Banker Roman Avdeev- a famous person both among businessmen and... among adoptive parents. The 45-year-old owner of Moscow credit bank" - father of 23 children: 4 natural and 19 adopted. How and how does such a large family live?

Roman, how did it all start - what was the impulse?

The question is very simple. I tried to help orphanages - it was completely useless. Not because they work poorly with children there, and not because the teachers there are bad or the people are evil - on the contrary, there are many fans of their work there. It’s just that the format itself is such that it doesn’t teach children to live independently after an orphanage; the children are not socialized. Accordingly, I asked myself the question: “How else can we move in this direction?” And 10 years ago I started adopting.

How do you understand which child is yours?

If there is a willingness to accept a child, then we do not choose anyone. We have a principle: we adopt very small babies. After all, everything in a child, in principle, is formed before the age of 3. And even more, which we don’t see and don’t realize, is laid before the age of one year - here the conditions for development, attention, care are very important. We simply can do more for a small child, we will have more time. I often communicate with those who want to adopt. Sometimes they say: “We want to be older, otherwise we don’t have the strength to take care of a baby.” But here you need to decide: do you want to accept a child into the family - or not. If yes, then this is some kind of strange approach - there is no strength.

Yes, it takes a lot of strength. Roman, are you discussing with your family the decision to adopt another child?

It can't just be my decision. I believe that the support of the family - the spouse - is the main thing here. Otherwise it is completely pointless. I am glad that my wife Elena supported me. But she was internally ready: when we got married, I already had 12 adopted children. I started the adoption process with my wife, who is no longer alive.

The following situation also happens: a woman wants to adopt a child, is considering it, but a man is against it.

So you don't need to do this. You need to be prepared: if both spouses have no desire to accept this child, then there is no need. The key word here is accept.

Is it theoretically possible to somehow prepare a man and win him over to your side?

Theoretically, everything is possible. Edison said that theoretically it is possible to take a person, disassemble him into molecules, transmit him through wires, and on the other hand assemble him - in general, this does not contradict any physical laws. This is a difficult question, very difficult. A person must reach the adoption decision himself. So purposefully take it, prepare it, go to a psychologist - in my opinion, it doesn’t work. This does not mean that people who are not ready to adopt are bad. No, everyone has their own life. I don't encourage anyone to adopt.

And if we are talking about a childless couple, when does having a child in the family become a matter of principle for a woman?

What kind of family is this where people cannot agree on key issues? Family is constant agreements, respect, and the ability to hear each other.

When you first started adopting, there was a misunderstanding: why do you need so much?

Of course they asked. They still write to me, say, on the website: “Yes, everything is clear, this is how he avoids taxes.” They write a lot of different things. I take this completely calmly: if they don’t understand, that’s fine.

What about your loved ones?

My parents support me. To be honest, I didn’t particularly discuss this: I didn’t gather all the relatives - so, please advise how best to do it. This is still the decision of one family. I discussed this with my parents after my wife and I decided everything. They are scared, of course, they express various concerns - but they support.

What kind of concerns?

Well, we are all mortal... They are afraid that we will not have enough strength, that it will be difficult to raise children if I am gone - and they are still small. Such completely everyday fears. I repeat once again: this is a question of acceptance. If you are ready to accept a child, then all other concerns - the notorious genetics or something else - are not important. I look at things soberly, anything can happen - and with your own child too. But if this is your child, you accepted him - and these are all my children - then everything becomes easier. The only thing that can be implied by the word “genetics” is physical diseases, including hereditary ones. And education can handle everything else. I deeply believe in this. And most importantly, I see it in the example of our family.

The adult generation of the family - and children. From left to right: wife’s mother Tamara Stepanovna, Roman Avdeev. In the center - from left to right: Roman Avdeeva's wife Elena, father Ivan Isakovich, mother Galina Borisovna.

But, on the other hand, wonderful people also have monster children...

