Ex-Kursk Governor Gets 14 Years for $250K Kickbacks Amid Kremlin’s Corruption Crackdown

A Russian court has sentenced former Kursk governor Alexei Smirnov to 14 years in prison for accepting more than $250,000 in kickbacks linked to defence fortification contracts. He was also fined 400 million rubles after pleading guilty. The ruling comes after a security breach in August 2024, when Ukrainian forces briefly entered the Kursk region. In response, Moscow launched a sweeping anti-corruption drive targeting regional and military officials. Political tensions grew after another ex-governor, Roman Starovoyt, died by suicide last year amid a related probe. By April 2025, Russian troops, reportedly aided by North Korean forces, had fully regained control of the border area.

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