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102-542: Potok was founded on December 1, 2011, by Sergei Polonsky , and this company has inherited all the structures and liabilities of Nazvanie.net (former Mirax Group). As reported earlier, the Mirax Group brand was officially closed on 3 March 2011, at a special press-conference for media representatives, who received the official statement of the Board of Directors of the investment and development company MIRAX GROUP. It stated that all

204-588: A $ 373 million credit for six years. On 3 March 2011, at a media conference, Sergey Polonskiy declared that the Mirax Group Board decided to liquidate the Mirax brand. He also promised to fulfill all the obligations of the Group to complete the projects and repay the debts. In May 2011, the works at the unfinished projects were resumed. On 1 December 2011, Polonsky renamed his company "Potok" , and this company inherited all

306-517: A 200-bed hotel and 100 villas. England In the historic center of London, Mirax was going to reconstruct a complex of residential buildings of the XIX century "Cornwell Terrace" with a total area of more than 8 thousand square meters. m. The total investment in the project was supposed to be about £ 10 million. The company held a corresponding presentation in July 2008. Since 2008, Mirax has also been involved in

408-608: A credit of $ 373.6 mln for the completion of the tower construction. As a result of certain restructuring, a new scheme of project management was implemented, in which the management triad, composed of the CEOs and top managers of the company, shall carry out all the construction works on each project of the company operational program and, therefore, bear full responsibility for the result. The structures of Potok also comprise several companies previously engaged in separate and distinct types of business. Among them are Stolitsa-Service (engaged in

510-430: A height of 1,161 feet, and the other with 63 floors. The towers have 4.5 million square feet of high-end office space, luxury apartments, shops, restaurants, and a 44-story Grand Hyatt hotel. A spire was to be also built which would have extended the complex's height to 450 meters (1,476 feet) as well as provided an observation deck, but it was never completed and was dismantled afterward. In 2009, The Federation Tower won

612-736: A multi-section building of 10-14 floors. 1035 apartments. 16 Hectares of landscaped territory combined with the residential complex "Korona". The MIRAX-SCHOOL Children's educational complex is a 260-seat preschool. A comprehensive school with 550 places. The residential complex "Well House" consists of 4 buildings of 30-48 floors, 2 low-rise sections of 5-7 floors. 655 apartments (43-200 sq. m.) 2.48 Hectares of landscaped territory The residential complex "House on Taganka" has 14-18 floors. 207 apartments (63-158 sq. m.). 12 penthouses. The residential complex "Fort Kutuzov" has 22 floors. 156 apartments (57-138 sq. m.). Winter garden with exotic plants. The office Building "Europe Building" has 15 floors.

714-582: A referendum on this matter has been raised multiple times in domestic politics, but none has taken place. The Ossetians are believed to originate from the Alans , a nomadic Iranian tribe. In the 8th century a consolidated Alan kingdom, referred to in sources of the period as Alania , emerged in the northern Caucasus Mountains. Around 1239–1277 Alania fell to the Mongol and later to the Timur 's armies, who massacred much of

816-513: A sovereign state – Russia , Venezuela , Nicaragua , Nauru , and Syria . The Georgian government and all other UN member states regard South Ossetia as sovereign territory of Georgia . The political status of South Ossetia is a central issue of the Georgian–Ossetian conflict and Georgia–Russia relations . The Georgian constitution designates the area as "the former autonomous district of South Ossetia", in reference to

918-640: A unilateral ceasefire and called for peace talks. However, escalating assaults against Georgian villages (located in the South Ossetian conflict zone) were soon matched with gunfire from Georgian troops, who then proceeded to move in the direction of the capital of the self-proclaimed Republic of South Ossetia ( Tskhinvali ) on the night of 8 August, reaching its center in the morning of 8 August. One Georgian diplomat told Russian newspaper Kommersant on 8 August that by taking control of Tskhinvali, Tbilisi wanted to demonstrate that Georgia would not tolerate

1020-487: A vocal member of the South Ossetian opposition to Anatoly Bibilov had been tortured to death by the South Ossetian Police resulting in months of protests and sacking of several government ministers. President Anatoly Bibilov announced on 26 March 2022 that South Ossetian troops had been sent to assist Russia in its invasion of Ukraine . Bibilov announced on 30 March 2022 that South Ossetia would initiate

1122-507: Is Jewish by ethnicity, and his mother, Nina Makusheva, is Russian. Polonsky finished secondary school No. 99 of the Vyborg District of Leningrad . In 1989, he joined the airborne troops . He completed his military service in the 21st Separate Air Assault Brigade (1990–1992), which was stationed in the time of the armed conflict between South Ossetia and Georgia in the combat zone at Tskhinval . In 2000, Polonsky graduated from

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1224-903: Is Mount Khalatsa at 3,938 m (12,920 ft) above sea level. Out of the roughly 2,000 glaciers that exist in the Greater Caucasus, approximately 30% are located within Georgia . The 10 glaciers of the Liakhvi River basin and a handful of the Rioni River basin are located in South Ossetia. Most of South Ossetia is in the Kura Basin with the northwestern part of it in the Black Sea basin. The Likhi and Racha ridges act as divide separating these two basins . Major rivers in South Ossetia include

