RBC reports Sergei Zakamorny remanded in custody in bribery case

Former Russian Defence Ministry forestry and natural resources official Sergei Zakamorny has been remanded in custody in a major bribery case, RBC reported on October 10. Its sources said investigators allege the payment exceeded 10 million roubles.

RBC cited three law enforcement sources. They said the case was opened on October 8 and Zakamorny was detained that day. Moscow’s Khamovnichesky district court reportedly granted a military investigator’s request for two months in custody the following day.

According to the investigative account relayed by the sources, the money was paid in return for general protection of a commercial organisation. Zakamorny is charged under Part 6 of Article 290 of the Russian Criminal Code. The allegation is not a finding of guilt, and no verdict in the new case has been reported.

His name disappeared from the Defence Ministry website as the director after the detention. Ekaterina Kharitonova was appointed acting head. The SPARK company database still listed him as director, although one RBC source said he no longer held the post.

RBC sent questions to the investigative directorate, the ministry, the institution and the court. The article does not include their responses.

The newspaper also reported that proceedings against former director Mikhail Borisov were suspended on October 7. Sources attributed that decision to his signing a military contract and deployment to the war in Ukraine. Borisov, detained in 2018, faced abuse-of-office and bribery charges.

His cooperation with investigators led to the arrests of Dmitry Kurakin and Vladislav Kholodkov in 2020. Moscow’s Nikulinsky court sentenced them to 17 and 14 years in prison respectively in November 2024.

The forestry directorate manages and protects forests on Defence Ministry land, organises restoration, tackles illegal logging and poaching, and monitors the obligations of forest leaseholders.