The Main Military Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee has launched a criminal investigation against former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov in signs of the crime under part 1 of article 293 of the RF Penal Code (negligence).
According to investigators, while being Defense Minister, Anatoly Serdyukov orally ordered his subordinates to build at the expense of the budget funds a motorway from the village of Krasa in Ikryaninsky district, Astrakhan Region to the island Shkolny, where non-commercial partnership Shitnoye was located. This order Serdyukov explained by the alleged wish to build a recreation center for the Ministry’s personnel. In addition, on the order of the former Minister Zhitnoye was repaired. It should be noted that the landscape gardening was made by conscripts of air-unit and the motorway was built by a battalion of railway troops. This means that instead of serving and being trained some soldiers planted poplars in Astrakhan Region and others built the motorway instead of railways. As a result the motorway was built, but it could be used only by owners and guests of Zhitnoye. Moreover, there were no orders or directives explaining why the budget funds had been spent on that or establishing any legal rights of the Ministry to the motorway.
These actions of the former Defense Ministry caused the state damage of over 56 million rubles.
Only during the investigation of the frauds with the assets of the Defense Ministry the recreation center Zhitnoye and the motorway built by the soldiers were put on the Ministry’s payroll.
The final classification to Serdyukov’s actions will be provided following the results of the investigation.
Head of Media Relations V.I. Markin
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