Maritime Bulletin Sovfracht. “I’d love to joke, but it doesn’t work. “I’d love to make a joke, but it doesn’t work.”

Mikhail Voitenko: One more word and I’ll speak. - Who is forcing Russia’s main expert on sea pirates to lie low (article) On August 29, sailors from the Arctic Sea cargo ship returned home.

Mikhail Voitenko: one more word and I’ll speak

Mikhail Voitenko: One more word and I’ll speak. - Who is forcing Russia’s main expert on sea pirates to lie low (article) On August 29, sailors from the Arctic Sea cargo ship returned home. On September 3, the media announced that Mikhail Voitenko, who was the first to report the disappearance of this ship, on the contrary, “left his homeland.” Mikhail Voitenko is a former sailor himself. Until September 3, he was the editor-in-chief (and chief journalist) of the online publication about world shipping, Maritime Bulletin - Sovfracht. In fact, Voitenko single-handedly closed an entire information niche. The sailors could not help but feel that it was being written by a professional. Voitenko was trusted. Therefore, he was the newsmaker of most of the big maritime stories. In addition, Mikhail Voitenko is a completely unique expert. For example, he is perhaps the main expert on pirates in Russia. Therefore, when the Faina ship was captured, Ukraine turned for help not to the Russian military, not to the FSB of the Russian Federation, but to Voitenko. He negotiated, acted as a mediator, and after his release, together with the shipowner, he met the Faina at sea (Voitenko told about those who helped, those who interfered, and those who did nothing to save the crew of the captured ship “ Novaya": see "Novaya Gazeta", No. 22 of March 4, 2009 - If not for the Americans, “Faina” would not have existed). Yes, he, as a direct participant in the liberation, covered the story of the capture of “Faina.” But if he had not said a word about it, we would still have known about it - the pirates who captured the ship trumpeted it all over the world. Yes, he rang all the bells when Russian border guards shot and sank the Chinese cargo ship New Star (see Novaya Gazeta, No. 44 of April 27, 2009 - Lead Curtain). But if he had remained silent about this, we would still have known about this fact thanks to the central television channels (however, there this event was presented not as a tragedy, but as a feat of border guards). But the question is: if not for Voitenko, would we have even known about the mysterious disappearance of the Arctic Sea cargo ship? After all, here the “pirates,” probably for the first time in the history of piracy, played a game of silence, and the first channels began to tell all sorts of tall tales only after Voitenko sounded the alarm. He was the first to report the disappearance of the ship and for a long time remained the only source of information. So, on September 3, all the media reported that Voitenko urgently left Russia. The central channels played a recording of his voice (and it really was his voice - he often gave comments to Novaya). Voitenko said: some well-wishers called and said that he was in danger, so he was advised to disappear from Russia for several months. He said that this is connected with the story of the Arctic Sea cargo ship, behind which there are very serious people, and they want revenge for the fact that he made this story public. The first thing I did when I heard this news was call him on his mobile: “The subscriber is temporarily blocked.” Then I wrote him an email asking him to respond. Didn't respond. But on September 3, a message appeared in the “Maritime Bulletin - Sovfracht” under the heading “To the “disappearance” of Mikhail Voitenko,” signed with his name: “For the last few days, publications have appeared in the media that the editor-in-chief Voitenko M. is in danger, that he has to hide . There was information that I called the editorial office and made statements. I would like to inform everyone who cares about me that I am on a business trip in Istanbul, preparing some interesting reports. I recently addressed the media regarding the Arctic Sea crew with a request to leave them alone. I inform you that in the next 3-4 days the site will resume normal operation.” Personally, I was alarmed by the beginning of the message, where he writes about himself in the third person. Second: I heard on TV how he said in his own voice that he was in danger, and then in the Bulletin he told everyone where he was. Did he write this text signed with his name? Voitenko is honest and fearless. There is now a lot of uncertainty surrounding his disappearance. There are many interpretations of his action. Lots of speculation. He could easily clarify the situation by getting in touch (he has a long-standing relationship with Novaya friendly relations , he repeatedly and willingly gave us comments). But he is silent. If he is afraid to reveal himself (even by going online), then his life is in serious danger. I don't want to think about the worst. Some time later (on the same 3rd day) after an optimistic message signed with his name, a text was posted in the “Maritime Bulletin...” on behalf of the press center of the Sovfracht-Sovmortrans group of companies, which states that the management of Sovfracht OJSC » sent the editor-in-chief on a business trip to Istanbul. “We regretfully have to refute the facts