1326-522: Is North Ossetia   .... Here they are newcomers." When the Georgian parliament declared a state of emergency in the territory of South Ossetian AO on 12 December 1990, troops from both Georgian and Soviet interior ministries were sent to the region. After the Georgian National Guard was formed in early 1991, Georgian troops entered Tskhinvali on 5 January 1991. The 1991–1992 South Ossetia War

1428-451: Is relatively low and rainfall across South Ossetia averages 500 to 800 mm (19.7 to 31.5 in) per year, but Alpine and highland regions have distinct microclimates . At higher elevations, precipitation is sometimes twice as heavy as in the eastern plains of Georgia. Alpine conditions begin at about 2,100 m (6,890 ft), and above 3,600 m (11,811 ft) snow and ice are present year-round. The Russian troops who patrol

1530-690: Is warmer there than in the Northern Caucasus. Climatic zones in South Ossetia are determined by distance from the Black Sea and by altitude. The plains of eastern Georgia are shielded from the influence of the Black Sea by mountains that provide a more continental climate . The foothills and mountainous areas (including the Greater Caucasus Mountains) experience cool, wet summers and snowy winters, with snow cover often exceeding two meters in many regions. The penetration of humid air masses from

1632-488: The 1991–1992 South Ossetia War with Russian involvement on the Ossetian side. After the war, the conflict remained frozen throughout 1990s and saw two major escalations in 2000s: in 2004 and in 2008 . The latter conflict led to the full-scale Russo-Georgian War of August 2008, during which Ossetian and Russian forces gained full de facto control of the territory of the former South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast. Since

1734-680: The Bolsheviks granted this autonomy to the Ossetians in exchange for their ( Bolshevik ) loyalty in fighting the Democratic Republic of Georgia and favouring local separatists, since this area had never been a separate entity prior to the Russian invasion. The drawing of administrative boundaries of the South Ossetian AO was quite a complicated process. Many Georgian villages were included within

1836-658: The Caucasus at the juncture of Asia and Europe. It occupies the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus mountain range and its foothills which are part of the Iberia Plain , a geographic plateau that is roughly in the center of South Ossetia. The Likhi Range shapes the western geographic boundary of South Ossetia, although the northwestern corner of South Ossetia is located west of the range. The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range forms

1938-582: The European Council due to the violation of Georgia's territorial integrity. The EU's diplomatic response to the news was delayed by disagreements between eastern European states, the UK wanting a harsher response and Germany, France and other states' desire not to isolate Russia. Former US envoy Richard Holbrooke said the conflict could encourage separatist movements in other former Soviet states along Russia's western border. Several days later, Nicaragua became

2040-549: The European Union –sponsored Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia stated that, while preceded by months of mutual provocations, "open hostilities began with a large-scale Georgian military operation against the town of Tskhinvali and the surrounding areas, launched in the night of 7 to 8 August 2008." In 2016, a referendum on integration with Russia was proposed during an election campaign, but

2142-554: The Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic in September 1990. Towards the end of 1990, the situation for ethnic Georgians in the region worsened sharply. There were reports of multiple cases of lootings and beatings committed both by Georgian and Ossetian forces and paramilitaries. The Georgian government responded by abolishing South Ossetia's autonomy and dispatching its troops to the region. The escalating crisis led to

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2244-619: The Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic lived outside the South Ossetian AO. Tensions in the region began to rise amid rising nationalism among both Georgians and Ossetians in 1989. Before this, the two communities of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast of the Georgian SSR had been living in peace with each other except for the 1918–1920 events . Both ethnicities had a normal degree of interaction and there were many Georgian-Ossetian intermarriages. The dispute surrounding

2346-557: The Greater and Little Liakhvi, Ksani , Medzhuda, Tlidon, Canal Saltanis, Ptsa River and host of other tributaries. South Ossetia's climate is affected by subtropical influences from the East and Mediterranean influences from the West. The Greater Caucasus range moderates the local climate by serving as a barrier against cold air from the north, which results in the fact that, even at great heights, it

2448-481: The Mongol invasions of the 13th century, while one South Ossetian de facto foreign minister in the 1990s said that the Ossetians first appeared in the area only in the early 17th century. Since it was created after the Russian invasion of 1921, South Ossetia was regarded as artificial creation by Georgians during the Soviet era. The South Ossetian Popular Front ( Ademon Nykhas ) was created in 1988. On 10 November 1989,

2550-632: The Republic of South Ossetia or the State of Alania , is a partially recognised landlocked country in the South Caucasus . It has an officially stated population of just over 56,500 people (2022), who live in an area of 3,900 square kilometres (1,500 sq mi), with 33,000 living in the capital city, Tskhinvali . As of 2024, only five members of the United Nations (UN) recognise South Ossetia as

