Last month, Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) launched an investigation into food purchases at inflated prices by the National Guard, sources tell the magazine RBC. The Federal Security Service (FSB) apparently told FAS about the possible violations this May, recommending an audit of the company “Friendship of the Peoples,” the National Guard’s sole supplier of food products.
The FSB reportedly believes the company and its subcontractors illegally raised its prices on sausages and hot dogs by 3.4 million rubles ($51,300) in a procurement contract worth 8 million rubles ($120,720). The Russian Chief Military Prosecutor’s Office is also investigating the Friendship of the Peoples company, but sources say the audit won’t be complete before the contract is fulfilled (and it’s currently about halfway done).
In August, Alexey Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation published an investigative report making similar allegations against the National Guard and its only food-products supplier. Navalny’s group also says the Friendship of the Peoples company belongs to someone with close ties to Viktor Zolotov, the head of the National Guard. Zolotov famously challenged Navalny to a fistfight afterwards. Navalny counter-offered to debate him on live television, but Zolotov refused.