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CHAPTER 2 RUSSIAN COVETOUSNESS

“Report to the white house of Bishkek”

This same Monday, November twenty-seventh, two thousand seventeen.

The driver of the Minister of Energy and Industry stopped the black Mercedes as usual in front of the gates of the White House of Bishkek. The statesman was then immersed in his file, which he was rereading with a worried look, for more than half an hour. It was an assessment of the forecasts of the country's hydroelectric production capacities as well as an evaluation of the electricity consumption of businesses and households for the years to come. A state of the coal-fired power plants still in operation completed this data, and the whole painted a worrying picture. Kyrgyzstan will have to meet challenges with tact, otherwise a global economic degradation will be inevitable. He would have to convince his president to act in line with the conclusions of this report. The future of the nation depended on it.

"We are here, sir. It's four fifty," his loyal driver announced.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realize we were already here. No need to open the door for me, go park. Thank you, and see you later," the minister replied with a smile.

"Very well, sir."

Minister Ernest Tagaev got out slowly, as if he were reluctant to confront the president, and stood still after closing the heavy door. He was the only member of the Kyrgyz government to systematically ask to be dropped off in front of the gates of the building. He had always been impressed by this imposing building, which aroused in him feelings of privilege and power, making him all the prouder of his position, as his previous career as a physics professor in no way foreshadowed that one day he would tread the flowered gardens of this majestic presidential palace.

Contemplating the facade adorned with gigantic white pillars, he headed towards the monumental wooden doors, thinking back to his journey that had led him to this appointment, which he considered one of the most significant as a minister. The lives of several million people would be directly impacted by the president's decisions. Lost in his reflections while walking at a leisurely pace, he enjoyed reminiscing about the random events that had contributed to his political commitment. The optimism and inexhaustible dynamism of his wife were not unrelated to this chain of decision-making.

A light drizzle blurred his vision, and he had to put his glasses away in their case as he approached the entrance. He energetically returned the official salute of the two guards. With a few minutes to spare, he sat in the meeting room adjacent to the presidential office and waited, carefully setting his documents in front of him. Gradually assimilating the president's habits, he guessed that green tea would soon be served. He heard footsteps approaching, stood up, and the door opened.

"Good morning, Ernest, delighted to see you again!"

The two men greeted each other respectfully, with a hand on their hearts. They had rarely crossed paths in the past but mutually appreciated each other. President Liubov Ivanov, recently in office, tall, with a thick face and piercing black eyes, aged sixty, two years older than his minister, in all circumstances exuded a communicative gaze that easily revealed his emotions.

"Let's sit down," he suggested. "I hope your briefing on the situation won't spoil my appetite for tonight," he said to Ernest in a light tone. "The palace chef promised me a surprise! By the way, I would like you to be my guest for this dinner because we will have to discuss another matter," continued the head of state with a relaxed face.

"Understood, sir," his minister agreed, who understood that this disguised invitation concealed a courteous injunction that could not be refused, and added:

"I will simply inform my wife of my absence when we are done with the first matter."

The president added, sincerely:

"Of course! How is she? And your sons' business, are the results still satisfactory?"

"Yes, absolutely. International tourism is progressing slowly but surely, and their clients are systematically delighted with their stay in our territory and talk about it around them once they return to their home country. As for Irina, she is doing well, thank you. She still takes great satisfaction in practicing her profession, which is the main thing, isn't it?"

"Absolutely, Ernest!" reacted the president, who launched the working session by questioning his minister:

"So, Ernest, I know that what you have to present to me is of capital importance for the country. What is the state of affairs drawn up by our experts? I will take notes, and give me figures, I want reliable figures, Ernest! This will help me in my decision-making."

"Gladly," agreed the minister, who rejoiced inwardly at the president's open, curious, and willing behavior, which seemed a good omen given the urgency of the decisions to be made. He quickly wiped his wet glasses, then, taking a bound document, continued,

"First point: our dams. They provide eighty percent of the country's electricity. Our mountains offer us a gigantic potential for hydroelectric exploitation, and yet, the production from our fifteen dams represents only ten percent of this potential. Two major problems concern our facilities. The turbines of the dams are all from another age and offer a much lower yield than contemporary turbines. In addition to an old design, they now suffer from considerable wear and are all the less efficient. The second black spot is the effect of global warming, which regularly lowers the water levels in a alarming manner. This directly impacts the electrical efficiency of the facilities and reduces our export capacity to our usual partners."

