On December 3, police officers stopped the car of Andrey Gots, head of the Ecology and Wildlife Management Authority of Belgorod Oblast, who was allegedly under the influence of alcohol. The incident was reported by the local businessman Andrey Malikov on the same day.
The Fonar media outlet, citing a source, claimed that Andrey Gots was sober while driving and had undergone a medical examination. The official admitted only to drinking beer on the evening of December 2.
"Gots refused to undergo a medical examination, as confirmed by a registered report. His refusal automatically entails legal liability and revocation of his driving license. The fact that he later privately took [blood] tests on 'a friend’s advice' doesn’t mean anything," Andrey Malikov argued.
Vice Governor Sergey Dyadkin of Belgorod Oblast, who oversees regional security, promised to verify the report about Gots’ refusal to undergo a medical examination and to "make personnel decisions" if the information is confirmed.
Officials from Belgorod Oblast began joining the BARS military unit en masse in October. At least three of them returned to civilian life within a month. Belgorod journalist Nikita Parmenov, who has emigrated, described the officials’ participation in the BARS squad as “a PR stunt.”
