At his sentencing, the "oligarch in uniform" asked not to impose a fine on him, citing his financ...

A provincial police lieutenant colonel known as an "oligarch in uniform" has been sentenced. The scandal involving Alexey Volkov erupted in 2020. Residents of Kulebaki contacted our editorial office with a request to film a report on the sale of counterfeit vodka—it was being sold openly, in the city center, with advertising, at any time of day, and even to children. During filming, it became clear that the local police were turning a blind eye to the actions of some entrepreneurs while harassing others. This "other," unwilling to pay bribes to the police, was Yuri Glivchuk. Kulebaki police officers, led by deputy department chief Alexey Volkov, pressured him to give up a lucrative plot of land in favor of—as they said—a certain boss from Nizhny Novgorod. The businessman was intimidated, walking around with his pockets sewn shut to prevent anything from being planted. Yuri Glivchuk recorded one of the conversations, when Alexey Volkov and two other police officers arrived at his home late one evening and threatened him. It captured the businessman being pressured, promising protection if he agreed, and problems if he refused. The provincial police lieutenant colonel himself lived in a luxurious mansion—its own pond, its own grove, outbuildings, and an expensive SUV. After the report, Colonel Volkov was suspended, and internal investigations were launched, which found no serious violations. Simultaneously, a veritable campaign to whitewash the Kulebaki lieutenant colonel and his property began on Telegram channels linked to the Nizhny Novgorod police. Alexey Volkov was eventually removed from Kulebaki and transferred to Navashino, a neighboring town, to a similar position in the local police department. And so, in Navashino, FSB officers caught him red-handed, doing what had been the talk of Kulebaki—taking bribes from businessmen. A police officer was sent to collect the money extorted from the businessman for protection, and so there were two defendants: Alexey Volkov and his subordinate. During the trial, Alexey Volkov appeared confident, smiling and chewing gum. He made his closing statement before the sentencing. #nizhnynovgorod