The president took notes very diligently, looking serious, without however letting a look of surprise betray him. It is true that these difficulties had been well known for a long time, the previous government having done very little in this area. The minister continued:

"As you surely know, Mr. President, in summer our turbines run at full capacity thanks to the melting of the snow, and we export part of our megawatts to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. In winter, the extreme cold considerably increases internal demand, and our allies support us by allowing us to import their electricity. Now, the regular decrease in water levels, if it continues, could force us to interrupt our summer exports, which could provoke serious tensions with our two partners, who would interrupt their winter aid in retaliation."

"Well!" exclaimed the president. "Nothing is simple, indeed! And are our experts certain that this overall decrease in water levels will follow a regular curve?"

"No, sir. In terms of predicting the effects of global warming, nothing can be calculated with precision. The interactions are too numerous to define an accurate mathematical model. However, we are all convinced that this phenomenon is currently setting in, and that if we cannot anticipate an exact calculation of the future decreases in levels, we affirm that they will indeed occur."

"Okay, it's noted," sighed the president in a defeatist manner, who asked, "And what about nuclear? With the progress of anti-seismic construction techniques, could we not turn to China or Russia for the construction of a nuclear power plant?"

"No, sir. The progress made in recent years cannot benefit a nuclear power plant. We are too exposed to very high magnitude earthquakes, and no one would take such a risk."

"Yes, and that is understandable. Well, continue, Ernest."

"The situation is particularly worrying at the Toktogul dam. It provides forty percent of our total production, but every year, as the water level decreases, production also decreases. And no one can do anything about it; no technical solution is conceivable. This phenomenon, replicated across all our dams, foresees a huge deficit in the medium term."

The minister let the president take notes and resumed:

"Now I will present to you the models anticipating future energy needs."

"Rather, tell me about the coal-fired power plants before that," interrupted the president. "I presume that in any case, demand will only grow with the years, and I deduce that I must opt for a solution offering the best compromise between expenses and future production capacities. As you know, the financial criterion is, alas, for us the one to consider before any initiative, our budget being limited."

"Yes, sir, I understand," agreed the minister, rather annoyed by the head of state's last words, and who continued,

"First of all, concerning our Bishkek coal-fired thermal power plant. As you know, last August, the Chinese company completed its renovation work. Two new turbines delivering more power than the previous four are now operational. However, it should be recalled that this choice was made under duress by the previous government. It was the only option giving a result in the medium term, but it is clear that coal-fired power plants will all have to be abandoned. We would gain international funding, whose main bodies are obsessed with environmental issues, rightly so, given the high greenhouse effect of coal after combustion. Moreover, our other power plants are on their last legs, produce little, and threaten to break down severely in the short term. Finally, the emitted particles are suffocating the capital. The major health consequences related to the mixture of toxic emissions from the car fleet, mainly composed of old diesel vehicles, and those of the thermal power plant are considerable. Pulmonary anomalies are multiplying exponentially, and children are particularly affected."

A silence fell; the president finished noting these elements and questioned the minister,

"Well, and where are we with the Casa 1000 project? If I remember correctly, it is a pooling of a new electrical network that will allow us to connect with Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, right? This could greatly relieve us. Is the project still ongoing? I have not had any information referring to it for several months."

"I was coming to that, sir. The project is on track, and experts estimate that the network will be fully operational between the years two thousand twenty-four and two thousand twenty-five. However, it is important not to equate this future network with a potential for importing electrical energy. You must understand that it will operate exclusively in the direction of export. We and Tajikistan will export to Afghanistan and Pakistan, whose needs will only grow. We will sell them our surplus summer production, which will allow you to have an additional source of revenue. I also take the liberty of warning you about the extreme importance of future maintenance that will need to be deployed to maintain the equipment under construction. A breakdown caused by a lack of care on our part would be as financially penalizing as it would be very embarrassing on the diplomatic level. So, with your agreement, I would like to start working on this aspect as soon as possible."

"Granted! And with all the necessary means. You are full of common sense, Ernest, and know how to take the initiative. I am delighted to have you on my government team," congratulated the president.

"Thank you, sir.”

"That is entirely sincere," replied the president. "I appreciate your way of presenting your files. Well, where were we? Ah yes, the maintenance of the facilities. Which infrastructures will be the most demanding?"

"One thousand two hundred and forty-one electrical pylons, sir, which will support high-voltage cables through hard-to-reach areas. This will require constant monitoring and the ability to repair cable breaks that are bound to occur under the strain of the snow's weight."

"Good. You have my green light to anticipate the needs," reiterated the president, who immediately continued,

"I interrupted you earlier, it happens when I am impatient to get to the heart of the matter. If you wish to conclude with the future consumption projections, go ahead, I'm listening."

