Corruption in the Urengoytruboprovodstroy Trust in the 1980s
https://doi.org/10.69571/SSPU.2025.99.6.023
Abstract
In the context of escalating geopolitical confrontation, system-wide modernization is essential to ensuring the sovereignty of the Russian Federation. However, its implementation is hampered by corruption — a phenomenon that became systemic in both the post-Soviet and Soviet periods. Based on declassified materials from the People’s Control Committee (PCC) of the RSFSR, a complex corruption scheme has been reconstructed for the Urengoytruboprovodstroy trust in the second half of the 1980s, encompassing not only the enterprise but also representatives of party and state structures. It has been established that the economic downturn of the 1970s and 1980s in the USSR was caused by both technological backwardness and institutional degradation, during which corrupt practices became an integral part of the functioning of stateowned enterprises.
About the Author
R. V. Artemenko
Historical Park «Russia — my Story» in Surgut
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Artemenko Roman Vasilyevich — Candidate of Science (History), Head of the Excursion Department
References
1. Alekseev V. V., Logunov E. V., Shabanov P. P. Opyt resheniya kadrovyh problem v neftegazovom stroitelstve Sibiri (na materialah Glavsibtruboprovodstroya) [Experience in Addressing Personnel Issues in Siberian Oil and Gas Construction (Based on Materials from Glavsibtuboprovodstroy)]. Sverdlovsk: Izdatelstvo Uralskogo universiteta, 1987. 174 s. (In Russian).
2. Artemenko R. V. Puti resheniya kadrovogo voprosa v gazovoy industrii rayonov Kraynego Severa Tyumenskoy oblasti (1967–1985 gg.) [Approaches to Solving the Personnel Issue in the Gas Industry of the Far North Regions of Tyumen Oblast (1967–1985)] // Sovremennaya nauchnaya mysl. 2024. № 3. S. 117–121. (In Russian).
3. Artemenko R. V. Sovershenstvovanie tehnologiy funkcionirovaniya i sborki gazovyh magistraley Zapadnoy Sibiri v 1960–1980-e gg. XX v. [Improvement of Technologies for Operation and Assembly of Gas Pipelines in Western Siberia in the 1960s-1980s] // Severnyy region: nauka, obrazovanie, kultura. 2022. № 4(52). S. 55–62. (In Russian).
4. Byvshih top-menedzherov «Gazproma» obvinili v vyvode 150 mlrd rub. [17. Former Top Managers of Gazprom Accused of Embezzling 150 Billion Rubles.] // RBK. 2025. URL: https://www.rbc.ru/business/07/03/2025/67cae4689a79470f1ab48e66 (data obrascheniya: 02.10.2025). (In Russian).
5. Gallyamova A. G. Istoriya Tatarstana: modernizaciya po-sovetski (vtoraya polovina 1940-h — pervaya polovina 1980-h gg.). [History of Tatarstan: Soviet-Style Modernization (Second Half of the 1940s — First Half of the 1980s).] Kazan: Magarif, 2010. 224 s. (In Russian).
6. Gallyamova A. G. Tatarskaya ASSR vo vtoroy polovine 1940-h — seredine 1980-h gg.: transformacionnye processy v socialno-ekonomicheskoy i kulturno-ideologicheskoy sferah: [Tatar ASSR in the Second Half of the 1940s — Mid-1980s: Transformation Processes in Socio-Economic and Cultural-Ideological Spheres.] avtoref. dis. … d-ra ist. nauk. Kazan, 2011. 47 s. (In Russian).
7. Genprokuratura raskryla dannye o korrupcii v Rossii [Prosecutor General’s Office Reveals Data on Corruption in Russia] // RBK. 2025. URL: https://www.rbc.ru/society/16/06/2025/6837ed979a79471aa4b-6c83d (data obrascheniya: 01.10.2025). (In Russian).
8. Dokumenty proverki grubyh narusheniy gosudarstvennoy discipliny i zloupotrebleniy v treste «Urengoytruboprovdstroy» Minneftegazstroya SSSR (postanovlenie komiteta № 3/IV ot 16 marta 1988 g.) [Documents on the inspection of gross violations of state discipline and abuses at the Urengoytruboprovdstroy Trust of the USSR Ministry of Oil and Gas Construction (Committee Resolution No. 3/IV of March 16, 1988).] // GAR F. F. 420. Op. 5. D. 2450. L. 1–90. (In Russian).
9. Ivanova A. S. Gosudarstvennaya torgovlya na inostrannuyu valyutu v ierarhii i kulture potrebleniya sovetskogo obschestva. 1958–1991 gg.: [. State Trade in Foreign Currency within the Hierarchy and Culture of Consumption in Soviet Society, 1958–1991] avtoref. dis. … kand. ist. nauk. Moskva, 2012. 36 s. (In Russian).
