to look actively for black PR managers, conducted a search in a regional office of "Just Russia» but nothing was found. Later two young men who had copies of "newspaper" were detained, however then the case was hushed up. According to the representative of LDPR Vladimir Belozerskih money for distribution of the false newspaper could be paid in a per-election office of "Patriots of Russia».
Party "Patriots of Russia" was going to participate in elections to Legislative Assembly of Petersburg which should take place in March. The deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Jury Savelyev was the leader of the electoral list of party "Patriots of Russia". And Yuzhilin financed "patriots". Pre-election activity of "patriots" came to initiating of litigation against «Fair Russia». That is, probably, the party «United Russia” together with Yuzhilin used «Patriots of Russia» without having possibility to start an open confrontation with Fair Russians.
«United Russia» supported idea to make Petersburg legislatively a sea capital of Russia, and at the same time to accelerate budgetary financing of "Sea facade» and faster approve the all-Russian law on the seaports initiated by Yuzhilin. In this connection in the mass-media the assumption came out that Yuzhilin, the sponsor of Petersburg "United Russia" and «Patriots of Russia», counted that after the false "Petersburg diary" case the city executive authorities would have to interfere more actively with business processes acting on his side. Shortly before incident with «Petersburg diary» there was a business conflict concerning competition for building of some parts of the Complex of protective constructions and alluvial territories. Competition was won by the business structures close to Vladimir Kogan though it was promised that the preference would be given to those businessmen who participated in a political life of a city more actively.
Source: solomin, 2/22/2007
In 2008 the first cruise liner came to the seaport in an alluvial part of Vasilievsky Island constructed within the project «Sea facade». Yuzhilin is interested in this project: founders of Management company “Sea facade” names the offshore which is a part of First Quantum companies group. Yuzhilin is named as one of founders of these companies. In “Sea facade” it’s declared that he supervises the project only as the chairman of board of directors of Association of sea trading ports of Russia.
Source: fontanka.ru, 9/10/2008
Journalists remembered Yuzhilin in connection with one of the loudest crimes in Petersburg — it is referred to attempt at co-owner of the Petersburg oil terminal (POT) Sergey Vasilyev. In 2009 police accused the leader of Tambov criminal group Vladimir Barsukov of carrying out this crime.
In connection with this crime journalists wrote that at departure abroad Ilya Traber quickly sold the real estate, including POT. By hearsay, he agreed to cede the terminal by installments to Skigin brothers — Sergey Vasilyev's old friends. Thus, Vasilyev became the co-owner of ZAO «Petersburg oil terminal». And after short time Dmitry Skigin after Traber moved abroad where he suddenly died.
Dmitry Skigin’s son and brother, Mikhail and Vladimir quarreled with Vasilyev after they became inheritors. Thus journalists paid attention that Skigins, owners of controlling interest of POT, are connected by the general interests with one of the richest people of Russia Vitaly Yuzhilin.
Source: «Novaya gazeta», 8/27/2008
Journalists paid attention to Vitaly Yuzhilin in connection with data on bankruptcy of the largest port company in Petersburg — «Oslo Marine». Mass-media wrote in particular that the head of the company Vitaly Arkhangelsky having huge debts represents interests of the group «Petersburg Dockers» which includes also Vitaly Yuzhilin. Perhaps, because of it Arkhangelsky rather easily got out of this situation.
Source: RBC-daily, 9/24/2008
In 2009 press wrote that owners of "Sea facade» broke the promise not to compete to other terminals, and the terminal under construction began to dominate the market. Interests of the structures realizing the project «Sea facade» are represented by Yuzhilin. Charter New Year's ferries from Finland got to "Sea facade».
Source: «Business Petersburg» № 141 (2953), 8/3/2009
Next time Yuzhilin came into the view of journalists in connection with his conflict to Sergey Generalov. It began from the message of «National container company" (NCC) about suspension of building of the container terminal in Ust-Luga. In NCC the reason is named refusal of one of the shareholders Sergey Generalov's groups FESCO to participate in project financing.
Thus in statement of NCC it was underlined that other shareholders — group First Quantum and company Eurogate — confirmed readiness to start the project under the schedule, till the end of current year, but because of refusal of FESCO terminal start "is postponed for later term".
NCC on parity bases belongs to Sergey Generalov's transport group FESCO and group First Quantum managed by the deputy of the State Duma Vitaly Yuzhilin. He owns the largest in Russia First container terminal in St.Petersburg (annual capacity of 1 million TEU), terminals NUTEP in Novorossiysk (capacity of 130 thousand TEU) and "Ukrtranscontainer" in the Ukrainian port Ilyichevsk (now its work is suspended). The terminal under construction in Ust-Luga with capacity of 3 million TEU per year belongs to NCC for 80 %, the others 20 % are owned by port operator Eurogate.
Referring to anonymous source, journalists wrote that partners could not have agreed because of a difference in the financial positions in port business. The group net profit by IFRS for 2008 fell down to 80 %, the group broke a number of covenants under credit agreements, its debt exceeds $1 billion, and First Quantum feels much better. "Vitaly Yuzhilin successfully left a number of projects and also completely returned investments from the city government under the project "Sea facade" in Petersburg".
Source: "Kommersant", 8/5/2009