2652-552: The Roki Tunnel before the Georgian military action. Russia accused Georgia of "aggression against South Ossetia", and launched a large-scale land, air, and sea invasion of Georgia with the pretext of a " peace enforcement operation" on 8 August 2008. Russian airstrikes against targets within Georgia were also launched. Abkhaz forces opened a second front on 9 August by attacking the Kodori Gorge , held by Georgia. Tskhinvali

2754-622: The Russian revolution , the area of modern South Ossetia became part of the Democratic Republic of Georgia . In 1918, conflict began between the landless Ossetian peasants living in Shida Kartli (Interior Georgia), who were influenced by Bolshevism and demanded ownership of the lands they worked, and the Menshevik government backed ethnic Georgian aristocrats, who were legal owners. Although

2856-639: The South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast disbanded in 1990. The Georgian government informally refers to the area as the Tskhinvali region and considers it a part of Georgia's Shida Kartli region. Lacking effective control over the territory, Georgia maintains an administrative body called the Provisional Administration of South Ossetia . The South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast, established by Soviet authorities in Moscow in 1922, declared independence from

2958-517: The St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering . He qualified as an economist and manager with a specialization in economics and management of building enterprises. In 2002, he defended his PhD thesis "Formation of Functional Procurement Strategies in Construction" . In 2008 Polonsky attempted doctoral, but, considering the academic council biased, he withdrew the work and posted

3060-580: The 12 rooms has its own exotic style. France Since 2004, Polonsky, together with Hermitage and Artur Kirilenko, wanted to build residential complexes with a total area of 50 thousand square meters and a 323-meter skyscraper designed by Norman Foster in the suburbs of Paris. Investments in the skyscraper alone were estimated at €2 billion. But in March 2011, Hermitage CEO Emin Iskenderov bought out Polonsky's share. Switzerland Since 2007, Mirax has been planning

3162-461: The 2004 parliamentary and presidential elections, he promised to restore the territorial integrity of Georgia. During one of his early speeches, Saakashvili addressed the separatist regions, saying, "[N]either Georgia nor its president will put up with disintegration of Georgia. Therefore, we offer immediate negotiations to our Abkhazian and Ossetian friends. We are ready to discuss every model of statehood by taking into consideration their interests for

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3264-477: The 2008 war, Georgia and a significant part of the international community have regarded South Ossetia as occupied by the Russian military . South Ossetia relies heavily on military, political, and financial aid from Russia. Since 2008, the South Ossetian government has expressed their intention of joining the Russian Federation ; if successful, this would end its proclaimed independence. The prospect of

3366-679: The Alanian population. The survivors among the Alans retreated into the mountains of the central Caucasus and gradually started migration to the south, across the Caucasus Mountains into the Kingdom of Georgia . In the 17th century, by pressure of Kabardian princes, Ossetians started a second wave of migration from the North Caucasus to the Kingdom of Kartli . Ossetian peasants, who were migrating to

3468-548: The Black Sea to the west of South Ossetia is often blocked by the Likhi mountain range. The wettest periods of the year in South Ossetia generally occur during spring and autumn while the winter and summer months tend to be the driest. Elevation plays an important role in South Ossetia where climatic conditions above 1,500 m (4,921 ft) are considerably colder than in any lower-lying areas. The regions that lie above 2,000 m (6,562 ft) frequently experience frost even during

3570-573: The FIABCI World Prix d’Excellence Award (Office Category Winner). Construction of the project stalled in 2008 due to the Great Recession ; however, it was resumed in August 2011 and completed in 2017. Korona was a Moscow landmark project, aiming to reflect state-of-the-art achievements in architecture, planning, construction technologies, and landscaping. The ceremony of laying the first stone in

3672-780: The First Party Secretary of the oblast from his position. The Georgian Supreme Council adopted a law barring regional parties in summer 1990. The South Ossetian regional council interpreted this as a move against Ademon Nykhas and subsequently passed a "declaration of national sovereignty", proclaiming the South Ossetian Soviet Democratic Republic within the Soviet Union on 20 September 1990. Ossetians boycotted subsequent Georgian parliamentary elections and held their own contest in December. In October 1990,

3774-564: The Georgian capital in ruins. On 6 January, Gamsakhurdia and several of his supporters fled the city for exile. Afterwards, the Georgian military council , an interim government, was formed by a triumvirate of Jaba Ioseliani , Tengiz Kitovani and Tengiz Sigua , and, in March 1992, they invited Eduard Shevardnadze , a former Soviet minister, to come to Georgia to assume control of the Georgian State Council. An independence referendum

3876-550: The Ministry for the Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation stated at the time however that "the police stayed uninvolved in the conflict." and that the law enforcement officers present at the scene were there to "maintain public order". South Ossetia South Ossetia ( / ɒ ˈ s ɛ t i ə / o- SET -ee-ə , less common: / ɒ ˈ s iː ʃ ə / o- SEE -shə ), officially

3978-593: The North Caucasus did not have its own political entity before 1924, when the North Ossetian Autonomous Oblast was created. Although the Ossetians had their own language ( Ossetian ), Russian and Georgian were administrative/state languages. Under the rule of Georgia's government during Soviet times, Ossetians enjoyed minority cultural autonomy, including speaking the Ossetian language and teaching it in schools. In 1989, two-thirds of Ossetians in

