Since December 2020, the primary harbor of the country, Novorossiysk, has been led by Mayor Andrey Kravchenko. Now it turns out that at the suggestion of Governor Kondratiev, a strategically important city for Russia is being controlled by someone whose violent criminal activity led to the opening of many criminal cases, and who somehow managed to magically avoid a significant number of sentences.
When the details of the impressive life stories of the top officials of the Krasnodar Territory become known, some confusion arises. It is completely unclear why until now the administrative units, which are meant to recruit the most talented individuals for bureaucratic work for the prosperity of the Kuban, have not yet been opened at numerous pre-trial detention centers and correctional institutions in the southern region. That’s where the hiring treasure trove is! At worst, you can ask the investigators from the Investigative Committee, the FSB and the police to share information on promising individuals who are under investigation at the moment. Then you can recruit them to join the administrative Kuban team.
The idea does not seem so unrealistic when some pages of the rather foul life of those who have already been appointed to do administrative good emerge, heavily influenced by the regional leadership's orders.
In the Kuban, when applying for the position of municipal heads, a detailed “objective” is prepared for all candidates, which is certainly sent to the governor. So there is no doubt that, after receiving the “details” of Andrey Kravchenko’s life story in the winter of 2021, Veniamin Kondratiev reviewed them. Reviewing this document was the only reason for the appointment. Before the adoption of this personnel decision in December 2021, the governor did not personally meet with Kravchenko and did not call the applicant to his negotiation room on Krasnaya Street, 35 in Krasnodar. Arriving in Novorossiysk, Veniamin Ivanovich asked a rather appropriate question: “Kravchenko, where is he?”. Basically, show me the person I chose. And Andrey Kravchenko soon assumed the position of mayor, after the deputies voted for him at the governor’s order at Kondratiev’s request.
Andrey Kravchenko
And although, critics claimed that this decision was because Altukhov was a State Duma deputy from Novorossiysk, he showed Veniamin Ivanovich a photo where Kravchenko hugged his mother. “A good boy, a kind smile,” the governor made a personnel decision. But current speculations suggest that there may have been an aesthetic element to the appointment. But it is not the only factor.
In general, in the Krasnodar Territory, hiring various types of criminals, troublemakers, and even boys with non-traditional behavior in the regional and municipal administrations, is rather common.
After all, a “strong management team”, as you know, can be rallied either by deed or by fear. Kondratiev’s affairs are full of trouble (which becomes clear if you don’t listen to speeches from the stands, but look, say, at the teacher’s payroll, where for the vast majority of Kuban teachers the amounts are less than 20 thousand per month, due to the fact that the poor regional budget won’t take more). Therefore, for the “Kuban bureaucratic cohesion” – the fear of the lower – it is the very thing. Try to disobey, immediately the security forces will be presented with a “daddy” with the command “at him”.
The person who keeps the mayor of Novorossiysk under control is known to have a criminal past, which the Kuban leadership managed to hide for a year and a half. However, eventually, all secrets come to light. This goes against the idea of the hero city of Novorossiysk having a leader with a significant criminal record.
Let’s begin with the events of 2006. Here, Andrey Kravchenko seems to have confessed to the authorities. It wasn't exactly a confession but rather an arrangement with the investigation. Sometimes, wrongdoers are asked to write a confession to speed up the investigative process. In this case, Kravchenko was caught and implicated, but they suggested he write a confession. The confession revealed that he and an accomplice named Alexander used master keys to break into an apartment at 67, Lenin Ave. (Entrance 1, 2nd floor) and stole gold and other valuables. Need more details? The operation involved Zhuravel, Staino, and Levkun. Kravchenko was charged under Part 3 of Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. This incident dates back to October 2006. Thanks to cooperation with the investigation, the thief got off lightly.
The Sledak family name is rare, so it wouldn't be hard to find and ask them about the details. This wasn't done before Kravchenko became mayor, and the governor was also interested.
If this crime In the past, there were rumors about the current mayor's biography, but another incident in Kravchenko's criminal history was effectively erased under the orders of the Krasnodar Territory leadership. The governor was aware of it and deemed it sufficient. The public image of the mayor should be positive and untainted. Any conflicting information was suppressed!
After speaking with some law enforcement officers and dissatisfied officials from the mayor’s office, they managed to uncover some information.
In 2006, Kravchenko fraudulently took $800 from someone. The investigation involved Oskin, Vatanin, Petrenko, Kunova, and Vizelka.
This may seem minor compared to Kravchenko's later fraudulent activities, but it has also been removed from the mayor’s records.