We need to educate. And often education is replaced by corruption - people simply pay off their children. You don’t need to devote a lot of time to your child, but only when it’s needed. And you need to support it - exactly when it is needed. And very often parents buy expensive toys instead of socializing. For example, I was forced to buy an iPhone for my children - because everyone in the class has one! I don’t understand why parents - often not very wealthy - buy this? I resist this in every possible way. I had the experience of going to one paid school, where “scratching” began: “What a brilliant child you have,” “Our food is delicious” - but not a word about education. Everything is somehow being discussed in the wrong way, and the wrong things are being done. This is a tragedy for families - you need to take care of your child, you need to love children.

But when do you have time? Deal with so many children, delve into their problems?

I repeat once again: it is not the quantity of time devoted that is important, but the quality. Very often I hear - here, I was born Small child, I definitely need to run to give him a bath, because he remembers that his dad bathes him, and this is imprinted in his memory for the rest of his life. This is complete nonsense. The child needs to be given time when needed. And is in a partnership with him. No, of course, you need to communicate with the baby. Another thing is that we do not engage in adult, conversational communication with him. It is very important that the presence in the child’s life is not just for show, but that it is quality communication.

Do you all get together, are there any family traditions?

We live outside the city, in a cottage village. There is a large area with 3 houses on it. Each child has his own room. We often meet at the table on weekends. But there is no such special tradition: everyone has their own affairs, their own interests, everyone has their own mandatory program. In winter we go to France to ski. More often it turns out to be several people at a time: so that everything together will not happen for a long time. If we talk about family traditions, then I am sure that freedom is an absolute blessing. And the imposition of traditions, no matter how beautiful they may be, is an absolute evil. Everything should be organic. Everyone should receive from the family, life together bliss.

Three adult children live separately, do you also have time to communicate with them?

Yes, relations with everyone are quite normal. The eldest is 23 years old, I am already a grandfather.

Do all kids give gifts on holidays?

Yes, they do all the crafts and draw. But it’s no secret, of course, that everything is organized by mom and nanny. And on my mother’s birthday - me and the nanny (laughs).

How do you celebrate your children's birthdays?

We just get together, congratulate, and present gifts. The birthday boy gives his gifts. But we don’t make a fetish out of anything, we don’t create a problem out of anything. So, to celebrate every birthday specially, with invited clowns or a big trip somewhere - there is no such thing. So you will have to celebrate every week - and the holiday will turn into some kind of routine. We try to keep everything sincere.

Do you go somewhere together in Moscow?

With our traffic jams - very rarely. If in some groups we only go to the movies.

Schools, nannies and manny

Probably this one big family complex logistics. How do you manage to organize everything?

Routine and discipline is important issue. Each child has his own schedule, although we certainly deviate from it often. This is both good and bad. There are compulsory classes for everyone. For example, all my children are bilingual. Four English teachers - three women and a man - they simply don’t know any other way, they don’t speak Russian. Probably there is a lack of male influence, but we don’t have such a tradition. But the British have it: they even have a term - manny - man+nanny, that is, “male nanny.” Accordingly, English, swimming (we have a pool at home, an instructor comes), music. This is a must.C additional education the key word, I believe, is interest. Now they say that children are overloaded and tired - this is not true. If the child is interested, he will go to bed later. Are children their own enemies? So they like it. And, of course, school, kindergarten- all state-owned.

Roman Avdeev with his wife Elena

You have a real kindergarten at home! But do they still go?

We try to get children to communicate more outside. And the main idea behind them going to kindergarten is socialization. Yes, they communicate a lot with each other, but we suddenly encountered a problem that we did not even expect. They were taught that everyone around them is brothers and sisters, and toys should be shared. And the kids went to kindergarten and started bringing toys from the kindergarten. Well, it's the same by and large, is called "theft". We started paying attention, specially personalizing it - this is your toy, but this one is yours. They also had separate toys, of course, but they were used to the fact that everything in the house could be taken, everything around them was theirs. “Where is the car from? - I took this from a boy in the group. - Does the boy know? - No". Children must learn norms of behavior, which is why we send them to kindergarten.

