Source Marina Mikhailova was accused of fraud with a road overhaul. In the Amur region, the investigating authorities charged Marina Mikhailova, who resigned from the post of mayor of Tynda in mid-December. She is charged with abuse of power when organizing a major overhaul of the main city highway, which began last year. The defense of the mayor, who does not admit guilt, appealed against the arrest, the defendant herself intends to fight “for truth and an honest name.”
Investigators of the Amur Investigation Department of the ICR charged the former mayor of Tynda Marina Mikhailova with abuse of power (part 2 of article 285 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). As Kommersant reported, on December 18, 51-year-old Marina Mikhailova was arrested for two months, she faces up to seven years in prison. Before that, on December 9, she resigned with the official wording “for health reasons.” The duties of the mayor are performed by her deputy Igor Salnikov.
The criminal case against the former official was initiated based on the materials of the check of the regional prosecutor's office, which began due to the unfinished repair of Krasnaya Presnya Street in Tynda. Contract for the overhaul of the main city highway with a total cost of 600 million rubles. (including 250 million rubles of federal funds) was won by Karyer-A LLC. Work began in 2021, but was suspended in July 2022. The mayor reported the insolvency of the contractor, and in September the contract with him was terminated. The Amur OFAS recognized the company as an unscrupulous supplier. In fact, it was found that less than 8% of the planned work was completed. In October, a criminal case was initiated against David Margaryan, General Director of Karier-A LLC, he is suspected of embezzlement on an especially large scale while executing this municipal contract. At the end of October, the court issued a decision on his arrest.
Later, the prosecutor's office and the investigation studied the role of the mayor of the city. According to authorities, in December 2021, Marina Mikhailova accepted and paid for materials worth more than 130 million rubles under the contract. At the same time, the contractor did not perform work for the specified amount, and the material was missing.
Marina Mikhailova until about 2009 worked in the media of the Chita and Amur regions, then until 2013 she headed the Tynda city printing house. Then she became interested in human rights activities, was a deputy of the Tynda City Duma of three convocations, as well as the first secretary of the city committee of the Communist Party. In September 2018, a communist was elected mayor of Tynda (with a turnout of just over 30%, she won less than 49% of the vote). Then Marina Mikhailova unexpectedly left the party “for the duration of her powers.”
Her lawyer Karo Zhamkochyan told Kommersant that he had already filed an appeal against the decision of the Blagoveshchensk City Court to arrest her. According to him, the prosecution is based on the oral testimony of one person – a subordinate of Marina Mikhailova. At the same time, it was not her who signed the acts of work performed.
“In fact, the only reason for the arrest of my client was the severity of the alleged crime, which is not an unconditional and sufficient basis for choosing the most severe measure of restraint. All arguments of the defense were unreasonably ignored by the court, and they were not given a proper assessment, including the validity of Mikhailova's suspicion of committing the crime she was accused of. She does not admit guilt in the abuse of power, she is determined to fight for the truth and for her honest name,” Mr. Zhamkochyan said.
Meanwhile, the main street of Tynda remains unrepaired. On Thursday, December 22, the governor of the Amur Region, Vasily Orlov, announced that the repair of Krasnaya Presnya would be carried out by a large regional company, JSC Asfalt. The facility is scheduled for commissioning in 2023. In 2024, major celebrations are planned in Tynda in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Baikal-Amur Mainline.
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