4080-615: The North Ossetian Prigorodnyi District . In 1944, many South Ossetians were resettled in areas of North Ossetia from which the Ingush had been expelled by Stalin in 1944. In the 1990s the new wave of South Ossetians migrating to the former Ingush territory fuelled conflict between Ossetians and Ingush. On 29 April 1991, the western part of South Ossetia was affected by an earthquake , which killed more than 200 and left tens of thousands homeless. In late 1991, dissent

4182-541: The Ossetians were initially discontented with the economic policies of the central government, the tension soon transformed into ethnic conflict. The first Ossetian rebellion began in February 1918, when three Georgian princes were killed and their land was seized by the Ossetians. The central government of Tiflis retaliated by sending the National Guard to the area. However, the Georgian unit retreated after they had engaged

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4284-426: The Ossetians. Ossetian rebels then proceeded to occupy the town of Tskhinvali and began attacking the ethnic Georgian civilian population. During uprisings in 1919 and 1920, the Ossetians were covertly supported by Soviet Russia , but even so, were defeated. According to allegations made by Ossetian sources, the crushing of the 1920 uprising caused the death of 5,000 Ossetians, while ensuing hunger and epidemics were

4386-472: The Russian Federation. It also considered the peacekeeping force (consisting in equal parts of South Ossetians, North Ossetians, Russians and Georgians) to be non-neutral and demanded its replacement. Various proposals were launched by the Georgian side to internationalise the peacekeeping in South Ossetia. According to U.S. senator Richard Lugar , the United States supported Georgia's call in 2006 for

4488-798: The Russian-comprised peacekeeping force operating under CIS mandate. Tensions between Georgia and Russia began escalating in April 2008. A bomb explosion on 1 August 2008 targeted a car transporting Georgian peacekeepers. South Ossetians were responsible for instigating this incident, which marked the opening of hostilities and injured five Georgian servicemen. In response, several South Ossetian militiamen were hit. South Ossetian separatists began shelling Georgian villages on 1 August. These artillery attacks caused Georgian servicemen to return fire periodically from 1 August. At around 19:00 on 7 August 2008, Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili announced

4590-493: The South Ossetian AO despite numerous protests by the Georgian population. While the city of Tskhinvali did not have a majority Ossetian population, it was made the capital of the South Ossetian AO. In addition to parts of Gori uezd and Dusheti uezd of Tiflis Governorate , parts of Racha uezd of Kutaisi Governorate (western Georgia) were also included within the South Ossetian AO. All these territories historically had been indigenous Georgian lands. Historical Ossetia in

4692-586: The South Ossetian regional council asked the Georgian Supreme Council to upgrade the region to the status of an " autonomous republic ". The decision to transform the South Ossetian AO into the South Ossetian ASSR by the South Ossetian authorities escalated the conflict. On 11 November, this decision was revoked by the Georgian parliament, the Supreme Soviet . The Georgian authorities removed

4794-468: The Soviet leadership was encouraging South Ossetian separatism in order to force Georgia not to leave the Soviet Union. Georgia declared its independence in April 1991. As a result of the war, about 100,000 ethnic Ossetians fled the territory and Georgia proper, most across the border into North Ossetia. A further 23,000 ethnic Georgians fled South Ossetia to other parts of Georgia. Many refugees went to

4896-623: The area comprising modern North Ossetia , was among the first areas of the North Caucasus to come under Russian domination, starting in 1774. The capital, Vladikavkaz , was the first Russian military outpost in the region. By 1806, Ossetia was completely under Russian control. Ossetian migration to Georgian areas continued in the 19th and 20th centuries, when Georgia was part of the Russian Empire and Ossetian settlements emerged in Trialeti , Borjomi , Bakuriani and Kakheti as well. Following

4998-519: The borders of South Ossetia have reportedly been expanding the boundaries of the region through “encroaching occupation”, meaning they surreptitiously advance several feet at a time into Georgian-held territory. Following the 2008 South Ossetia war , Russia recognised South Ossetia as independent. This unilateral recognition by Russia was met by condemnation from Western Blocs, such as NATO , Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and

5100-427: The causes of death of more than 13,000 people. The Soviet Georgian government, established after the Red Army invasion of Georgia in 1921, created an autonomous administrative unit for Transcaucasian Ossetians in April 1922 under pressure from Kavbiuro (the Caucasian Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union ), called the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast (AO). Some believe that

5202-814: The company launched new business centers Pollars and Europe Building. In 2002–2007, the company started the construction of such residential compounds as Taganka House, Kutuzovskaya Riviera, Mirax Park and the Federation Tower – a mixed-use complex in the Moscow International Business Center – Moscow City. Residential Complex "Dubrovskaya Sloboda" - 2 buildings of 19-30 floors. 982 apartments (47-218 sq. m.) , 8 penthouses (173-375 sq. m.). 2.25 Hectares of landscaped territory. Residential Complex "Kutuzovskaya Riviera" - 4 buildings 30-35 floors. 840 apartments (76-966 sq. m.). More than 40,000 sq. m. underground Parking. It has its own small nature reserve with several species of animals and birds. The Mirax Park residential complex consists of 4 high-rise buildings of 31-37 floors,