Sometimes wealthy people, on the contrary, try to separate their children from “ordinary” people and limit communication. The idea of ​​“raising a breed” is not close to you?

No, not close. For example, when we fly on an airplane, we always take tickets in economy class. Or I talked to a lord in England, the most upper class. Well, a completely social, completely simple person. In the summer, the whole family goes to the dacha in Lipetsk. We have never flown with children to either the Maldives or the Bahamas. It seems to me that Lipetsk is much better - we have our own cows there. Good vacation- and everyone likes it. I think it is very important to cultivate respect for all people, no matter what. Of course, we have a chef. But we teach our children: “He cooks because you can’t, he helps us - and you should be grateful to him.” Addressed by first name and patronymic, no familiarity. And we talk with the staff: if suddenly children cross any boundaries, they should be strictly stopped. There are no problems with nannies, but sometimes it happens with other workers.

Do children have household responsibilities?

Certainly. The first duty is to clean your room. Our children are self-service: the smallest ones learn to dress and undress, and then they build up and build up. Everything that they can do for themselves due to their age, they do themselves.

Last question: are today's children different from us?

Yes, I look at my children: they are different from me in better side. All. Because there are new opportunities, there are no such complexes as I had during my upbringing - after all, life does not stand still.

Avdeev opened his own cooperative in 1989. In 1994 he bought the Moscow Credit Bank. By 2006, he created the Chernozemye agricultural holding and became the general director of the Rossium investment concern. In 2010, he opened the real estate agency Domus-Finance, and in 2012, the development company Ingrad. In 2017, he bought the Torpedo football club. Married three times.

The main thing in the life of businessman Roman Avdeev is his family. Given its size, he built several houses on his site. Children have playrooms, a cinema, a swimming pool, and a ski track. It’s a pity that it’s not often possible to bring everyone together – those who are already grown up and those who are still little – only on major holidays.

Roman Avdeev adopted his first children when he was 34 years old. The businessman’s second wife then had oncology, but the wife supported her husband’s intention to take twins Katya and Tima into the family. The father and sons from his first marriage, Anton and Kirill, agreed with the decision. After the death of his second wife, Roman Ivanovich, being a wealthy widower, adopted 10 more children.

Roman Avdeev: “My wife and I had a long discussion about whether we can or cannot. Because there was this story: I helped orphanages for a long time, and then I realized that it didn’t work.”

According to Avdeev, it is easier for a man than for a woman to accept children who are not their own. And he is very grateful to his third wife, who is raising his adopted children and children from previous marriages as his own.

Avdeev said that for the first time he decided to take two children because he wanted both a boy and a girl.

Roman Avdeev: “We wanted twins precisely because these children have less chance of ending up in a family. They take one easier. Then I took all the other children from Odintsovo or Naro-Fominsk hospitals - just the closest areas. We had preferences based on gender. But then, when it came to specifics, they kept getting confused. Ideally, they wanted there to be an equal number of boys and girls. And now we have more boys.”

Now eight children live with their parents permanently. The youngest are 6 years old. From the age of 12, many were sent to study abroad in the UK and Germany. Children spend weekends with their parents whenever possible. Making a stool with your son for a billionaire from the Forbes list is the best entertainment for a Saturday evening.

The main thing in relationships with children, according to Avdeev, is trust, and not the amount of time you spend with them. In his family they receive various opportunities, but the billionaire does not plan to leave them an inheritance.

Roman Avdeev: “I try to help them and try to give them what will remain with them all the time - this is upbringing, education, knowledge. And then they must choose for themselves and rely on themselves. I always say: I will help you, and you can always count on me, but I will not do anything for you. “I definitely want to leave everything for charitable purposes and for solving the problems of orphanhood.”

