Russia jails ex-governor in border defense corruption case

Alexei Smirnov was sentenced to 14 years in a maximum-security prison. Alexei Smirnov, ex-governor of the Kursk region on Russia’s border with Ukraine, was found guilty on Monday of large-scale fraud involving money intended for frontier fortifications. The case centers on funds meant to bolster defenses in Kursk, parts of which were seized by Ukrainian forces during a surprise cross-border offensive in August 2024. Ukraine later withdrew following a Russian counteroffensive. Smirnov, who held office from May to December 2024, was accused of siphoning off state funds alongside other officials and contractors tasked with building defensive structures. He was sentenced to 14 years in a maximum-security prison, fi