The team of betrayers and grabbers. Who rules Donetsk. Former city council employee’s revelation

This is an interview with an employee of Donetsk City Council, which she left in the winter and went to Belarus. In fact, she said a lot of disputed facts and value judgments (we try to keep the style) but we decided to publish this text, because today there is objectively not enough information about what is happening in the Donetsk City Council or – in words of DPR - Administration.

You decided to talk after the current so-called "head of the administration of Donetsk" Igor Martynov gave interview to the Commander in Chief?

- Yeah, the other day I randomly saw an article, and at "ukrop" website, with the current head of the city Igor Martynov. I reread it several times, trying to understand how this is possible. How is it possible that a man says such words about his former leader, whom he is obliged to for everything. About the one who took him to his team, when as it seemed all turned away from him... When the scandal with the candidate for the mayor of Donetsk Beshuli was forgotten, and everyone who was involved in it was "turned in". Lukyanchenko was asked to take many, he chose Igor Martynov, entrusted him to manage his pet project - the reconstruction of the Shcherbakov park. It's a lot of trust and Martynov justified it. There were many stages of reconstruction, and in the end, the mayor of Donetsk didn’t make a mistake - a strong economical manager, a good leader was getting more and more funds for the maintenance of the park, buying new swings and roundabouts! And Shcherbakov Park bloomed and pleased everyone!

Martynov’s past is not very known. He was a member of the City Council from Vitrenko’s party, then he bet on Beshuli but lost. All that time he was involved with his father’s DIK company, why did he become the director of the park?

- Martynov has always been a businessman, this explains all his actions. Few people know that for the refusal of land allocated to park in favour of the aqua park construction, strong economical Martynov received a 10% stake in the business. There was a rumour that all the restaurants and cafes, all tenants in the park brought a share to the "strong economical manager". And once again rumour that he generously shared with the "curators" Laktionov and Tkachenko. He used kickbacks to build cafe and Family Club restaurant in the park, Yellow shopping center near the Central Department Store, a well-known throughout the city Stargorod restaurant, and another number of objects. By the way, if you had paid for parking at the park, you would have given pocket money to his son. Earlier it was somehow easier to look at it all...

But Martynov said in his interview that the mayor had phoned to congratulate him, so do they still have some relationship?

- You see, "He (Lukyanchenko) called him on the New Year to congratulate"! Those who know a bit more about their relationship, remember mincing Martynov (very similar to Laughter Y in famous cartoon "The Mystery of the Third Planet") on bent legs behind our mayor, ingratiating looking into his eyes! Somehow it does not fit the image of a formidable leader, whom the mayor in exile calls to congratulate.

Mayor supported Martynov in many things, when director of the Shcherbakov that it wasn’t enough for him, he persuaded Lukyanchenko to combine all restored by the city parks in the directorate of parks, the mayor agreed. Thus, the business empire expanded due to Lenin Komsomol Park and new Pobedy park on the waterfront in the Kalinin district. Laktionov wanted to put even more roundabouts, Tkachenko more stalls and pavilions, and Tarabanovsky was already buildinf Musical restaurant of concrete and glass on the slope of the Park.

Furthermore! It turns out, according to Martynov, the mayor has got a business in Brussels! He pointed out it twice in the interview, as if using opportunity to hook Lukyan.

Do you think that there are no reasons to hook Lukyanchenko?

- Lukyanchenko isn’t also a saint. It's hard to say what kind of business interests he had. Shares or something else. Budgets, kickbacks ... but to be honest, he always lived in a two-bedroom apartment and drove Toyota for five years, the same and not the last model. Whatever our mayor was (in fact he still is) but he didn’t seem to be a businessman!

And why does Martynov say so?

- So, our Igor is afraid of possible return of Lukyanchenko and it’s not good to burn bridges. But very childish, it is impossible to read without a smile. Journalist used every possibility to get to know at least something about Lukyanchenko’s life, wanted to know what business the mayor had in Belgium, but Martynov immediately moved out - saying, if it was a private visit, then it was business. So we can assume that Martynov has also got business in China, America, and Moscow!

You resigned from the executive committee, was it so bad?

- How is it possible to say that they are "working here and there are no problems" if the employees of the executive committee saw the money only once in February 2015 for the November 2014 ?! and no discomfort ...

Why do people continue to work?

 

- They announced ­– you either work or "get to the basement." Good motivation, and most importantly effective. Martynov says: "Three deputies who worked with Lukyanchenko have stayed us!" And listed Volkov, Lyakhovets and Moiseyenkov. Those that you don’t mind! And business partners: Laktionov, Tkachenko and Tarabanovsky were even not mentioned.

Volkov has always been the closest to Lukyanchenko. They went together in for sport once a week, went together to banya once a week or even for a long time played football together. Until the Donbass Arena was built, Akhmetov wasn’t glad to see Volkov. It is a soft, coward and indecisiveman. You can talk with him but not work.