Billionaires are also different. Someone needs yachts, planes, football clubs, Faberge eggs. The owner of the bank, Roman Avdeev, in addition to his four children, adopted 19 orphans. The billionaire, who was ranked 69th by Forbes magazine, estimating his fortune at $1.3 billion, considers his main wealth to be big family. How it developed and what to do about orphanhood in the country - the banker himself with many children told RG.

I'm ashamed in front of the children

Roman Ivanovich, if you were not a wealthy person, would you have adopted so many orphans?

Roman Avdeev: It is difficult to answer this question honestly. Of course, my financial situation helps me a lot. We, too, are faced with serious medical problems in children, and we are forced to solve them abroad. As you understand, it's not free. We have the opportunity to hire teachers and nannies. But I know families, not at all wealthy, who take a child. My friends adopted an orphan with a birth injury - the same age as theirs. native child. I take my hat off to them. I don’t know if I would have the willpower to take on a disabled child. You can upload anything, but it’s not words, but actions that have value.

What prompted you to take your first child?

Roman Avdeev: I come from Soviet Union. And what was promoted is not an empty phrase for me. When I see a grandmother on the street selling something because she needs money, I feel uncomfortable that I have a lot of it. And I feel ashamed in front of the children who were abandoned. I tried to help orphanages and came to the conclusion that it was useless. Well, they will replace the windows there with plastic ones and make repairs - the children will be neither hot nor cold from this. This is for the inspectors. If you want to do something for the child himself, do it. Not everyone has the opportunity to take in an orphan. But even more important is readiness. When I realized that the family was ready for such a step, we adopted twins. And then it’s easier. Now the three eldest are already living separately, but in the summer we adopted three kids, so 20 children remain with us.

In the minds of many, the wife of a billionaire should spend time in beauty salons, but for you it’s just Sofia Tolstaya...

Roman Avdeev: She already took me with 12 children. We started adopting orphans with our previous wife, who, unfortunately, died. To be honest, I was no longer going to get married with such a burden. It is generally more difficult for a woman than for a man to accept someone else’s child into the family. This is a strong emotional burden. Elena accepted everyone, we had a daughter, and we adopted five more. At the same time, she teaches English at the institute, although I buzz in her ear to quit her job.

Morning with exercise

It’s hard to even imagine the day of such a large family...

Roman Avdeev: Today I got up at five in the morning and went to the gym. I didn’t see anyone - there are no fools to study at this time. When I return in the evening, the children will be asleep. This often happens to me.

We have two in the fourth grade who get up for school on their own, and four more first-graders who are helped to get ready and have breakfast. Everyone studies at a regular state gymnasium in Odintsovo. A driver takes you there for half an hour from home.

After lunch, the preparators go to classes. Before that, they went to kindergarten - also a regular one, now we are preparing them for school. Reading and writing is one thing, but it is psychologically difficult to sit through 40 minutes of a lesson. Therefore, we load it with sports: in the house there is a swimming pool, in the yard there is an ice skating rink. It’s bad that the main classes are held at home, because of this there is little communication with peers. I try to socialize them, and not isolate them from life.

Of course, we have housekeepers, a cook, and drivers... We can’t all fit in one house; there are four of them on the property. Each child has his own room, his own personal space. In the summer we go to Lipetsk region- Several houses were also built there.

Are the expenses for such a family comparable, for example, to maintaining a yacht or an airplane?

Roman Avdeev: I've never owned a yacht and have no plans to buy one, so I have nothing to compare it to. All basic family expenses - for nannies, teachers, tutors, coaches. In addition to Russian teachers, foreigners teach children. All our children learn two languages ​​from the age of one year - English and Russian. This is important - two cultures, a different perception of the world. Then they easily learn both the third and fourth languages.

Will you send me to study abroad?

Roman Avdeev: I'll send it, from about twelve years old.

Don't snitch

Education is more or less clear, but what about upbringing? On remote access?