The minister concisely added:

"We will soon need to be able to produce thirty percent more electricity than our current winter capacities. It will be imperative to modernize our obsolete infrastructures dating back to the Soviet era and to build new dams. Without this, entrepreneurs considering investing here will choose another country, and households will be penalized by regular power cuts, which no one wants..."

"Indeed, Ernest. The heart of this matter is financing, as always!"

The president then announced:

"Let's take a break, call your wife. Meanwhile, I will go fetch a financial file from my office, and a snack will be served before we discuss together the best immediate measure to adopt."

"Very well, sir, I await you," replied the minister, who could then enjoy the view offered from the seventh and last floor of the White House.

It was the third time since taking office that he found himself in this meeting room, which could accommodate up to thirty guests around a massive wooden table from the Soviet era. He contemplated the patterns of the shyrdak, a splendid felt carpet emblematic of the know-how of Kyrgyz women. He stood up and approached the window again, phone in hand, to inform his wife of his upcoming dinner with the president. He dialed the number, smiling at the security agent who remained at the door, and once his short message was delivered to his Irina, went to sit on a fabric sofa facing a low table in red-salmon marble. Two maids brought two trays carrying the green tea service and boorsok. The president's footsteps were heard again…

* * *

A few hundred meters from the White House, a Land Rover had been parked since the minister's arrival.

The man sitting at the wheel, Yakov Garin, rolled up the electric window after this short break offered by the tea service. The content of the president's conversation was finally going to get interesting. He adjusted the volume of the receiver he was listening to with the greatest attention, a noise-canceling headset resembling an audio headset effectively pressing his in-ear headphones, a slightly painful but dreadfully effective trick he had discovered with experience.

The recorder-transmitter was hidden in the lining of the minister's jacket. His maid had skillfully exchanged it for the previous jacket the night before. The salary she received from the foreign intelligence service of the Russian Federation motivated her greatly to take these measured risks, as she thus earned four times more than her usual income. The disadvantage of this technique lay only in the limited autonomy of this energy-consuming equipment, which required the renewal of the jackets relatively frequently, depending on the country's internal events and the interests of the Russian service.

Officer Yakov Garin glanced at his security agent positioned behind him in a white Lada and remained focused on the rest of the interview. He memorized that President Ivanov had decided to soon launch a tender for the construction of a dam that should provide electrical power at least equal to that delivered by Toktogul, the only important information that could interest his service. The minister seemed annoyed by the total absence of immediate measures, especially since the implementation of such a hydroelectric plant would take several years.

Officer Yakov then returned to his office integrated into the Russian embassy in Bishkek and transmitted his report to Moscow. His correspondent, Danilov, would receive his message shortly, around four o'clock, local Russian time, considering the time difference with Bishkek...

“The SVR enters the game”

Danilov was slumped in front of his screen.

Not very energetic after this most uneventful day, he contemplated the photo of his young wife. The wedding day seemed both distant and near after three years during which no significant changes came to disrupt his married life, which he cherished so much. This relational stability was precious to him and to his employer. The traps set by competing intelligence agencies, aiming to take control of an officer, could, among other strategies, exploit the charms of an escort leading to relentless blackmail.

Having joined the SVR (the foreign intelligence service of the Russian Federation) at twenty-two after brilliant studies in which geopolitics and economics were his main motivators, he was trained by the SVR school to put his talents at the service of his country, which he had always wished to do as a good Russian patriot. Assigned to the section dedicated to Central Asian countries and the economic department, his main task was to analyze the reports sent by officers stationed in the embassies. In charge of Kyrgyzstan, he had to classify the level of importance of each received document and issue alerts to his hierarchy, which required real analytical skills involving a fine understanding of sometimes trivial facts but which could lead to geopolitical consequences not to be neglected. The most common operations favored by the SVR in this part of the world proved to be bid manipulations to position Russian companies. The range of means deployed by the economic department to achieve its ends was quite vast: blackmail of various kinds, manipulations of private social network accounts, industrial sabotage, direct corruption, and of course recruitment of agents to manipulate them to achieve a specific goal.

Danilov looked at his small transparent office clock with red liquid crystals: four o'clock five. He stood up for a moment to stretch his legs, walked towards the desk facing him, that of his colleague Tanya. No one worked in isolation in this immense SVR building. These habits of mutual surveillance among employees, inherited from KGB methods, offended no one. The very high patriotic values that deeply animated all those who had turned to a career in the service of the Russian Federation naturally surpassed any negative feelings. On the contrary, an intense feeling of pride constantly animated all the staff who accepted all the security measures in force of which they were the subject, without the slightest disapproval. Each would affirm that it is a privilege.

