Oleg Burlakov
Oleg Burlakov | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1949-08-24 Leningrad, Soviet Union |
| Died | 2021-06-21 Moscow, Russia |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, inventor |
| Years active | 1989–2021 |
| Known for | Ownership of Burneftegaz, Novoroscement; Russian billionaire and oligarch |
Oleg Leonidovich Burlakov (; 24 August 1949 – 21 June 2021) was a Russian billionaire and oligarch. He held an 85% ownership in Burneftegaz, co-owned Stroylesbank, and was previously the proprietor and chairman of Novoroscement. Additionally, Burlakov possessed the Terpentin paint and varnish manufacturing plant located in Višegrad, as well as the Impulse Investment and Construction Company.
In 2021, Burlakov was ranked 177th on the Russian Forbes list, with an estimated net worth close to £3 billion. He passed away that same year due to complications from COVID-19.
Biography
Born in Leningrad in 1949, Burlakov completed his education near Kerch. His father served in a military unit responsible for atomic weapons delivery systems. After graduating from the Kiev military aviation school in 1972, Burlakov served as a Soviet Air Force officer engaged in scientific and classified military research related to aviation and space technologies.
By 1980, he had obtained a Candidate of Technical Sciences degree from the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy. Subsequently, he led the Department of Aircraft Equipment Operation at the Higher Military Aviation Engineering School in Kharkov.
He resigned from military service in 1989 due to ethical reasons and relocated with his family to Canada several years later.
In 2018, Burlakov survived an assassination attempt in Moscow when an attacker fired at his vehicle but failed to cause injury. During that year’s divorce proceedings initiated by his wife Lyudmila Burlakova (Marchenko), who filed for divorce in December 2018 amid accusations of embezzlement, arsenic was detected in his system.
Since obtaining residency in Monaco in 2011, Burlakov had lived there and also held Canadian citizenship.
Death
Oleg Burlakov died on June 21, 2021, at a medical facility in Moscow following a battle with COVID-19.
His sister Vera Kazakova wished for his burial to take place at Serafimovsky Cemetery in St. Petersburg, where other family members rest and where Burlakov reportedly expressed a desire to be interred. However, his widow Lyudmila Burlakova and daughters Veroniсa and Elena insisted on conducting the burial in Canada, despite reportedly not visiting him during his hospitalization. Kazakova asserted that Burlakov’s closest relatives did not inquire about his condition while he was ill, although representatives for his wife and daughters disputed this claim.
Authorities refused Vera Kazakova access to the body, which was removed from the morgue by lawyers acting on behalf of Lyudmila Burlakova. Kazakova called for an investigation into both the circumstances surrounding Burlakov’s death and the denial of access to his remains.
Following an investigator’s order, the body was transferred to a different morgue; however, Burlakov’s widow contested this action, resulting in the remains being taken again by her legal representatives.
Early in 2021, inquiries were launched into possible irregularities concerning the removal of the body. By October 2021, officials began scrutinizing the export process of Burlakov’s remains abroad. Customs officers at Vnukovo accepted fraudulent documentation that facilitated illegal transportation first to Switzerland and subsequently to Canada.
Ultimately, Oleg Burlakov was laid to rest at a cemetery in Toronto. According to information from 2023, his remains were placed within a columbarium wall without any identifying plaque.
Scientific pursuits
Burlakov was the author of more than 30 scientific articles and held over five inventions, which earned him the distinction of "Honored Inventor of the USSR." One of his contributions was recognized with a diploma awarded by the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Forces.
He played a role in creating instructional materials for correspondence courses in Fundamentals of Radio-Electronics and co-developed textbooks for the Air Force Academy, such as Fundamentals of Radio-Electronics, Aviation Equipment, and Fundamentals of Aviation Electronics Radio-Electronics. Additionally, he designed training programs for cadets at the Kharkov Higher Military Aviation Engineering School.
Scientific publications
- "Reliability evaluation of complex systems for control and diagnostic algorithms"
- "Design of ring thyristor three-phase current inverters", co-written with Davidov P.D. and Starkov G.N.
- "Development of key diagnostic matrices", co-authored with Bakulin S.N. and Starkov G.N.
- "Mathematical simulation of constant velocity hydro-mechanical drives", co-authored with Bakulin S.N.
- “Technical condition forecasting for hydro-mechanical constant speed drives”
- "Selection criteria for predictive parameters in hydro-mechanical constant speed drives"
- “Mathematical modeling of contactless DC valve oscillators accounting for nonlinear magnetization”, co-authored with Kapustin A.G. and colleagues
- "Formalized computational approaches for magnetic circuits in electric machinery", co-written with Kosnevich A.G. et al.
- "Enhancing cadet cognitive engagement during military internships", co-authored with Yakunin G.V. et al.
- "Calculation techniques for electric machines featuring reciprocating armatures", co-authored with Makarevich V.S.
