Successful entrepreneurs in Russia - puppets of the Kremlin

The success of some Russian brands is due to the connection that the heads of the respective companies have with Vladimir Putin, claims Andrei Kolesnikov in an article published in the Russian publication Kommersant, in which the author reveals the absurd discussions that took place on January 23, 2025 at the meeting of the Supervisory Board of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI), headed by the President of the Russian Federation.

According to the cited source, at the center of the discussions were grandiose projects, pompous speeches and carefully selected examples of success, all built on absolute loyalty to the president. Mikhail Homic, the chief strategist of VEB.RF (ed. - the sovereign wealth fund of the Russian Federation), emphasized the success of some Russian brands that, according to his speech, symbolize "entrepreneurial patriotism." The examples mentioned, such as the toy manufacturer "Myakishi" or the microphones "Soyuz" from the Tula region, have been praised for their international performance. However, according to the cited source, these success stories have one thing in common: a direct connection to Vladimir Putin. A clear example in this regard is the entrepreneur Alexei Alpet from Tomsk, the founder of the brand "Siberian Cedar". After meeting President Putin in a contest suggestively called "Znai Nasikh" ("Know Ours"), his business flourished. The article in Kommersant argues that this pattern highlights the grim reality for Russian entrepreneurs: without the Kremlin's blessing, success is impossible.

The cited source also notes that a moment of maximum irony at the meeting was the intervention of Alexander Shokhin, the president of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Russia. Shokhin drew attention to a ridiculously small amount - 10 million rubles (about $125,000) - that has not yet been allocated to a major entrepreneurial initiative, despite the existence of a 100 million ruble fund promised by Vladimir Putin for Russian entrepreneurs. "It is a symbolic amount," Shokhin emphasized, "but vital for the continuity of the platform." The absurdity of the situation becomes obvious: while the regime glorifies expensive projects and supports "successful" entrepreneurs, even minor funds are not accessible to other initiatives that do not enjoy political support. Another example of autocratic absurdity was the intervention of Dmitry Peskov, who praised Russia for vague technological achievements, such as "natural artificial intelligence" and "quantum technologies." However, the explanations were so vague and complex that even specialists could not understand the details. Peskov also mentioned the development of a drone capable of finding missing persons, but the actual results - only six lives saved in three months - contrast sharply with the grandiose ambitions presented.

The author of the article shows that, beyond the grandiose rhetoric, the meeting brought to light an obvious truth: success in Russia is reserved for those who demonstrate unconditional loyalty to Vladimir Putin. Promoted projects and entrepreneurs are selected on political, not economic, criteria, while independent initiatives are neglected, even for modest amounts. "Success stories" are used only as propaganda tools, and in this system real entrepreneurs cannot thrive.