Krasnoyarsks Mayor Faces Bribery Charges Amid Corruption Allegations

The mayor of Krasnoyarsk, a city in Siberia, has been detained on suspicions of bribery, according to reports from law enforcement agencies and Russian media on Monday.

Vladislav Loginov, affiliated with the ruling United Russia party, has been the mayor since 2022. According to local news outlet NGS24, searches were carried out at both his residence and City Hall. Police sources informed TASS news agency that Loginov was being moved to Moscow for a pre-trial hearing to assess his detention.

The Investigative Committee of Russia, which deals with significant crimes, reported that Loginov is allegedly linked to over 180 million rubles (approximately $2.3 million) in bribes accepted from the CEO of a private firm between 2018 and 2024, during his tenure as first vice mayor and later as mayor.

Svetlana Petrenko, spokesperson for the Investigative Committee, stated, “The bribes were delivered as cash and through payment for the construction of a private bathhouse situated on land owned by Loginov. In return, he supposedly facilitated the company’s acquisition of contracts from the Krasnoyarsk municipal agency for road repairs, infrastructure projects, and urban development.”

The local faction of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) characterized the arrest as “expected” and a “natural consequence of the policies implemented by Loginov and his team.” The LDPR had previously called for the mayor’s resignation and accused him of participating in corruption schemes related to public transport, waste management, and tree removal.

Speculation regarding Loginov’s potential legal issues began circulating in the spring of 2024. Last summer, Dekard Khanagyan, a businessman connected to a city contracting scheme, was arrested on charges of obtaining public roadwork contracts through kickbacks involving municipal officials associated with the mayor.

In March, local council member Vyacheslav Dyukov alleged that multiple City Hall officials were providing testimony against Loginov and his advisor, Artur Arutyunyan, who was detained in late February on suspicion of misconduct in office.

Since 2012, Loginov has held various positions within the city’s administration, including deputy head of the municipal economy department, leader of two city districts, and first vice mayor.