10. Ivanova A. S. Magaziny «Berezka»: paradoksy potrebleniya v pozdnem SSSR. [“Berezka” Stores: Paradoxes of Consumption in Late USSR] M.: Novoe literaturnoe obozrenie, 2017. 304 s. (In Russian).
11. Klushin O. Z. Operativnaya obstanovka: ponyatie, analiz, prognoz. [Operational Situation: Concept, Analysis, Forecast.] M.: Akademiya upravleniya MVD Rossii, 2008. 224 s. (In Russian).
12. Meropriyatiya Tobolskogo neftehimicheskogo kombinata, "Glavtyumengeologii", "Glavsibtruboprovodstroya", VPO "Tyumengazprom" po usileniyu borby s hischeniyami socialisticheskoy sobstvennosti, vzyatochnichestvom, spekulyaciey, 1981 g. [Measures taken by the Tobolsk Petrochemical Plant, Glavtyumengeologiya, Glavsibtruboprovodstroy, and VPO Tyumengazprom to strengthen the fight against theft of socialist property, bribery, and speculation, 1981.] // GASPIT O. F. P124. Op. 1. D. 7379. L. 2–23. (In Russian).
13. Nikiforov Yu. S. Verhnevolzhskie regiony RSFSR i soyuzno-respublikanskiy centr (1950–1980-e gg.): teoretiko-metodologicheskie osnovy izucheniya. [Upper Volga Regions of the RSFSR and the UnionRepublican Center (1950–1980s): Theoretical and Methodological Foundations of Study.] Yaroslavl: YaGPU, 2021. 276 s. (In Russian).
14. Pashkov N. M. Deyatelnost partiynyh organizaciy Zapadnoy Sibiri po sozdaniyu i razvitiyu neftegazovogo kompleksa, 1964–1980 gg. [Activities of Party Organizations of Western Siberia in Creating and Developing the Oil and Gas Complex, 1964–1980.] Tomsk: Izd-vo Tom. un-ta, 1988. 240 s. (In Russian).
15. Prinyato postanovlenie pravitelstva o «rusifikacii» vladeniya Severneftegazpromom —SP «Gazproma» s Wintershall Dea i OMV [Government Approves “Russification” of Severneftegazprom Ownership — Gazprom Joint Venture with Wintershall Dea and OMV.] // Finmarket. 2025. URL: https://www.finmarket.ru/news/6196102 (data obrascheniya: 23.08.2025). (In Russian).
16. Rezhimnye lyudi v SSSR [Rezhimnye lyudi v SSSR [Restricted-Personnel Individuals in the USSR]] / otv. red. T. S. Kondrateva, A. K. Sokolov. M.: Rossiyskaya politicheskaya enciklopediya (ROSSPEN); Fond Pervogo Prezidenta Rossii B. N. Elcina, 2009. 367 s. (In Russian).
17. Siyanie Severa. [Northern Radiance] 1987. № 27. S. 2. (In Russian).
18. Top-menedzher neftegazovoy kompanii v YaNAO zaplatil 5 mln rubley za vzyatku [Top Manager of an Oil and Gas Company in Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Paid 5 Million Rubles as a Bribe.] // Yamal-Media. 2023. URL: https://yamal-media.ru/news/top-menedzher-neftegazovoj-kompanii-zaplatil-5-mln-rublejza-vzjatku?from=main (data obrascheniya: 02.09.2025). (In Russian).
19. Tumakov D. V. Borba s prestupnostyu v dokumentah regionalnyh organov vlasti epohi pozdnego socializma [Combating Crime in Documents of Regional Authorities during the Late Socialist Era] // Vestnik NII gumanitarnyh nauk pri Pravitelstve Respubliki Mordoviya. 2023. T. 15, № 4. S. 107–122. (In Russian).
20. Federalnyy zakon «O protivodeystvii korrupcii» ot 25.12.2008 № 273-FZ [Federal Law “On Counteracting Corruption” No. 273-FZ of December 25, 2008.] // KonsultantPlyus. URL: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_82959/ (data obrascheniya: 01.09.2025). (In Russian).
21. Eks top-menedzher «dochki» «Gazproma» poluchil srok za popytku moshennichestva [Former Top Manager of a Gazprom Subsidiary Sentenced for Attempted Fraud.] // Interfaks. 2025. URL: https://www.interfax.ru/russia/949758 (data obrascheniya: 01.10.2025). (In Russian).
Review
For citations:
Artemenko R.V. Corruption in the Urengoytruboprovodstroy Trust in the 1980s. Surgut State Pedagogical University Bulletin. 2025;(6(99)):240-248. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.69571/SSPU.2025.99.6.023
Views:
72
Email this article 