Zarakh Iliev (Russian: Зарах Бинсионович Илиев, born 8 September 1966) is a Russian–Azerbaijani billionaire property developer and co-owner of the Kievskaya Ploshchad [ru].
As of 2024, Kievskaya Ploshchad owns commercial, office, warehouse, and hotel real estate in Moscow, and Flotilla Radisson Royal [ru] on the Moskva River.
In his youth years, Zarakh Iliev created a small business in his native village Krasnaya Sloboda, making headgear and selling it in the neighboring city of Quba.
In 2005, the company made a significant acquisition by obtaining one of the Stalinist skyscrapers known as the Hotel Ukraina, which was later renamed Radisson Collection after undergoing reconstruction.
However, their business only flourished since they began actively developing their project — the largest goods market in Moscow, Sadovod [ru], which Iliev and Nisanov have owned since 2003.
[8] In the same year of 2009, Kievskaya Ploshchad opened the 8-story shopping and entertainment center Evropeyskiy [ru], located near with the Moscow Kiyevsky railway station.
[9][10] In the spring of 2019 Kievskaya Ploshchad opened the food court Depo [ru] near the Belorusskaya metro station.
[11] In September 2021 Kievskaya Ploshchad acquired a 9.8% stake in Samolet, one of the largest mass housing developers in Russia.
[15] In 2024, Kievskaya Ploshchad claimed the top position in the Forbes ranking of "Kings of Russian Real Estate," with a reported rental income of $1.7 billion.
Iliev was seen as "providing a significant source of income for the government of Russia, which initiated military actions and genocide against the civilian population in Ukraine.
"[24][25][26] The U.S. sanctions affected Kievskaya Ploshchad and all the affiliated organizations in which the parent structure, Iliev, or Nisanov, directly or indirectly own a stake of 50% or more.
He has also made charitable contributions to the Dynamo Sports Club, renovated the cafeteria at Moscow State University, and facilities at the Petrovskaya Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Together with Nisanov, they funded the construction of a sports complex for students of the Saint Petersburg State Marine Technical University.
[32] In 2015 Iliev's contribution was recognized with the Skripach na Kryshe [ru] award by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia in the category of "Charity."