Roman Avdeev: To this question I usually answer that it is not necessary to devote a lot of time to the child. You have to give it when you need it. A family is an environment where a child feels safe. We create such an environment for him. We get together for family councils and discuss what happened during the week. No edification. It is important that the mechanism that makes a person human is started. Is this how a baby is taught to walk? Supporting you by the handles so that you don’t fall. In this case, bruises and contusions are inevitable. But not letting him walk is an even greater evil.

Are you a strict father?

Roman Avdeev: I play the role of Baba Yaga. When you need to have a serious conversation with someone, I do it. It happens, and we punish. On New Year We went to France to ski. The girls “framed” their brother, for which they were deprived of sweets for the entire holiday. But we talked - they understand why this happened. And I don’t like sneaking - I nip it in the bud.

You are probably often asked: aren’t you afraid of genetics? “Abandoned” children are children of drug addicts, alcoholics...

Roman Avdeev: I think that genetics has no influence on moral issues. This is laid down by upbringing, traditions, and culture. And here the role of parents is great. The formula is simple: my children should know what is good and what is bad. But I won’t impose anything: when they grow up, they will make their own choice.

Do you know the most common wish of potential Russian adoptive parents? So that it would be “a girl under three years old of Slavic appearance.” Do you have a preference?

Roman Avdeev: We’re not even talking about nationality. But age matters to us. We try to take in abandoned children under one year old. Just to invest more in the child. This period - from zero to three years - is very important for its formation.

Is adoption secret necessary?

Roman Avdeev: Needed. Let the family decide for themselves whether to tell the child that he was adopted or not. After all, the stories are different...

Will you tell the truth to your children?

Roman Avdeev: I don’t hide it, but this is impossible with so many children. There was a case when a child asked me if he was family? I say: we have a family, I am the godfather, Lena - godmother. He ran away as if nothing had happened. And then I was worried.

Photo from the family archive of Roman Avdeev.

If the biological mother or father comes, will you let him in?

Roman Avdeev: Now this is hardly possible. But when the children grow up and if they want to find their parents, I will help them.

You, like Bill Gates, wrote on your blog that you are not going to leave an inheritance to your children. This is true?

Roman Avdeev: Who doesn’t repeat the Chinese proverb that you should give the fishing rod, not the fish, but we give you the fish anyway... Of course, I will help the children, but I’m not going to do it for them. When the elders grow up, I buy the first car. I used to say that the best first car is a Lada. Now I take the position that it can be anything, but not more than 400 thousand rubles. Of course they are offended. As a child, I was also offended that someone had a better toy, and we lived quite modestly. But this is normal: this is, in general, how the soul grows. This is how we socialize.

Have you ever wanted such a big family?

Roman Avdeev: I don't pose the question that way. This is my destiny and I am happy with it. For me, family is not a burden, but a part of life from which I enjoy.

Legend about certificates

In connection with the new law, serious passions flared up around orphans. Do you think Russian children should be given up for adoption abroad?

Roman Avdeev: If we didn’t have so many social orphans in our country, there are almost 800 thousand of them in orphanages, and adoptive parents stood in line, then, of course, we would have managed without foreigners. But in the context of the current situation, in my opinion, we need to give back.

All children should live in families. Orphanages are a dead-end branch of development. I have traveled there a lot and am familiar with the situation. The point is not that the people there are bad or there is little money, the system itself is a sweatshop, it is not capable of raising adaptive members of society. And this is no secret to anyone.

Now there are various proposals on how to reduce the number of orphans in the country. For example, pay a lump sum of 100 thousand rubles per disabled child, simplify the adoption procedure... Do you think this will have an effect?

Roman Avdeev: I am both in favor of financial incentives. But this alone does not solve anything. And sometimes it leads to the worst. If you remember, in one of the federal subjects decent payments were established for foster families, but during the crisis they were cut, and people began to return children back to orphanages. What a trauma for the orphans!

But financial incentives do not necessarily mean direct payments. These children should be guaranteed free education (so that they can enter a university) and free medicine, including all necessary operations, and if the child is disabled, then prosthetics.

