Cheating on patronage: what the ex-candidate for mayor of Novosibirsk is accused of
The indictment against the former head of the Novosibirsk Region Development Corporation and ex-candidate for mayor of the capital of the region, Alexander Zyryanov, was approved by the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Izvestia found out. He is accused of receiving bribes with services, namely, that his "partners" from among local companies posted paid publications in the media during the period when he was running for mayor of Novosibirsk. The defense claims that these were only announcements of a local film festival and posts about fundraising for the purchase of armored vehicles for the participants of the SVO. The details of the case are in the Izvestia article.
Family traditions
Alexander Zyryanov, the head of the Novosibirsk Region Development Corporation (this joint-stock company belongs to the Ministry of Economic Development of the region), built a scheme in the region to receive bribes from entrepreneurs for general patronage. This fact was established by law enforcement agencies during the preliminary investigation. A source familiar with the case materials informed Izvestia about the end of the investigation. The official has been in custody since June 2024.
The decision to bring Zyryanov as an accused (Izvestia has a copy, its authenticity was confirmed by a source familiar with the investigation) states that he, as the head of JSC Novosibirsk Region Development Corporation, received bribes for committing actions in favor of entrepreneurs. In particular, he helped to conclude contracts with the companies of entrepreneurs (father and son) Muslimov — LLC "Techstroy-NSK" and LLC "Stroytech".
There are several interesting episodes in Zyryanov's criminal case. For example, the resolution says that entrepreneurs paid the head of the corporation for image publications on the eve of the mayoral elections in Novosibirsk — he ran for this position in April 2024. The election was eventually won by Maxim Kudryavtsev, the vice-governor of the Novosibirsk Region.
The resolution also states that the Family Traditions Film Festival was organized in Novosibirsk in March 2024. To cover it in the media, publications were posted, paid for by Stroytech LLC.
According to investigators, it was the Muslimovs who paid for media publications allegedly forming a positive image of Zyryanov. They invested 9.5 million rubles in this "in order to increase it (Alexander Zyryanov. — Ed.) recognition and popularity, the formation of a positive image in society and authority among officials." A total of nine publications were posted on local information resources.
Izvestia reviewed the content of the articles. They contain announcements of the festival, and Zyryanov, as the head of the corporation, provides comments on the need for such events in the region.
According to lawyer Roman Kandaurov, defending Zyryanov, the cost of the publications amounted to about 375 thousand rubles (the investigation says about 9.5 million rubles) and there was no image component.
In the appeal of the Defense Version bar association, which includes Kandaurov, addressed to the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation Igor Krasnov (Izvestia has a copy) It is said that the event was held to attract residents of Novosibirsk to the Russian presidential election and to draw attention to the Year of the Family. At the same time, it does not deny that the sponsor of the film festival, Stroytech, paid for the publications.
A bribe to help
In the case of Alexander Zyryanov, there are several more episodes of receiving bribes with services. According to investigators, in 2024, the ex-head of the corporation received 1.5 million rubles from the general director of JSC Biotechnopark Management Company Ivanov and his deputy Petrushkin for general patronage.
Kandaurov told Izvestia that it was not a bribe, but help to the participants of the SVO. According to him, these funds were used to purchase armored vehicles for use in the zone of a special military operation.
"Ivanov knew this perfectly well and gave the money of his own free will," the lawyer said.
The case file contains testimony from Igor Salov, chairman of the Novosibirsk branch of the public organization Opora Rossii, who said that it was he who, in March 2024, announced a fundraiser for the purchase of five armored vehicles for the needs of his military at the request of Zyryanov.
The case also contains a protocol of a lawyer's interview with Yan Gagin, adviser to the head of the Donetsk People's Republic, who reported that Zyryanov responded to his request to raise funds for armored vehicles.
According to Kandaurov's lawyer, the vehicles are currently in service with the 24th Airborne Brigade stationed in Avdiivka, Donetsk region, and the 70th Ermak Regiment of the Internal Troops.
The investigation also found that in 2021, Zyryanov received 3 million rubles from the same Muslim entrepreneurs for assistance in concluding a construction and installation contract for 18.4 million rubles.
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