presented by some media outlets about the threats received against Voitenko,” the text says. Soon (on the same 3rd day) a new message from the same press center appears in the same “Bulletin” under the heading “Mikhail Voitenko’s resignation.” Allegedly, Voitenko got in touch. “In a telephone conversation, Mikhail announced his resignation from the position of editor-in-chief of the Maritime Bulletin - Sovfracht due to a number of contradictory statements regarding his mysterious “disappearance.” He also said that he was tired of “lying to everyone,” the press center writes. It is reported that Sovfracht OJSC accepted the resignation. A strange development of events within one day: from “I’m preparing some interesting reports” to “I ask you to fire me.” Let us recall that information about the threats was voiced in the media by Voitenko himself. And this information (that there were no threats, that he was on a business trip, and that he suddenly decided to resign) he has not yet confirmed or denied with his own voice anywhere. The “Maritime Bulletin” that Mikhail made Voitenko was an excellent online publication that promptly and truthfully covered events in Russian and world shipping. In addition, there was an excellent discussion platform here - the sailors' forum. For example, when it became clear that there would be no normal official investigation into the shooting of the New Star ship, the sailors at the Maritime Bulletin forum conducted their own public investigation (its results were published in Novaya). Naturally, on September 3, forum members “ Marine Bulletin" began to discuss the disappearance of the editor-in-chief. “Mikhail made a decision. Probably no one will blame him for this. And this is another nail in the skulls of “fighters against conspiracy theorists,” all official propagandists, and simply those who are more comfortable living in a lie. I am more than sure now that according to the original plan, the Arctic Sea and its crew should have disappeared. And it’s not so much the cargo, but the political games around it,” writes one of the forum participants. “Voitenko acted like a professional and a real man: he said what he considered necessary, and not what they paid for, and defended the rights of sailors from the Arctic Sea as he could and should have defended,” writes another forum member. “This hasn’t happened in Russia for a long time...” “Voitenko is the only person who didn’t lie,” this is about the history of the Arctic Sea. “Why was there pressure on Mikhail from different sides with such terrible force? - they ask on the forum. And they immediately answer: “Because he turned out to be the only one who is still believed.” “The time has come to exchange addresses...” - and this is a reaction to the message about the resignation of Mikhail Voitenko. Forum members believe that Sovfracht, unlike Voitenko, will not need a forum. “Mr. Voitenko is either a big joker or simply doesn’t have a bite,” - well, this is the opinion of the official side in the person of Dmitry Rogozin, which he voiced in live radio station "Russian News Service". “The fact that he ended up in Istanbul and says that someone is threatening him, I think that if someone called him, it was either his attending physician or a squirrel who sooner or later visits this kind of citizen.” “, - summed up Rogozin, a person in authority. “The very fact of the permanent representative of Russia commenting on Voitenko’s departure already leads to one hundred percent confidence in the involvement of the Russian authorities in this case,” forum members believe. “Guys, now even sea ​​urchin it is clear that the name is Voitenko officials It MUST be commented like this! Official Moscow does NOT have any reasonable answers to the questions posed by Mikhail; there is a fairy tale invented hastily with the participation of the same Rogozin...” On September 4, disruptions began in the work of the forum. The site didn't load. Those who started exchanging coordinates in advance were right. Meanwhile, on September 4, the headless Maritime Bulletin, as if nothing had happened, reported that a new berth had been opened in the Odessa port, and some VMTP began operating the only portal crane in Russia with a lifting capacity of 100 tons...P. S. When the number was being signed, it became known that Mikhail Voitenko had moved from Istanbul to Bangkok: Sovfracht no longer pays him a salary, and life in Thailand is cheaper than in Turkey, he told reporters. On Friday, Mikhail Voitenko published a message on the Maritime Bulletin website under the heading “Lies” that Sovfracht’s statements were “a little untrue.” “If I survive, I’ll start working normally,” wrote Mikhail Voitenko, “I ask Sovfracht: don’t touch the site, and I won’t touch you. OK? One more word from you and I will speak. To all those who are now pouring dirt on me. One question: if someone feels bad, who will they go to? To you, goats (I repeat - goats)? Eh?” Apparently, Sovfracht continued the campaign against Voitenko, and on Saturday a message appeared on the website, beginning with the words: “I have nothing to lose, so I’m writing.” “They’re lying,” wrote Mikhail Voitenko about the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement that the Arctic Sea ship “was never lost and its location was always known.” Novaya Gazeta September 7, 2009