The state itself, without the participation of citizens, cannot cope with orphanhood. It must create an environment where these problems will be resolved in a targeted manner. Its mission also includes promoting family values. It sounds Soviet, but it's true. At least for the sake of self-preservation, the state should promote and support the family. And even in our advertising, if the image of a family is exploited, it is always a father, mother and one child.

Is the adoption procedure really that complicated today?

Roman Avdeev: This is one of the common “legends” that you need to collect an incredible amount of papers. Of course, certificates are required that you are not a drug addict, have not been in prison and are not terminally ill. I don’t even understand which one can be neglected? I easily registered all the children and went through all the courts. I was ready to pay, but there was not even a hint of this anywhere. True, there was a funny incident at the passport office. I come with a court decision to register the child, and they tell me: “We won’t register, you want to get an apartment from the state.”

Are orphanages long lasting?

Roman Avdeev: I'm afraid so. The task in society should be posed differently: not to reduce the number of children in orphanages, but to do everything to prevent them from ending up there. I was invited to a TV show where young parents were sitting - they themselves were former orphanage residents, from whom four children were taken away because they lived in poverty. It is easier for guardianship authorities to remove children from a dysfunctional family than to help it. This is not normal. Then let's go to India and take all the children out of the slums.

As for state-owned orphanages, they need to be enlarged so that there is a swimming pool, and all kinds of halls, clubs, and circles. And the pupils must go to a regular school - together with their families. Although their parents will probably resist. In words we are all for orphans, “but not in our school.”

Help "RG"

Roman Avdeev is 45 years old. Born in Odintsovo, near Moscow. He studied, as he himself says, in fits and starts: he started at Moscow Power Engineering Institute, then at the University of Business and Information Technologies, Technical University. One of the first cooperators: at the age of 22, he began producing PAL-SECAM decoders, which were then in short supply, which were sold at the Tushino radio market. After 5 years, he acquired a small bank with a dozen employees, now it is one of the largest in the country. Among his sports hobbies are yoga, skiing, rowing, and cycling.

Forbes billionaires are by definition high-status people

Therefore, it is not surprising that their hobbies that are not directly related to business correspond to their status. Some buy sports clubs, others go into politics, and others simply do some exotic things. Odintsovo resident Roman Avdeev, owner and co-owner of many business structures, including large banks, is not noticed in such hobbies and stands out sharply among his colleagues and neighbors on the Forbes list. He is the father of 23 children, natural and adopted. He himself makes no distinction between them. Children are children. Therefore, the answer to my question about what is most important for him in life was quite predictable.

MK Help numbers

69th ROMAN AVDEEV occupies a place in the list richest businessmen Russia according to Forbes.

At 1.4 billion US DOLLARS estimates Avdeev's net worth today.

The main thing in my life is family. Family has always been important to me, but right now I have come to fully understand its role in my life. But everything has its time. In my youth I wanted to become a scientist, but life had other plans. I always try to look forward and have no regrets. But still, nostalgia for some episodes of my life remains.

- Roman, you have a diversified business. Do you have any idea how many people work in your structures?

- (Pause.) I never counted the number of employees, I didn’t even think about it. Therefore, it is difficult to answer this question. We are probably talking about thousands. I always try to organize my business so that a team of professionals works. In this case, we are talking about professionalism rather than the number of employees.

I asked the question about the number of employees in the following context. I would like to understand how easy it is and why you break up with people?

In my professional activities I part with people easily. After all, we all work together as long as there is a common interest. Some people leave on their own; for others, I make this decision. If a person is a professional, the work should be interesting to him. Of course, monetary compensation is important, but if interest is lost, there is simply no point in further joint activities. I would like to emphasize that there must be drive in the work.

- Then a completely banal question arises. What is business for you?

Business is business. Business is not part of me, my family. The so-called “dynastic business” is alien to me. In my opinion, it is wrong to make even creative work hereditary, let alone business. I sell some businesses and invest in others, that's my job.

