Russia Detained Its Second Deputy Mayor In Two Days

• 28.03.2026, 21:35

He's accused of fraud.

FSB officers have detained Chelyabinsk Deputy Mayor Alexander Astakhov - this is the second case of detention of a deputy mayor in Russia in the last two days. This is reported by RBC, TASS, and regional media citing sources.

Astakhov came under suspicion during the investigation of the fraud case in the MUP "Production Association of Water Supply and Water Disposal" (MUP "POVVV"). In addition, law enforcers detained Vadim Khramtsov, head of the Chelyabinsk administration's housing and utilities department.

The day before, on March 27, the vice mayor of Sochi Evgeny Gorobets, as well as the heads of the legal department and municipal land control department Roman Ryabtsev and Aslan Achmizov were detained on suspicion of large-scale embezzlement of budget funds. According to the TASS source, the criminal case against the Sochi officials is related to corruption of almost 12 million rubles. The detainees are charged with mediation in bribery and abuse of power, Baza writes.

Astakhov has been serving as deputy mayor for urban economy since October 2019. As the portal "74" notes, he repeatedly raised problematic issues: heating, waterlogging due to clogged storm drains, pressure testing, snow removal from roofs, utility accidents, catching stray dogs. Astakhov will turn 43 in August. Previously, he worked as business manager of the Chelyabinsk City Duma and served as deputy director of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Administration for Building Maintenance in the Northwestern Federal District" of the Russian Presidential Property Management Directorate.