Tanya returned from her short absence and called out to Danilov,

”I can't wait to be in town tonight with my parents!"

"Are you going directly after work or are you stopping by your place first? Be careful of the traffic jams!" Danilov advised, observing the outer ring road of Moscow from the window.

"Yes, as always, the traffic jams... I'll have time to stop by my place to change quickly, with a little margin to be on time."

A sound signal was heard from Danilov's station.

"You have work..." she said to him mockingly.

"That doesn't surprise me, I was waiting for a report from Yakov. Well, let's see this..."

Danilov returned to his station and analyzed the document from Bishkek. A few minutes later, he announced in a neutral tone to his colleague, ”We have a blue code in Bishkek."

"Oh well, you'll finish after me," Tanya teased.

"Certainly, it seems relatively complex, at first glance I would say that we will have to set up at least two operations to succeed in our move," continued Danilov, who picked up his internal phone to inform his supervisor, Dimitri Brunov.

In such a case, an invariable procedure applied: the hierarchy had to be informed of a particular situation by a color code, and it would be discussed later in person, in a secure location. The blue code corresponded to opportunities for bid manipulations that could introduce Russian companies. Ten minutes later, he took the elevator towards a basement floor to begin an analytical meeting. As soon as the content of the files to be processed had to be confidential, it was in these secure rooms, embedded in thick reinforced concrete integrating external and internal walls of a material blocking all types of waves, that the exchanges took place.

Danilov arrived first and sat facing the entrance. Above him, an elegant portrait of the Russian president adorned the gray wall. Two dressers framing the imposing rectangular meeting table each supported the national flag. A frame under glass displaying the emblem of the SVR in relief and positioned above the portrait of the Russian president completed a very official decoration. Dimitri, Danilov's supervisor, burst in, accompanied by a man whose face was not very familiar to Danilov.

After brief greetings, Dimitri introduced his companion,

“Danilov, I present to you Oleg Morosov, head of the service in charge of monitoring Turkish mafia gangs. It is possible that he could help us recover cash to respond to this blue code situation if it is validated. We are listening to you, Danilov. What does President Ivanov plan?"

"The construction of a gigantic hydroelectric dam to eliminate coal-fired power plants in the long term. Of course, our direct competitors are the Chinese, who could grant loans for the majority of the financing, another source of which would very likely be ensured by aid from the international community."

"We absolutely must win this bid!" retorted Dimitri. "It is clear that the design of this dam will be followed in the long term by those of other smaller dams in this country with enormous hydraulic capacities. Several of our large groups have this expertise; I am thinking in particular of the company 'Damworld' based in Saint Petersburg. The decision to validate this blue code is self-evident. Dimitri, within what deadlines does President Ivanov intend to order this bid? Did he mention a date?"

"No, precisely, I was going to specify that he seems to want to defer as much as possible any significant financial commitment," Danilov added.

Dimitri continued, ”In that case, we could push him to accelerate his approach. Especially since, unless I am mistaken, the 'Damworld' group will soon be at the end of its construction site. We will therefore have to study the two aspects of the file: pushing President Ivanov to go faster and defining the necessary means that will allow 'Damworld' to win this contract. We will in any case have to obtain the green light from the Kremlin given the important geopolitical weight of this operation, but I already know that it will approve. Let's talk about the first aspect, convincing President Ivanov to hurry. What do you propose, Danilov?"

"I know the psychological profile of President Ivanov very well. He hates constraint, the feeling of being caught in a vice. You should know that the coal-fired thermal power plant in the capital, Bishkek, provides electricity and ensures the hot water supply for all the heating in the city and its surroundings. If we manage to sabotage it, we will provoke the discontent of the population. The temperature is currently around minus ten degrees Celsius at night. I am convinced that if we intervene in this way thanks to our agent introduced into the power plant many years ago, the course of events would lead the president to announce this dam project to the press to calm public opinion."

"Well seen, Danilov!" Dimitri agreed. "I don't think we will find a better approach. Now let's talk about the second point. How are we going to bring 'Damworld' to the end of the bidding process? Do you see one or more people to bribe with cash? Or should we wait to know the identity of the competing companies to discredit them with our usual methods?"