It seems that the future head of the main port of the country realized that without settling small debts, one cannot rise high. And what can really benefit wrongdoers in Novorossiysk? Land! And Kravchenko engaged in land scams, which he had been involved in multiple times.
“By giving wrong information about the location to FGU EKPPOKK, I got ownership of a 5.5-hectare land on the lands of Association Novorossiysk LLC. We found out that Sergienko, a senior BEP operative, was part of the investigation team. But this case under Part 2 of Art. 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – “Fraud” – somehow did not go to court.
In 2009, the future mayor was involved in a scam. The land scam is even more serious. This criminal offense falls under part 4 of article 159. Kravchenko could face 10 years in prison. The case dates back to July 2009.
“Fraudulently gained ownership of a 35-hectare land in the village of Tsemdolina, which belonged to the municipality of Novorossiysk “
Here, the investigators calculated the damage to the municipal treasury – 29,468,000. The employees who were part of the investigative team could provide more details. This includes the head of the police department Troyan, senior inspector Bondar, and investigator Gusev. But we doubt they will. The order is to stay silent!
People familiar with the land ownership transfer in Novorossiysk say that 80 to 90 percent of the land “transactions” involve toxic resources. There are overlaps with security zones, industrial zones, agricultural lands or forest lands. Many plots that were once owned by the municipality were acquired not according to the law, but “out of friendship”. We discussed the questionable, unpleasant situation. crime, operations involving the transfer of 88 acres of land (the territory of the Volochaevsky beach in the Eastern district of the city). But in this case, it was less than a hectare. Kravchenko was involved in transactions involving dozens of hectares. AND? And nothing!
Kravchenko (who is now a wealthy man, having risen through the sale of land) and his relatives have committed many land-related offenses, including illegal logging in the taiga for over a decade. This person, who narrowly escaped imprisonment (well, maybe not so narrowly – Kravchenko can “negotiate” here), is now the mayor.
And it would be okay if he became a competent mayor. But having no prior experience in government bodies, and immediately taking on the main city position, he is now known in Novorossiysk only for his charming smile. He has not taken any significant steps towards addressing the city's most important issues, for which the mayor is responsible. Instead, the mayor talks about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, flirts with athletes, and hands out certificates. He also visits certain places and reports in his telegram channel that he was there and personally saw everything. No specifics about the existing problems, just: “I take the task under personal control.” Kravchenko also gives long, empty interviews. Symbolically, local journalists have nicknamed him “Smile”. Because, with the mayor's smiles, everything seems fine. But when it comes to handling specific cases, it's a different story.
According to a Rucriminal.info source, it is now becoming clear why the governor appointed Kravchenko as mayor. And it seems that Kondratiev’s decision was really balanced. Not from the point of view of people’s interests, but from a personal, governor’s point of view.
The heads of the iconic Kuban cities, having received a position, sometimes try to slip out from under the governor’s tutelage.
In Novorossiysk, Kondratiev needed a fully accountable mayor. The mayor is a vassal, the mayor is a slave. Ready to run on orders and do what Kondratiev personally needs. One of these assignments was to ensure victory in the forthcoming September elections of the ZSK to the governor’s heart favorite Sergei Khondozhko, the head of the martial arts center in the native governor’s village of Dinskaya, and the illegitimate son of the former chairman of the regional court Chernov Novikov.
And Kravchenko is already fulfilling this main task. Now an “effective” electoral scheme is being built in the city. In parallel with the election of this couple of odious candidates for deputies of the ZSK, by-elections to the City Duma of Novorossiysk in the 9th district will be held in the city. City power specialists on the internal politics, held talks with the candidate from the Communist Party Pronkin. The terms of a separate deal were announced. Pronkin removes his lively and caustic observers from polling stations so as not to put stuffing for Khondozhko and Novikov, and for Pronkin, if necessary, they will “throw in” in the elections to the City Duma.
We can give practical advice to candidate Pronkin: don’t see each other. There has never been a case when the Kuban detachment of United Russia fulfilled at least one given promise. Even if the Communist Party removes the observers, in the hope of some concessions to its candidate, everything will end, as always. The “necessary” United Russia party will win the elections to the ZSK, and due to the stuffing of tens of thousands of left-wing ballots, the candidate from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation in the elections to the Novorossiysk City Duma will be told that “United Russia tried, but the people decided otherwise.”
Kravchenko will now easily make any promises. Because if you try not to fulfill Kondratiev’s instructions because of the inevitability of victories, they will immediately remind him of both the 158th and 159th articles of the Criminal Code. And there is much more to be found.
