Russian politician convicted of stealing millions from border defence construction PHOTO/VIDEO

Vasilyev, a former member of the Kursk Regional Duma, has been convicted of embezzlement linked to the construction of fortification projects and sentenced to five and a half years in a general-regime penal colony.

A joint press service of the regional judicial system states that the court also ruled in favor of a full recovery of more than 152 million rubles from Vasilyev, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

The lawsuit was initiated by the Kursk Region Development Corporation, the entity responsible for constructing defensive structures along the border with Ukraine. In addition to his prison term, Vasilyev has been fined 800,000 rubles and is required to serve his sentence in a general-regime correctional facility.

The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of financial misconduct in projects tied to national defense and border security in Russia.

By Vafa Guliyeva