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5304-432: The company's debts in an effort to bring the company to bankruptcy and take control of it. Polonsky described the steps taken by Alpha Bank as 'premeditated systematic actions aimed at divesting and acquiring' the corporation's assets adding that Mirax Group had been 'completely unready for the sudden turn of events.' In February 2011, Sberbank of Russia (Savings Bank of the Russian Federation) decided to grant Mirax Group

5406-404: The construction of a 52-storey skyscraper on the south bank of the Thames. In 2008, Polonsky was the first developer who openly admitted that the Russian real estate market was affected by the 2007–2008 financial crisis . According to Anton Chernigovsky, who wrote the article "Polonsky Makes a Demarche" published in the Business Magazine , "his competitors kept arguing zestfully that real estate

5508-465: The construction of the Aminona Luxury Resort ski resort in the Swiss resort of Aminona — luxury apartments, a 500-room hotel complex, a chalet and a shopping center. The investment was estimated at $ 830 million. USA In Miami, Mirax acquired a stake in the Aqua project from the American Dacra Development corporation in 2007: the developer received 13 villas without finishing and the right to build up housing for about 3.4 hectares more. The termination of

5610-411: The election proceedings in motion on April 7, 2022. On May 13, the annexation referendum was scheduled to take place on July 17. Following Biblov's defeat in 2022 election , the new president, Alan Gagloev , suspended the referendum on May 30. Gagloyev announced in August 2022 that border crossings with Georgia would be open ten days a month. South Ossetia is a very mountainous region located in

5712-432: The end of 18th century, the ultimate sites of Ossetian settlement on the territory of modern South Ossetia were in Kudaro ( Jejora river estuary), Greater Liakhvi gorge, the gorge of Little Liakhvi , Ksani River gorge, Guda (Tetri Aragvi estuary) and Truso ( Terek estuary). The Georgian Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti , including the territory of modern South Ossetia, was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1801. Ossetia,

5814-452: The exchange of the five existing at the time security issues – three ruble bond issues and two English law note issues – for the new issue of notes (LPN2019) with the face value of RUR14.5 billion. As collateral for this transaction, 8 projects and a personal guarantee of the Potok shareholder Sergei Polonsky were used. For investors who cannot own the notes for certain reasons, new ruble bonds worth RUR1 billion were issued. Potok operates in

5916-533: The following day. Russia recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia as separate republics on 26 August. In response to Russia's recognition, the Georgian government severed diplomatic relations with Russia. Russian forces left the buffer areas bordering Abkhazia and South Ossetia on 8 October and the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia assumed authority over the buffer areas. Since the war, Georgia has maintained that Abkhazia and South Ossetia are Russian-occupied Georgian territories . On 30 September 2009,

6018-409: The foundation of the Korona Project intended to demonstrate a "new, unusual, vigorous and assertive style" of the young businessmen from St. Petersburg. Golden Keys 2 Residential Property was the 2nd project implemented by Polonsky's team. Polonsky suggested a comfortable "town within the city" living concept where high-rise residential buildings are mixed with a cottage village named "Y". After that,

6120-417: The independence of the Republic of South Ossetia on 29 May 1992. On 24 June 1992, Shevardnadze and the South Ossetian government signed the Sochi ceasefire agreement , brokered by Russia. The agreement included obligations to avoid the use of force, and Georgia pledged not to impose sanctions against South Ossetia. The Georgian government retained control over substantial portions of South Ossetia, including

6222-420: The killing of Georgian citizens. According to Russian military expert Pavel Felgenhauer , the Ossetian provocation was aimed at triggering the Georgian response, which was needed as a pretext for premeditated Russian military invasion. According to Georgian intelligence, and several Russian media reports, parts of the regular (non-peacekeeping) Russian Army had already moved to South Ossetian territory through

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6324-445: The lag time between construction and sale as the value of the rouble fell. The company rapidly amassed wealth and made a name for itself as one of Saint Petersburg 's largest developers, eventually building Petrovsky Fort, a 540,000-square-foot complex that became the standard for business centers in the former capital. Polonsky opened an office in Moscow in 2000. Two years later, Mayor Luzkhov appointed him as an adviser. Polonsky

6426-423: The late 2000s, Mirax Group's assets amounted to more than 12 million square meters of real estate, with 2008 revenues estimated at $ 1.65 billion and net profits of $ 616.4 million. Some notable projects are outlined below. Identified as Moscow's first skyscraper , the Federation Tower is recognized as the tallest building in Europe. The building consists of two towers, the taller one with 93 floors and

6528-455: The legal process to become part of Russia . Russian politicians reacted positively and said Russian law would permit (parts of) foreign nations to join the federation. They highlighted the necessity to "express the will of the Ossetian people" through a referendum. Ossetian leader Bibilov said in a lengthy interview that he planned to hold two referendums, one on annexation by Russia, and the second vote on joining North Ossetia, for which he set

