Oleg Mitvol

Oleg Mitvol, former governor of Moscow’s Northern Administrative District and former vice-president of Rosprirodnadzor, was detained at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport while trying to fly abroad for a vacation. He is suspected of embezzling more than 900 million rubles. According to the Krasnoyarsk Central District Court’s decision, the former official was detained for 1 month and 17 days, a knowledgeable source told Interfax. He faces up to ten years in prison for “particularly major fraud” charges.

Mitvol’s assistant, Inga Shelenskaya, commented on the detention on the RT telegram channel. According to him, Mitvol was “going on a planned vacation to Turkey with his family” (revealed earlier on the network that Mitvol was trying to fly to Dubai). She noted that the preventive measure would be appealed, she said. The assistant also told RIA Novosti that Mitvol is “cooperating with the authorities”.

An RIA Novosti source from the Krasnoyarsk Territory law enforcement said that Mitvol was detained on 8 June. In the criminal case, Mitvol is being held as chairman of the board of directors of the Krasnoyarsk TISIZ company. According to some reports, Mitvol’s arrest is connected with the theft of money allocated for the construction of the metro in Krasnoyarsk – in 2019, this company won a tender to estimate the design and documentation of the metro. According to the Mash telegram channel, the arrest took place on the day of the completion of the forensic construction review, which estimated the cost of construction of the Krasnoyarsk metro.

Oleg Mitvol began his career as a businessman, after which he entered politics. He is also remembered for a series of resonant actions and expressions. Thus, Mitvol, who was appointed vice-president of Rosprirodnadzor in 2004, started a conflict with Alla Pugacheva, accusing the singer of illegally building a bathhouse in the conservation area – she wanted to demolish the building. Pugacheva denied the allegations.

In the same period, he spoke out against the famous television set “Dom-2”, accusing the project of a number of violations related to nature conservation. After becoming governor of Moscow’s Northern Administrative District in 2009, Mitvol began fighting with the local gay club (which was eventually closed) and tried to evacuate the headquarters of the pro-Kremlin youth movement Nashi from the old kindergarten building. Mitvol also regularly clashed with other officials, accusing them of “pollution” and even receiving lawsuits from some in connection with the damage to their reputation. In 2012, Mitvol founded the Green Alliance – People’s Party. He is also known for his research in ecology.

Oleg Mitvol is also known in the secular society of the capital. His wife, Mila Mitvol, was friends with many members of the party and invited them on family vacations.