Russia imprisons former Kursk governor over corruption linked to Ukraine incursion

Alexei Smirnov, the former governor of Russia’s Kursk region, has been sentenced to 14 years in a penal colony for accepting bribes from construction companies responsible for building border fortifications against Ukraine. His corruption contributed to inadequate defenses, which allowed Ukrainian troops to capture significant territory during a surprise offensive in August 2024. The court also imposed a fine of 400 million roubles and confiscated over 20 million roubles from Smirnov’s assets.

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