Danilov added,

”We will in any case have to identify our competitors to gather information about them. But gaining an operational advantage would take too long. I also know the profile of the Minister of Energy and Industry, Ernest Tagaev, well, and I think it will be difficult to bribe him with money. A former physics professor, married, with two adult sons and two younger daughters still in school, his private situation is stable. The only trap we could set for him would be blackmail with photos if he succumbs to the charms of one of our escorts, but I doubt it would work. He will not put his family life in danger given his psychological characteristics established by our specialist. On the other hand, I think we can target his ministerial entourage, notably his two advisors. The naive and inexperienced side of the minister is an advantage for us. If his advisors present him with an initial list of solvent companies for this bid and the noose gradually tightens on 'Damworld,' the trick will be done; he won't suspect a thing and will explain to President Ivanov that 'Damworld' represents the best alternative."

"Well, all this seems promising!" Dimitri rejoiced. "Now let's see what will concern Oleg. Since, according to you, the minister's advisors are within our reach, given that the average salary is about one hundred and twenty dollars a month in this country, what amount do you suggest to buy a high official? And how many people can influence the bidding process besides the minister? Only the two advisors?"

Danilov affirmed,

"Yes. One is responsible for energy and the other for industries. They work in close collaboration, and it is better to financially reward them together for security. Thus, we will be sure that a leak of information would have no unfortunate consequences on our operation. Given their profiles, I am certain they will appreciate becoming holders of an offshore account credited with, say, five hundred thousand dollars. At that price, we will be sure they will find technical justifications with their minister to eliminate our competitors."

Dimitri asked: "Oleg, does it seem possible to you to recover one million dollars from your Turkish network?"

"Affirmative, but we must wait a few days," Oleg replied in a low and grave voice, continued, "Our officer stationed at the Antalya consulate confirmed to me that the loot transferred from the Central Bank of Benghazi by the men of Colonel Jadeed Malek, the son of the strongman in the east of the country, comes from the former regime of Muammar Gaddafi. Several million euros, that's a certainty, but exactly how much we don't know for the moment. I don't know more, except that it is through a Libyan commander that the Turks will receive the money. Our officer oversees a network of agents who have introduced several Turkish clans to our benefit. I will keep you informed as soon as possible, and in the meantime, on your side, check that there is no underestimation of the amount to be disposed of for the success of your operation."

Dimitri concluded the meeting by saying: "Regarding the amount, we will evaluate whether we would not have an interest in going up to one million dollars per interested party. This will in any case remain an infinitesimal fraction of the interests generated by the awarding of this contract to 'Damworld.' We will therefore meet again when we have news from Antalya. In the meantime, I will manage to obtain the green light from our president as soon as possible."

“Decision at the Kremlin”

At the same moment, the Russian president was busy preparing the next announcement of the beginning of the withdrawal of Russian troops positioned in Syria, from his office in the Kremlin.

Alone, he appreciated being able to work in silence. His bodyguards all positioned behind the doors and the three imposing windows, absolute calm reigned. Night having enveloped Moscow, the two magnificent crystal chandeliers illuminated the room with intense and warm light, highlighting the various contrasts: the wood covering two-thirds of the height of the walls themselves colored a soft and pleasant pale yellow, the immense handmade carpet with light and dark patterns allowing it to blend between the wooden furniture and the ceiling as clear as the walls, the majestic curtains shared between salmon and light brown colors perfectly integrated into the overall ambiance of this unique office. Suddenly, one of his five landline telephones rang.

"Yes?" he launched.

"Mr. President, I am transferring you to Orlov Ivchenko," his switchboard operator announced.

"Yes, I'll take it, thank you," the president confirmed, continuing,

"I'm listening, Orlov, but be brief."

"Yes, Mr. President," replied the director of the SVR, who continued:

"Our services have just learned that President Liubov Ivanov intends to launch a major project for a hydroelectric dam. We think we could help them choose 'Damworld,' thus guaranteeing future contracts for other dams while cutting the grass from under the feet of our Chinese competitors. Do we have your approval, sir?"

"Yes, absolutely, Orlov. How much would it take, according to you?" the president asked.

"No more than two million dollars. And we would have a possibility to recover cash from a Turkish mafia operation."

"That would be preferable. It's not a large sum, but our military operations in Syria impose very heavy expenses on us. I give you my green light, Orlov, working with this in mind. We are not financing anything through traditional means, and it's perfect if you have the opportunity to recover the necessary sum otherwise. This war in Syria is necessary but extremely costly..."

"Very well, Mr. President, I will launch the operations in Bishkek."

"Understood, Orlov. And convey my congratulations to our officer stationed in Bishkek on my behalf. He has done good work. Ensuring our grip within Kyrgyzstan is part of the continuity of our presence in the gas sector and in imposing ourselves in Central Asia. He will receive an official decoration when the contract is signed. Now I leave you, Orlov, the Syrian situation is occupying me, and I must speak with several of my ministers tonight."

"Very well, Mr. President, I will convey to our officer."