Once I was talking with the British, and they asked me very interest Ask: “In five years, will you be playing golf or doing business?” For me, the answer is clear - do business. Business is my destiny. But despite this, if a lucrative offer comes, I will sell any of my companies without regret.

- And even this one(the conversation took place in the office of the largest capital bank)?

And even this one. I'm a fairly self-confident person. I know that I can be useful in any other business.

- Start from scratch?

It is not possible to start from scratch, since to do this you must first go bankrupt. (Laughs.) But in fact, I am sure that I can do any business, because the principles of management are quite universal.

Photo from the archive of Roman Avdeev.

You are a person who has lived all your conscious and unconscious life in the Moscow region, in the Odintsovo district. How do you assess the economic opportunities of the Moscow region?

I see huge potential in the area. The region is superior to St. Petersburg in all respects, not to mention other regions Russian Federation. Of course, it’s difficult to compare with Moscow, there are different weight categories, but this is not a problem for the Moscow region, but a problem for the whole country. The problem is that a significant part of the region’s population works in Moscow. The product is created for Moscow, and the social burden is borne by the region.

It seems to me that the new governor Andrei Vorobyov is able to give new impetus to the development of the region. I, as a person living in the Moscow region, do not think that it is in some kind of socio-economic corral. The main problem for me is the endless traffic jams. I'm really looking forward to finally being able to solve this problem. Abroad, I use public transport, not because it is cheaper (for me this issue is not significant), but because it is more convenient. In Moscow, I take the metro because it’s more convenient, although you often feel like a herring in a barrel. If the area is convenient public transport, then I’ll switch to it without any problems. At one time I went to work by train, but, unfortunately, the train intervals were too long, so I had to give up such trips.

There are two things I love about social media: the ability to find new people interesting people and not lose adequacy. There are very interesting opinions that contain some constructiveness. Even if it’s negative. This gives you the opportunity to develop and look at many problems from a different angle, including yourself. Social networks are a completely different format of communication. You can't say good or bad, just different. By the way, in my family I am the only active user of social networks.

But the network creates the illusion of proximity. Here he is, billionaire Avdeev. You can scold him, you can ask him for money. How correct is my assumption?

Virtual intimacy certainly exists. And there are enough petitioners, sometimes you get the feeling that people have simply gone crazy. The range of requests is quite wide: from “we don’t need anything from you” to “I’ll hang myself if you don’t give me money.” At first there were many such petitioners, but now there are many fewer of them. As a rule, people turn to me for help through social networks. The number of requests is gigantic, mostly asking for money.

- Do you spend a lot of money on charity?

I can’t give an exact figure, but I have an idea of ​​how much money goes to charity. As a matter of principle, I never announce amounts, because this goes against my idea of ​​what charity is.

I have neither the time nor the opportunity to help everyone. I collaborate with several foundations, but I do it anonymously. I don’t like to discuss this, not because it is a secret, but because I believe that charity should be anonymous. At the same time, I do not undertake to say that other methods of charity do not have the right to exist. As a rule, I help sick children and I hope that my help helped avoid some critical situations, but there have also been cases when, despite my help, children died.

- Can you draw an average portrait of people asking you for help?

It seems to me that it is impossible to create a portrait of the average person asking. Nowadays, asking and receiving something from someone has become very fashionable. Recently I thought about the meaning of the Russian word “freebie”, then I tried to translate it into English and German languages. But I never found an equivalent that would completely suit me.

On the one hand, our society is deaf to the problems and suffering of others. On the other hand, we have a lot of professional beggars and petitioners. This is some kind of explosive mix. Unfortunately, it is often very difficult to discern who is really in trouble and who just wants money.

At the same time, I read on your blog that you consider it necessary to sharply increase the salaries of officials. Why does a poor country need a rich official?