While many of Burlakov’s projects remain classified, known areas of his research include:
- Utilization of onboard digital computers for regulation, control, and protection systems within aircraft power supplies
- Creation of software solutions for digital control systems managing aircraft AC power at fixed frequencies
- Improvement of practical training curricula for aviation equipment cadets at Kharkov Higher Military Aviation Engineering School
- Investigation into high-frequency currents applied to nondestructive testing of insulating coatings on conductive components in aircraft power systems
Production of fuel systems
In 1989, Burlakov partnered with geochemical engineer and entrepreneur Nikolai Ivanovich Kazakov to establish “Integral,” a multifaceted cooperative scientific-production association based in Kharkov. The enterprise specialized in fuel systems tailored to Soviet military applications as well as spacecraft components, growing into one of the leading companies in this industry throughout the 1990s. Burlakov was instrumental in driving its expansion.
Petroleum sector
During the 1990s, Burlakov and Kazakov launched Sovinterfrance, a Soviet-French joint venture located in Kharkov. Initially dedicated to constructing refrigerated warehouses, the firm pivoted to trading activities by acquiring submersible oil pumps from Kharkov Electromechanical Plant and bartering them for Russian crude oil. By 1992, Sovinterfrance had established a branch in St. Petersburg and exported approximately 217 thousand tons of Russian oil. The Ukrainian division ceased operations a year later as business activities centralized in Russia.
In 2005, Burlakov co-founded Burneftegaz alongside Pavel Mitrofanov, acquiring oil fields through competitive auctions. Burlakov led investment initiatives that secured eight licenses for development. By 2013, production volumes reached 291,975 tons of oil and gas condensate.
After Mitrofanov left Russia in 2014 amid bribery accusations, Burlakov sold Burneftegaz to Bashneft for $1 billion. His total investments amounted to $700 million, primarily financed through loans. Upon repaying around $600 million in debt, Burlakov received roughly $360 million for his 85% ownership stake. He then allocated a significant portion of these funds into various financial assets.
Cement Manufacturing
In 1992, Oleg Leonidovich and his associates took ownership of the Belgorod cement plant through an investment approximating $500,000, eventually divesting from it in 2003.
By November 1993, Burlakov and Kazakov had obtained shares in Novoroscement during a voucher auction. This conglomerate comprised three factories with a combined annual production capacity exceeding 4 million tons, including exports of about 1 million tons. Burlakov consolidated control over Novoroscement by acquiring a 31.7% stake from Holderbank by 2003.
In 2007, Novoroscement was sold to Russian entrepreneur Lev Kvetnoy for $1.2 billion. Under Burlakov’s strategic direction, cement production rose by 1.3 million tons, reaching 3.8 million tons between 2003 and 2007.
Additional Ventures
Throughout the 1990s, Burlakov and Kazakov actively engaged in acquiring and divesting assets across various sectors. In 1998, they bought Roscem, a cargo and berth facility located in Ust-Luga, Leningrad Oblast. A decade later, in 2008, they expanded their portfolio by acquiring Krasnodarpromzheldortrans in Krasnodar.
That same year, Burlakov privatized the Terpentin paint and varnish factory situated in Visegrad. Later in 2012, he secured concessions for lignite and bentonite deposits in Serbia, committing approximately 23.5 million convertible marks to the venture.
Burlakov’s investments also extended into real estate development and construction sectors, entering through Alexander Kripak, former deputy chief of the Navy. Additionally, he participated in mining operations for Karelian platinoids upon invitation from Vladimir Grishaenko, a former KGB operative associated with Gokhran.
By 2014, Burlakov held a majority stake of 74.88% in Stroylesbank and owned 20.99% of Krasnodarpromzheldortrans. As of 2021, his asset portfolio included Krasnodarpromzheldortrans, the “Kalinka” commercial complex featuring the “Tyumen Hilton” hotel in downtown Tyumen, as well as Stroylesbank.
Black Pearl (yacht)
From an early age, Oleg Burlakov nurtured a passion for ship modeling and was inspired in 2005 to design a solar-powered vessel after discovering flexible liquid-crystal solar batteries. He envisioned the yacht as an experimental platform to pioneer alternative energy technologies for future cargo ships and engaged with the United Shipbuilding Corporation to explore applying these innovations within Russia.
Burlakov partnered with English designer Ken Freivokh, renowned for the 2006 Maltese Falcon yacht that featured an innovative system of 15 sails deployable within six minutes. The Black Pearl adopted a comparable sail system enhanced with integrated flexible solar panels.
Construction commenced in 2010, with Burlakov investing over €250 million by 2018, which included €150 million sourced from European bank loans. Overall investments are estimated between €250 million and €400 million.
Throughout the project, Burlakov maintained active involvement and developed patented mast mechanisms starting from 2018. The yacht is distinguished by its strong commitment to environmental sustainability—implementing water recycling systems, using treated sewage for cleaning purposes, sorting waste onboard, employing reusable packaging materials, and minimizing plastics and chemical use—to uphold rigorous ecological standards at sea.
Launched in 2016, the Black Pearl remains unique worldwide as the only ship capable of storing and utilizing energy derived from renewable sources effectively.
Burlakov's mother worked in the medical field, while his father served as a military engineer. His sister, Vera, who is an economic engineer by profession, is married to Nikolai Kazakov, Burlakov's business associate.
He was wed to Lyudmila Burlakova (born 1951), and together they had two daughters: Elena (born 1973) and Veronica (born 1985).
Lyudmila and their daughters are engaged in a major property dispute that has escalated into prolonged international legal proceedings, commonly referred to as the Burlakov case. In 2018, Burlakov reported to law enforcement that his wife might have been implicated in an attempted homicide against him.