Ex-Governor Confesses to Corruption in Border Defense Scheme Amid Ongoing Investigation

Former Governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, has confessed to accepting bribes linked to border defense construction projects, as reported by Russian state media on Thursday, citing sources from law enforcement.

Smirnov, who held office until December 2024, made this admission as part of a plea agreement with investigators, according to sources from TASS. His former deputy, Alexei Dedov, is also facing similar charges.

State prosecutors allege that the two men led an “organized group” responsible for misappropriating 1 billion rubles (approximately $11.7 million) in public money intended for defense fortifications along Russia’s southwestern border with Ukraine. Investigators assert that Smirnov and Dedov received around 30 million rubles (roughly $350,000) in kickbacks from contractors involved in the construction.

These allegations emerged following an incursion by Ukrainian forces into the Kursk region in August 2024, just months after Smirnov assumed the governorship. Despite Moscow investing billions in border defenses, Ukrainian troops were able to occupy significant areas before being expelled earlier this year with the aid of Russian forces supported by North Korean troops.

At least 11 officials and business leaders have been implicated in related border construction investigations, as noted by Russian media. Former executives from the Kursk Region Development Corporation informed investigators that they provided Smirnov and Dedov with 15% of contract values, according to the business publication Kommersant.

On Wednesday, a Moscow court extended the pre-trial detention of both Smirnov and Dedov until mid-December. During the hearing, Kommersant reported that prosecutors unveiled additional bribery charges against Smirnov.

Additionally, Smirnov’s predecessor, Roman Starovoit, reportedly took his own life outside Moscow in July amid investigations into the same corruption scheme. At the time, Starovoit was serving as the Transportation Minister.