One of the most important men in the Russian naval industry is dead. Shipyard director Alexander Buzakov died at the age of 66.
The general director of important Russian naval shipyards, Alexander Buzakov, has died at the age of 66. This was announced by the United Shipbuilding Corporation on Saturday in St. Petersburg. The company paid tribute to the director as a person who dedicated his life to the Russian fleet. Buzakov took part in the christening of the new submarine Velikie Luki on Friday. A cause of death was not given, only an unexpected death was mentioned. Buzakov managed large parts production of the Russian naval fleet for eleven years.
Buzakov was an important figure in Russia’s defense industry. According to the broadcaster Radio Svoboda, diesel-powered submarines capable of launching Caliber missiles were built under his rule. These were also shot down in the war against Ukraine – according to Russian information from ships. The late shipyard director is quoted as saying that his submarines also attacked alleged terrorist targets in Syria.
Main shipbuilder in Russia
The company includes about 40 shipbuilding companies and organizations: main shipbuilding and ship repair yards and design offices. Currently, USC says it has consolidated most of the domestic shipbuilding industry. USC companies and subsidiaries employ more than 80,000 people. The main products include submarines and cruisers, as well as icebreakers.
The United Shipbuilding Corporation and its subsidiary Admirality Shipyards have been on the sanctions list of the United States and several other western countries since spring 2022. However, no sanctions were imposed on Buzakov himself. In June, the Moscow Times reported that there had been attempts by the army to recruit shipyard workers for the war in Ukraine. Apparently there were also financial problems. According to the report, the revenue of the Baltiysky Zavod shipyard, which belongs to Admirality Shipyars, fell from 3.4 billion rubles (about 45 million euros) to 7 million rubles. There have also been investigations into the disappearance of a million rubles in connection with the development of a submarine, although the results are not known.
Admiralty Shipyards, which is currently building two series of naval submarines, patrol ships, as well as a series of fishing trawlers and the ice-resistant self-propelled platform at the North Pole, reported 2020 sales of more than 39 billion rubles and net profit of 3.5, according to media reports billion rubles. For 2021, the company received massive grants from Moscow.