6630-460: The management and operation of the commissioned buildings), ex-Mirax-Pharma (research, production, and retail of pharmaceutical products), ex-Mirax-Design (design and fulfillment of interiors), and others. Sergei Polonsky Sergei Yurievich Polonsky (Russian: Сергей Юрьевич Полонский ; born 1 December 1972) is a Russian businessman. He is the owner and head of one of the largest real estate companies in Russia, Mirax Group (2004–2011). He

6732-722: The massive smuggling of goods for the Ergneti market through the Roki Tunnel , which was not under Georgian control, cost the country significant amounts of custom revenues. Georgia proposed to bring the Roki tunnel under joint control and monitoring, which was refused by the South Ossetian side. The antismuggling operation against the market resulted in a breakdown of South Ossetian trust in Georgia's intentions. A wave of violence erupted between Georgian peacekeepers and South Ossetian militiamen and freelance fighters from Russia. This included hostage taking of dozens of Georgian peacekeepers, shootouts and shelling of Georgian controlled villages, which left dozens dead and wounded. A ceasefire deal

6834-406: The media. "At this very moment the Project site, located at the construction site of the residential quarter Kutuzovskaya Mile, is being forcibly taken over", the company said in an official statement. To protest against the actions of the Moscow authorities, Polonsky declared a hunger strike and continued to provide his round-the-clock presence at the construction site. The Moscow Chief Directorate of

6936-493: The mountainous areas of the South Caucasus , often settled in the lands of Georgian feudal lords. The Georgian King of the Kingdom of Kartli permitted Ossetians to immigrate. According to Russian ambassador to Georgia Mikhail Tatishchev , at the beginning of the 17th century there was already a small group of Ossetians living near the headwaters of the Great Liakhvi . In the 1770s there were more Ossetians living in Kartli than ever before. This period has been documented in

7038-435: The new company. The controlling interest of Potok belongs to its founder, chairman of the board of directors, Sergei Polonsky . In July 2012, the restructuring of the public debt of the Potok company (ex-MIRAX GROUP) was successfully completed. It took the company one and a half years to prepare this deal together with the debt restructuring agent, OAO Alfa-Bank and a working group of creditors. The restructuring included

7140-404: The northern border of South Ossetia with Russia. There is only one main road through the mountain range from South Ossetia to Russia, the TransKAM highway through the Roki tunnel into North Ossetia , which was completed in 1986. The Transkam section located in South Ossetia is nominally part of the Georgian S10 highway even though Tbilisi effectively does not control that part. The Roki Tunnel

7242-424: The obligations of the group on completion of the objects would certainly be fulfilled. All public debt сommitments of the group (denominated bonds, CLNs and LPNs), said the statement, would also be honored in full accordance with the terms of restructuring. On December 1, 2011, Sergei Polonsky officially changed the name of the company to Potok, with all the obligations and structures of Nazvanie.net to be retained by

7344-500: The pair in apartments. It was through these means that Polonsky and Kirilenko took control of their first unfinished building, starting them on the path to being property developers. In 1996 the company took its first contract job, completing an apartment project in St. Petersburg for a company called Lenenergo. "The house had an area of 22,000 sq. m. That year, the entire Leningrad region finished, probably less. I thought they would thank me, but

7446-428: The parliamentary election in Georgia was won by Zviad Gamsakhurdia 's "Round Table" block. On 11 December 1990, Zviad Gamsakhurdia's government declared the Ossetian election illegitimate and abolished South Ossetia's autonomous status altogether. Gamsakhurdia rationalised the abolition of Ossetian autonomy by saying, "They [Ossetians] have no right to a state here in Georgia. They are a national minority. Their homeland

7548-503: The past few months. Commissioning deadlines, therefore, needed to be reviewed and extended. On 10 October 2008, Sergei Polonsky announced that he would eat his tie if the elite apartments' prices did not rise by over 25% in 1.5 years. The forecast came true with a half a year delay, and on 31 May 2011 Polonsky ate a piece of a true tie at Minaev LIVE , a TV show hosted by Sergey Minaev . In July 2009, Alpha Bank acquired all of Mirax Group's debt obligations to Credit Suisse and called in

7650-517: The presence of the Ossetian people in the South Caucasus has been one of the causes of conflict. Although Georgian historiography believes that Ossetian mass migration to the South Caucasus (Georgia) began in the 17th century, Ossetians claim to have been residing in the area since the ancient times, which is not supported by available sources. Some Ossetian historians accept that the migration of Ossetian ancestors to modern South Ossetia began after

7752-454: The project before work was forced to stop in 2009. FTsSR terminated the contract in January 2010. Polonsky claimed this was done unlawfully, leading to disputes between FTsSR and Mirax Group. However, according to FTsSR, funding from Mirax Group had stopped. In September 2011 FTsSR forcibly took control of the site using a private security firm. Polonsky has described FTsSR's actions as a raid in

