In Krasnoyarsk Krai, the Minister of Construction and Housing, Mikhail Zaskalko, has been detained over allegations of exceeding his official powers.
According to the Investigative Committee, Zaskalko was aware that a residential building constructed in 2022 for orphans had been declared unsafe, but failed to take action to cancel the contract and recover an advance of over 23 million rubles ($299,000) from the contractor.
He is also accused of illegally instructing his deputy and a company director to organise the construction of a new orphanage and the preparation of design and cost documentation worth around 2 million rubles ($26,000).
The new building could not be commissioned due to non-compliance with the project and budget.
The alleged damage to the regional budget is estimated at approximately 25 million rubles ($325,000). Zaskalko is currently under house arrest, and a criminal case has been opened against him.
By Aghakazim Guliyev
