The Belgorod region administration has received three cars worth 13 million rubles ($135,912) each as gifts. One of the vehicles is armored which makes it even more expensive. A former head of Alexei Navalny's headquarters, Maxim Klimov, claims that two of these cars were given to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov by a company associated with a former Penza official, while the third came from a Nizhny Novgorod resident. Klimov disclosed this information on September 22nd on the YouTube channel "Apolitichnost gubit."
Activist Maxim Klimov states that the Governor’s office has received three new Toyota Land Cruiser 300 vehicles. Each car has cost a minimum of 13 million rubles. According to "Sobornaya solyanka” Telegram channel, one of the vehicles is armored which increases its price to 30 million rubles ($313,643). Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov allegedly has used this armored car for his trips to Crimea.
"Its capsule armor can withstand not only large-caliber bullets but also lightweight explosives. Essentially, it's a very comfortable luxury armored personnel carrier," the Telegram channel reported.
An armored vehicle of the Belgorod governor's administration. Photo “Cathedral Solyanka” Telegram channel. Source: t.me
Gladkov's administration received this automobile from a Nizhny Novgorod resident in the spring of 2023. The other two cars are presents from a company associated with former Penza official Sergey Yurkin. Klimov believes that Gladkov and Yurkin know each other as Gladkov had previously worked as a city mayor in the Penza region.
However, according to Klimov, a gift cannot be considered a kickback. Yurkin's company has received only one contract in the region so far, worth 2.7 million rubles ($28,227). An activist told 7x7 that he is going to file a complaint with the prosecutor's office.
In July, the Belgorod administration purchased an armored vehicle for Vyacheslav Gladkov for 17.5 million rubles ($182,958). According to the governor, it is needed for his visits to border areas that are regularly subjected to shelling.