Ex-Kursk Official Sentenced to 5.5 Years in Prison for Misappropriation in Border Defense Projects

A judge in the southwestern Kursk region sentenced former regional lawmaker Maxim Vasilyev to 5.5 years in prison on Friday, following charges of embezzlement linked to failures in border defense construction that enabled a surprise incursion by Ukraine.

Vasilyev is one of at least 11 officials and business leaders involved in related investigations after Ukrainian forces took control of significant areas in the Kursk region in August 2024, prompting scrutiny of border defense measures.

He faced allegations of misappropriating millions of rubles designated for defense initiatives and of making substantial payments to the former deputy governor of the Kursk region, who is accused by prosecutors of operating an “organized group” in conjunction with former Governor Alexei Smirnov.

According to a statement from the press service of the Kursk regional court system, a judge from the Leninsky District Court found Vasilyev guilty of large-scale embezzlement.

In addition to his prison term, Vasilyev was fined 800,000 rubles (approximately $10,100) and mandated to reimburse a regional construction firm 152.8 million rubles (about $1.9 million) as part of a separate civil litigation.

Vasilyev admitted his guilt and reached a plea agreement.

The court’s press service noted that the verdict is not yet finalized and can be appealed.

After facing public backlash for vacationing abroad during the conflict, Vasilyev resigned in 2023 and has repeatedly requested to be deployed to Ukraine as a volunteer combatant.