7854-582: The project or its sale was not reported Turkey In Kemer, Turkey, Mirax became the owner of the Sungate Port Royal Hotel in 2007. It included more than 900 rooms and villas, and the total area of the territory was 250 thousand square meters. m. In Mirax itself, investments were estimated at €340 million. Vietnam Mirax acquired a plot on the Nha Trang coast in Vietnam in 2008 for the construction of

7956-481: The project through Mirax in 2005 at the request of the Moscow Mayor Resin Rosltak. The project had been started in 2002 by FTsSR (Federal Centre for Social Development), a company with many political connections but little experience in developing real estate. Mirax took control of the project and agreed to give FTsSR 5% of the finished apartments. Mirax proceeded to invest 2.5 billion rubles in developing

8058-508: The promotion of their future development." Since 2004, tensions began to rise as the Georgian authorities strengthened their efforts to bring the region back under their rule, after it succeeded in Adjara . Georgia sent police to close down the Ergneti black market, which was one of the region's chief sources of revenue, selling foodstuffs and fuel smuggled from Russia. The Georgian authorities claimed

8160-681: The real estate markets of Russia , Ukraine , France , Cambodia , Malaysia , Montenegro , United States , Switzerland and Beetham Tower in United Kingdom . In May 2011, the company's portfolio included several projects with a total area of about ten million sq.m. Potok is the client and developer of the second-tallest skyscraper in Europe , business complex Federation Tower , in the Moscow International Business Center , or Moscow-City. In May 2011, Sberbank of Russia allowed

8262-487: The second country to recognise South Ossetia. Venezuela recognised South Ossetia on 10 September 2009, becoming the third UN member state to do so. The European Union , Council of Europe , North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) and most UN member countries do not recognise South Ossetia as an independent state. The de facto republic governed by the secessionist government held a second independence referendum on 12 November 2006, after its first referendum in 1992

8364-465: The structures and liabilities of the former Mirax Group. On 6 July 2012, by virtue of the shareholders' agreement, Polonsky bought out the shares of the minority shareholders of the "Potok" (Flow) company and became the owner of Potok's 100% block of shares. One notable project to stall as a result of the economic crisis was the Kutuzovskaya Mile residential complex. Polonsky became involved in

8466-475: The summer months. The average temperature in South Ossetia in January is around +4 degrees Celsius, and the average temperature in July is around +20.3 degrees Celsius. The average yearly liquid precipitation in South Ossetia is around 598 millimetres. In general, summer temperatures average 20 °C (68 °F) to 24 °C (75.2 °F) across much of South Ossetia, and winter temperatures average 2 °C (35.6 °F) to 4 °C (39.2 °F). Humidity

8568-455: The text of the thesis for an open discussion on the Internet. In 1994, when Polonsky was 22, he founded Stroymontazh LLC with his longtime friend Artur Kirilenko . Stroymontazh was a construction and real estate firm set up with the initial intention of selling apartments that they had plastered and finished. However, when the building owners ran into financial difficulty, they began to pay

8670-469: The total area is 16,000 sq. m. The Pollars Office Center has 7-16 floors. The total area is 55,500 sq. m. Montenegro Astra-Mentenegro resort town - 43 villas, a hotel complex, a high-rise residential building. The total area of 120,000 sq. m. is more than 9 hectares of landscaped territory. Astra Montenegro is located in the heart of the Budva Riviera, on the cape separating the city of Budva and

8772-546: The town of Akhalgori . A Joined Peacekeeping force of Ossetians, Russians and Georgians was established. On 6 November 1992, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) set up a mission in Georgia to monitor the peacekeeping operation. From then until mid-2004, South Ossetia was generally peaceful. Following the 2003 Rose Revolution , Mikheil Saakashvili became the President of Georgia in 2004. Ahead of

8874-487: The travel diaries of Johann Anton Güldenstädt who visited Georgia in 1772. The Baltic German explorer called modern North Ossetia–Alania simply Ossetia, while he wrote that Kartli (the areas of modern-day South Ossetia) was populated by Georgians and the mountainous areas were populated by both Georgians and Ossetians. Güldenstädt also wrote that the northernmost border of Kartli is the Major Caucasus Ridge . By

8976-530: The village of Becici. Astra Montenegro includes a wellness complex, fitness center, SPA center, children's club, zoo, marina, casino. Cambodia Mirax Resort Boutique Hotel in Koh Dek Kul Private Island is the only operating 5* private island resort in Cambodia. The resort has a cascade of saltwater pools, an exclusive collection of historical treasures, a unique diving base in the hotel, where each of

9078-575: The war had ended. The war displaced 192,000 people, and while many were able to return to their homes after the war, a year later around 30,000 ethnic Georgians remained displaced. In an interview published in Kommersant , South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity said he would not allow Georgians to return. President of France Nicolas Sarkozy negotiated a ceasefire agreement on 12 August 2008. On 17 August, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev announced that Russian forces would begin to pull out of Georgia