ALL PHOTOS

The website of the online publication Moscow Bulletin Softfracht, which was the first to report the disappearance of the cargo ship Arctic Sea, will be registered under a different address. The current one belongs to the former editor-in-chief Mikhail Voitenko. Let us recall that this weekend he confirmed that he fled Russia after threats to his address: He accused the management of the Sovfracht company of lying and demanded not to interfere with his work.

“If I survive, I’ll start working normally. Please contact Sovfracht - don’t touch the site and I won’t touch you. OK? Another word from you and I’ll speak,” said Mikhail Voitenko’s statement (spelling and punctuation preserved).

Voitenko’s former boss, the Sovfracht company, claims that he sent his expert to Istanbul on a business trip, and the statements about threats are inventions of Voitenko himself. The Business FM radio station quotes a statement from the official representative of the company, Irina Predtechenskaya: “Our general director asked a question: Mikhail, what’s going on with you, we sent you on a business trip, why such statements, of course, asked why you didn’t contact us, our security service ". As a result, Mikhail said that he was resigning. We cannot be responsible for his actions, we cannot even imagine what caused his such reactions, no one was going to fire him."

Representatives of Sovfracht also say that they will change the address of the Bulletin, but have not yet named which one.

It was impossible to contact Mikhail Voitenko, who was always available for comments. According to CNN, he is now in Bangkok, where he flew from Istanbul. Voitenko, in an interview with the TV channel, said that he would continue to work - now in Bangkok. To do this, he only needs a computer. True, Soffracht no longer pays him, and life in Turkey is more expensive than in Thailand.

Let us note that starting from Sunday, both addresses belonging to Mikhail Voitenko, where the Maritime Bulletin was located - odin.tc and odin.fm - do not work. Similar things happened before during the Arctic Sea story; Voitenko explained it as hacker attacks.

Business FM notes that immediately after the disappearance of the editor-in-chief on the Maritime Bulletin forum, active participants began exchanging coordinators. Perhaps, assuming that the site will be closed soon. Or perhaps - not wanting to read the Maritime Bulletin without Voitenko.

Recently, on the air of the “Fellow Travelers” program on the Ekho Moskvy radio, Mikhail Voitenko told how he single-handedly created the Maritime Bulletin website. In particular, this is why the domain got its name - odin.

“I have such a tendency to somehow enter from the left, from the side,” explains Voitenko. All options related to maritime names, Shipping, Marin, Marin Time, were taken. Therefore, he decided to name the domain at the same time simple for sound and extraordinary.

Mikhail Voitenko - former sailor, who has a controversial reputation in the professional community (he is called an adventurer), was essentially the only expert in maritime affairs who, throughout the history of the seizure of the Arctic Sea vessel, commented on what was happening, participated in press conferences, and tried to answer main question- what was carried on the cargo ship, except for Finnish lumber, and who exactly captured the ship. The journalist invariably repeated that the Arctic Sea sailors were involved in the political games of several states. And what was so interesting to those professionals who were able to capture the ship (and according to official data, only eight people successfully attacked the cargo ship), he does not know.

Let us remind you that this week a number of world media continue to discuss the version according to which Russia was transporting S-300 missiles to Iran or Syria in the Arctic Sea. According to this version, the deal was prevented by the Israeli intelligence service Mossad, while allowing the Kremlin to “save face.”

Voitenko M.

Mikhail VOITENKO, editor-in-chief of the Maritime Bulletin magazine, says:

Relatives and other interested parties express concern about the situation with the investigation into the Kola tragedy. According to my information, the ship’s log, saved by the senior mate of the rig, was “lost” by the investigators of the Investigative Committee. I published the article below on the website " Maritime Bulletin"December 25. The note attracted attention. After its publication, I began receiving threats with promises of reprisals if I “didn’t shut up my rant and stop writing about Kola.” They promise to cut off the head. I get the impression that someone really doesn’t want an objective investigation into the circumstances of the death of the Kola.

The article itself by Mikhail Voitenko
What happened on the sunken drilling rig, who benefits from hiding information
Some details of the death of the Kola drilling rig have become known. The caravan followed its route normally, despite the onset of stormy weather. Then it was decided to change course and turn south - apparently in order to follow the wave, that is, not to expose the starboard side of the drilling swell. Further, the breaking of a strand of the towing cable of the main towing vehicle (the icebreaker Magadan) forced the tugboats to reduce speed and then completely drift. The drilling rig was placed with the log facing the wave. Quite quickly, the waves damaged the structures, in particular the bulwark. The damaged structures were apparently cut off by the tanks' ganders, and water began to flow into them. The drilling rig itself received a trim on the bow, the destruction of the upper structures intensified... As a result, a factor came into play that the British, in their study on the safety of jack-up rigs, called “green water” - the wave washing over the upper structures and decks, the destruction of structures not only by waves, but also by the movement of various objects torn from their fastenings. The situation began to quickly deteriorate. Neftegaz-55 emergencyly gave up its tug and headed to the Kola to rescue people. The tug began to approach the rig directly to rescue the people already gathered on the upper deck and dressed in wetsuits. But at this time one of the rig personnel jumped overboard. Neftegaz-55 began rescuing him, lifted him out of the water and again approached the Kola. Two more jumped overboard, Neftegaz-55 again moved away from the drilling rig and began rescuing them. Literally at the very time when they were pulled out of the water, the drilling rig lay on board, the bulk of the people who had prepared for evacuation were covered by the collapsed derrick of the drilling rig. Precious minutes to save all the people on the rig were spent saving three people whose nerves could not stand it.
An hour before the rig’s death, the tanks, which had cracked during transportation of the rig from Murmansk to Magadan this summer, were dry.

From the available data, it can be assumed that the main factor in the death of the drilling rig was the breaking of a strand of the towing cable and subsequent drift, during which the drilling rig was placed with a log to the wave. The captain's decision to turn south even at a time when everything was in order with the cable raises doubts.

The investigation is being conducted by 4 commissions from four departments, headed by a commission of the Investigative Committee. How, with such an abundance of commissions and the uncertainty of the entire mechanism for investigating an emergency, it is possible to establish as fully as possible the picture of what happened and find the truth is completely incomprehensible.