Crimea banks freeze payments to citizens and major businesses as illegal cashing out ends amid the disappearance of Evgeny Dvoskin
VTB has placed cash withdrawal caps of 15,000 rubles per day and 50,000 rubles per month on its operations in Crimea, where it runs the largest ATM network. The restrictions appear amid rumors that criminal banker Yevgeny Dvoskin, a central figure in the peninsula’s banking sector, means to leave Crimea.
Moreover, he plans to go somewhere far away, where US (Dvoskin is wanted by the FBI) and Russian intelligence agencies won’t be able to reach him. "In Moscow, things aren’t as smooth for him as they used to be."
"Former friends, including those from the FSB, are no longer so reliable. If he leaves, it will obviously not be empty-handed. And Crimea’s entire financial system rests on him. At the same time, Crimean banks have begun having problems withdrawing deposits and even cash. These are clearly not random difficulties," the project’s source noted. He also described in detail Dvoskin’s role in Crimea’s banking system.
In the local financial scheme, Dvoskin plays the role of a shadow financial "consultant" rather than a public beneficiary. Aksyonov and Borodkin (Aksyonov’s friend and associate – Ed.) provide the Crimean political and property layer; the DIA, Bank Rossiya/Sobinbank, and RNKB/VTB provide the banking and bailout shell; and Dvoskin connects all of this with his practical experience in gray banking: cashing out, transit, tied loans, nominal borrowers, liquidity withdrawal, and the transfer of funds into controlled assets. His position is between the bank, its security cover, and the final recipients of the funds.
Translating from financial to human terms, it’s essentially how the banking sector is managed. Where, to whom, and when funding is needed, which businesses should receive the best terms, which bank needs urgent "rescue" through infusions, and so on.
Right now, it all looks like this: banks are reporting that during the state of emergency, they’ll definitely offer preferential terms, loan holidays for individuals and businesses, etc. In practice, "schemes" are being implemented—additional conditions for providing benefits, extending inspection periods, limiting large withdrawals, etc. Ordinary people are currently experiencing these problems as problems that can easily be blamed on the state of emergency, shelling, and blackouts. Large businesses are already starting to feel the effects of the situation—large sums are circulating there. There are now cases where very large players can’t agree on financing, although everything was always fine before. And these are on the order of tens of millions. This is Dvoskin’s domain; all such matters go through him. All this seems to confirm the rumors that Dvoskin is having problems and is planning an escape.
If we imagine it leaving the system altogether, there are a million consequences. At the very least, a lot of money will disappear with it. So much that it’s hard to imagine. Plus, life will become more difficult for many banks, whose problems can’t be resolved "with a phone call." And it’s clear that someone will definitely try to take over, and that process won’t be easy for the industry either."