9180-638: The withdrawal of Russian "peacekeepers" from the conflict zones. Later, EU South Caucasus envoy Peter Semneby said that "Russia's actions in the Georgia spy row have damaged its credibility as a neutral peacekeeper in the EU's Black Sea neighbourhood." Joe Biden (Chairman, U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee), Richard Lugar , and Mel Martínez sponsored a resolution in June 2008 accusing Russia of attempting to undermine Georgia's territorial integrity and called for replacing

9282-540: The woman who came to take over the house refused to take it for another six months for various reasons. We did it only by a miracle," Polonsky said for forbes. By the end of the 90s, Stroymontazh was one of the largest players in the St. Petersburg real estate market. It was during the 1998 Russian financial crisis , however, that Polonsky and Kirilenko began to achieve huge financial success. According to The New York Times , by paying construction costs in rubles and selling property in dollars they were able to profit in

9384-414: Was characterised by general disregard for international humanitarian law by uncontrollable militias, with both sides reporting atrocities. The Soviet military facilitated a ceasefire as ordered by Mikhail Gorbachev in January 1991. In March and April 1991, Soviet interior troops were reported actively disarming militias on both sides, and deterring the inter-ethnic violence. Zviad Gamsakhurdia asserted that

9486-461: Was held in South Ossetia on 19 January 1992, with voters being asked two questions: "Do you agree that South Ossetia should be an independent country?" and "Do you agree with the South Ossetian parliament's solution of 1 September 1991 on reunion with Russia?" Both proposals were approved, but the results were not recognised internationally. Nonetheless, the South Ossetian regional council subsequently passed an "act of state independence" and declared

9588-450: Was mounting against Gamsakhurdia in Georgia due to his intolerance of critics and attempts to concentrate political power. On 22 December 1991, after a coup d'état , Gamsakhurdia and his supporters were besieged by the opposition, which was backed by the national guard, in several government buildings in Tbilisi . The ensuing heavy fighting resulted in over 200 casualties and left the center of

9690-482: Was not recognised by most governments as valid. According to the Tskhinvali election authorities, the referendum turned out a majority for independence from Georgia where 99% of South Ossetian voters supported independence and the turnout for the vote was 95%. The referendum was monitored by a team of 34 international observers from Germany, Austria, Poland, Sweden and other countries at 78 polling stations. However, it

9792-632: Was not yet 30. In 2004, the Moscow branch of Stroymontazh was renamed "Mirax Group" and in 2006, split from Stroymontazh, the Saint Petersburg branch, with Polonsky at the head of Mirax and Kirilenko at the head of Stroymontazh . Both men maintained 10% ownership of the other's company until 2009 when they each sold their respective stakes. Mirax carried out projects in Russia , Ukraine , Turkey , Cambodia , United States , Montenegro , United Kingdom , Switzerland , Vietnam , France . At its peak in

9894-501: Was one of the richest men in Russia before the 2007–2008 financial crisis with a net worth of $ 5 billion and projects in 11 counties in the world. Now, he is a shareholder and investor in a number of commercial structures incorporated by the holding company Potok Polonsky was born 1 December 1972 in Leningrad , Soviet Union (now Saint Petersburg , Russia). His father, Yuri Polonsky,

9996-474: Was put on hold indefinitely. A referendum on South Ossetia's official name was held on 9 April 2017; over three-quarters of those who voted supported amendments to the South Ossetian constitution which gave the names "Republic of South Ossetia" and "State of Alania" equal status under the law. South Ossetia was rocked by its most significant protests from 2020 to 2021 following the Murder of Inal Djabiev . Djabiev,

10098-462: Was reached on 13 August though it was repeatedly violated. The Georgian government protested against the allegedly increasing Russian economic and political presence in the region and against the uncontrolled military of the South Ossetian side. Georgian government officials have stated South Ossetian key security positions are occupied by (former) Russian security officials, while some political researchers speak of institutions being outsourced to

10200-430: Was seized by the Russian military by 10 August. Russian forces occupied the Georgian cities of Zugdidi , Senaki , Poti , and Gori (the last one after the ceasefire agreement was negotiated). The Russian Black Sea Fleet blockaded the Georgian coast. A campaign of ethnic cleansing against Georgians in South Ossetia was conducted by South Ossetians, with Georgian villages around Tskhinvali being destroyed after

10302-439: Was the last thing to be threatened by the crisis. But in as early as two months, they had to withdraw their words and start to urgently suspend their projects and patch up financial gaps". The downturn hit Mirax Group hard; in August 2008, Polonsky published an open letter in his blog, where he said that during the previous year, Mirax Group could not receive any credit to continue construction and had not sold any real estate over

10404-629: Was vital for the Russian military in the 2008 South Ossetia war because it is the only direct route through the Caucasus Mountains between Russia and South Ossetia. South Ossetia covers an area of about 3,900 km (1,506 sq mi), separated by the mountains from the more populous North Ossetia (which is a republic within Russia) and extending southwards almost to the Mtkvari river in Georgia. More than 89% of South Ossetia lies over 1,000 m (3,281 ft) above sea level , and its highest point

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