Lyakhovets is a whipping boy. Everybody stepped on him, and being such a pussy he let everyone do it. He did work well but couldn’t make his decisions.

Moiseyenkov even couldn’t sneeze without Lukyanchenko’s permission, though often argued with him in public. It is believed that he was a shadow budget dispenser behind the mayor. He knows his work well and nobody could do it better.

But where are Lukyan’s deputies Laktionov Tkachenko, Tarabanovsky and Sknar ?! These characters still went to Martynov’s operational meetings, but he did not mention them!

Why, do you think?

- Laktionov oversaw social sector, health care, education and culture. And in fact Martynov as the director of parks reported to him. He’s got share in the Family Club. Decency, they don’t want to show him. Or maybe even because a part of the swings in the Shcherbakov park belongs to him?

Tkachenkooversaw advertising and trade. And he's got also a share in the same Family Club. With his light hand he issued patents and permission to trade, including in the Shcherbakov park. And if the tenant did not pay tribute next day a commission miraculously appeared to check his shop and closed it immediately. Due to Tkachenko a new deputy to Martyniv Igor Ponomarenko (former director of BTI in Donetsk) appeared. He, at one time, was the right hand of Tkachenko. And I heard a version that it was Tkachenko who wanted to go over Lukyanchenko’s by gathering around him Martynov (city council member from the PR) and Ponomarenko (city council member from the PR) and using his long-standing ties in Rostov and Moscow. It's a very clever and cunning man. But he could not stand the lawlessness in Donetsk, in January, he didn’t return from Rostov, giving his position to Marakin Artem (city council member from the PR), a close friend of Ponomarenko.

Tarabanovsky was the closest to the mayor Lukyanchenko in all matters. Surprisingly how he "joined" that triplet? There was a rumour that he had known about all changes from the beginning, because he had a very close relationship with Martynov. Through Tarabanovsky Martynov solves all land issues in Donetsk, including for E. Zviagilskiy’s son-in-law Vecherka. But in January, almost simultaneously with Tkachenko, Tarabanovsky disappeared from the city. It is argues that Martynov ordered him to MSS, inventing that he was illegally taking office in UKS and using the company car. Someone warned him and he had to leave the city quickly.

Well, the dark horse Sknar. This is Laktionov’s man. Previously, he was yjead of the Department of Education, all elections results in the city were "done" through him and, consequently, they should hide him. A foul and vile person, a sneak and snitch.

That's the "effective working team".

There was another one, Savinov, that came and went, he was the main predator. Like an idealist, who also wanted to become mayor, but missed everything. It is associated with Tkachenko, they were friends recently with Tarabanovsky,  they also had some deals with land. He did not want to get dirty or what, but he told everyone that Martynovhad  fired him on the first day. They say he is still jealous of the mayor position.

Oh yes, I forgot to tell that each director of utilities  is overlooked by a person loyal to Martynov, who is designed to report what is happening on a daily basis and look for strings, which you can pull to hold these leaders on the ground, so that everything works.

If all are in their place, how could they "do out for" their mayor, who worked with them all the time? The answer is simple: they are afraid that he may come back and not forgive them the betrayal. So, there is only one way out to discredit him in every possible way. And their low rating is falling, and the main competitor, Ivan Prikhodko, not a bad man by the way, began to stand out from the grey mass and play his own game.

Our Lukyanchenko was certainly not a gift! But he always managed without special education by just having rather a natural gift to maneuver among all, always finding a "golden middle" and the city blossomed with him. Rating of our mayor is even now over 50% but many are mad with him for his departure. Even Boroday mentioned in his interview that Strelkov promised to kill Lukyanchenko. Lukyachenko would never tell anyone anything like this publicly said. Maybe he is not the bravest but not a gossip. Just a decent man. There was not much choice he would have been either put in the basement, as a minimum, or executed for refusing to take the oath. After going to Kiev, the mayor, by the way, continued to work. Only thanks to him, his staff of city utilities were paid in the autumn; only thanks to him, budget received funding; party only thanks to him, despite the ban, the financial sector and treasury workled; largely thanks to him, Akhmetov began delivery of humanitarian aid to the DPR. And what did Lukyancheko receiv from Martynov, who owe him everything he has, and who opened the door to his office with leg, coming in with his guards?

What do you think, why Martynov gave an interview to "ukrop" website?

- Isn’t it clear why? So, he is going to take part in the elections. Well , he doesn’t care of DPR and Ukraine. Once they announced that there would be Ukraine, he needs to get under Ukrainian law. Zakharchenko it is not a competitor. He is unlikely to be someone in Ukraine. And this one makes an impression of executive, he says he does not care with whom and how  but for people.

But he betrayed the people. Lukyanchenko isn’t the matter. He betrayed Donetsk. All were starving and he was getting fat. All were suffering, and he nicked everything. He didn’t care of his people and others. If someone crossed his way the next day he informed MSS. About different people. That’s him.

Interviewed by Maria Ostrogova, especially for OstroV