Kursk Deputy Governor Detained Amid Allegations of Corruption in Border Defense Projects

A court in Moscow has placed the acting deputy governor of the Kursk region, located in the southwest, under pre-trial detention due to suspected fraudulent activities linked to border fortifications in the adjacent Belgorod region, as reported by state media on Wednesday.

Alexander Khinshtein, the acting governor of Kursk, confirmed earlier this week that his deputy, Vladimir Bazarov, had been detained, attributing the case to Bazarov’s previous role as deputy governor for construction in Belgorod.

Investigators allege that Bazarov facilitated the misappropriation of approximately 251 million rubles (around $3.1 million) in public funds by manipulating technical specifications and inflating costs for anti-tank defense constructions along the Ukrainian border.

Currently, at least four officials from the Belgorod region are held in custody as part of the ongoing inquiry. Bazarov and his alleged co-conspirators are facing four criminal charges, including bribery, as stated by the Interior Ministry.

On Wednesday, the Meshchansky District Court decided to keep Bazarov in pre-trial detention until October 25, according to the TASS news agency. The court hearing was conducted behind closed doors.

It remains uncertain whether Khinshtein has officially removed Bazarov from his position following the arrest.

The Russian government allocated billions of rubles for fortifications in both the Belgorod and Kursk regions due to apprehensions that Ukrainian forces might instigate an attack on Russian soil. Those fears were realized in August 2024, when Ukrainian troops launched an unexpected offensive into Kursk, taking control of significant areas.

While Ukrainian forces did not execute a similar large-scale offensive in Belgorod, they have conducted numerous small-scale incursions in the region, casting doubt on the effectiveness of the expensive defensive measures.

The Kursk region is also facing scrutiny due to border defense investigations. Earlier this year, former Governor Alexei Smirnov and his first deputy, Alexei Dedov, were arrested on charges of large-scale fraud.