Former Deputy Governors of the Belgorod Region Sentenced to 20 Years for Embezzlement in the "Dragon's Teeth" Case
A Moscow City Court sentenced Vladimir Bazarov and Rustem Zainullin, former deputy governors of the Belgorod Region, to 19 and 20 years in a strict-regime penal colony, respectively.
They were found guilty of embezzling funds during the construction of defensive fortifications on the border with Ukraine.
According to the investigation, the officials organized a system of “kickbacks” from contractors who were building the fortifications. In addition, smaller-than-specified concrete “dragon’s teeth” were purchased for the defense line, rendering the fortifications ineffective. The losses were estimated at 1.7 billion rubles (about $21.5 million).
The court also imposed fines on Bazarov and Zainullin of 500 million and 490 million rubles, respectively (approximately $6.3 million and $6.2 million), and barred them from holding public office after serving their sentences. They plan to appeal the verdict.
Source: Interfax.
As a reminder, following talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump, White House Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner may visit Kyiv for the first time. According to the Financial Times, the parties have already reached a preliminary agreement on such a visit.
Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump’s negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