If we want to fight corruption, then salaries should be 1000% higher than now. Whatever we say (I leave out the efficiency of officials and corruption), the responsibility that lies with these people and the functions that they perform must be paid accordingly.

You need to work not only for the idea, but there must also be other motivation. As a citizen of the Russian Federation, I would like salaries to also serve as motivation for Russian officials.

Now everyone will start saying that it is better in this case to raise the salaries of teachers and doctors, and increase pensions. But if we really want to see improvements in all these areas, then first of all we need to pay the government properly. I understand that the idea is unpopular, but this is the only way to attract professionals.

Judging by your active activities outside of business, then it is quite reasonable for you to get involved in politics. Which, incidentally, is what a number of your fellow billionaires are already doing. Do you see yourself in politics today?

Everyone must do their job. I take an active civic position and believe that this is important and useful, and politics should be handled by professionals! I really don’t like amateurism in anything. I do not rule out that a person who is professionally involved in business can also successfully engage in politics, but today I simply do not have such a task.

- Why?

You need to have some idea, you need to bring something new. Unfortunately, there are no such ideas that would work and could be beneficial. Political activity- a special sphere. A politician must have a basic idea, because this is the most important thing.

Knowledge Day in the Avdeev family is a fun holiday. 10 first graders at once. Photo from the archive of Roman Avdeev.

- But such a basic idea, in my opinion, exists today. Fight against corruption. Is not it?

Nobody argues that corruption is bad. Still, the fight against corruption is a means to implement an idea, but not the idea itself. In any case, the fight against corruption must begin with ourselves. The main problem for society is corruption in families.

- How is that?

I have to buy an iPhone for my children because other kids already have one. And it's not about the cost of the gadget. Parents start buying expensive gifts for their children instead of finding other motivations for their development. This, in my opinion, is the worst thing. Being a prisoner of this society, I am forced to buy my children such toys so that they do not feel like outcasts. Unfortunately, most modern parents try to compensate for the lack of communication with their children with expensive gifts and money.

Okay, the fight against corruption is not the basic idea. But in the cache there is a reanimated Uvarov triad - autocracy, Orthodoxy, nationality. How do you like this national idea?

A national idea must be formulated that would unite us all. I do not pretend to formulate a national idea, but so far I have not met people who would be against Russia becoming a modern, effective and comfortable state for life. This is a matter of politics. Of course, the Uvarov triad once worked, and worked quite well in an agricultural country, but today we live in a post-industrial society. The national idea must correspond to the modern way of life, must be understandable and close to people. The process is long, but we must strive for this.

REFERENCE

Roman Avdeev was born in Odintsovo. I went to school there, went to college, got married, joined the army (construction battalion), and returned. Young wife, child. We have to support our family. Not until continuing my studies at the institute. In the late 80s, he started the traditional “buy and sell” business. In this connection, receiving higher education lasted for twelve years. “Buy and sell” has become a serious business. Today Roman Avdeev is a rich, very rich man. But his place of residence has not changed. All the same Odintsovo.

Avdeev has 23 children. Ten years ago he adopted his first sons. Rich people, for the most part, are willing to give to charity. Avdeev is no exception. He helped and continues to help orphanages. At some point, it became obvious to him that financial assistance did not fundamentally change anything in the system of these children's institutions.

We did not select children based on any criteria,” Avdeev states and continues: “I don’t believe in bad heredity.” Everything can be solved by education. When there is love in a family, all issues can be resolved. There must be a system of belief in place. If you say one thing and do another, you should forget about the belief system. If there is no personal example, then such a system does not work. Everything else is chatter. It can be hard. Educational mistakes happen.

The billionaire’s children won’t stay long in “an almost ordinary school.”

I decided that children study here until they are 12 years old, and then go to a boarding school in Germany. And then they will choose. Return or stay. I don’t know what they will do. I have not yet had such an experiment. I wish they would come back here. I would really like to. I myself don’t even have such a thought - to emigrate. But this is my choice. Children have their own choice. It's very important to have a choice.