2026.10.13. The Fair Economy — Searches have been conducted in connection with Andrey Kravchenko, the mayor of Novorossiysk, Russia. Investigators are examining the possibility that approximately 250 million rubles in charitable donations flowed to the football club Chernomorets, of which the mayor is chairman, and an organization led by his wife.
Several foreign media outlets, including Kommersant and RIA Novosti, reported on the 12th that search and seizure operations were conducted at Mayor Kravchenko's office and city hall.
The search took place at the mayor's office and the workplaces of city hall employees, and investigators seized relevant documents. Mayor Kravchenko was not present at the scene and could not be reached. No official confirmation has been issued yet.
The searches began that morning, with related reports continuing into the afternoon. The previous day, on the 11th, Deputy Mayor Roman Karagodin was arrested on charges of abuse of power.
Mayor Kravchenko has not issued an official statement, and the city hall has not provided official confirmation. Some media outlets reported that the mayor is absent and his phone is turned off.
Regarding the background of the searches, several media outlets have raised the possibility that approximately 250 million rubles in charitable donations flowed to mayor-linked groups instead of the city budget. Suspicion has also been raised regarding the football club Chernomorets and the construction of a hotel near a military base.
There has been no official investigation statement regarding the searches, and the possibility of further investigations and arrests remains open. The investigation into Deputy Mayor Karagodin is also ongoing.
In 2024, the city administration signed agreements with two construction companies for comprehensive regional development, and Mayor Kravchenko signed additional agreements requiring them to make voluntary donations to two organizations. One is an organization linked to Chernomorets, of which he is chairman, and the other is Gorod Schastya, led by his wife.
Investigators are also examining the construction of a hotel built without approval near a military base. Mayor Kravchenko has held the office since December 2021, with his term ending in December.
The searches were carried out amid a series of corruption investigations targeting local government heads in Russia. The Investigative Committee of Russia has expanded investigations into charges of abuse of power and bribery against mayors and deputy mayors in several regions, including Krasnodar Krai, since the start of the year.
Several investigations targeting local administrative heads have been conducted in the krai. In January, Alexander Bondarenko, the head of the Primorskoakhtarsky district, was subjected to searches on similar charges. As Novorossiysk falls under the same krai jurisdiction, this is interpreted as a consistent approach by investigators.
Article 285 of the Criminal Code defines abuse of power, while Article 290 defines bribery. The charge applied to Deputy Mayor Karagodin in this case is Article 285. If a public official abuses their authority to infringe on the rights of citizens or institutions or harm social interests, they may be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
Since taking office in 2021, the mayor has continuously pushed forward regional development projects. The city administration promoted the construction of residential and commercial facilities through comprehensive development contracts signed with two construction companies in 2024, during which funds labeled as voluntary donations from the construction companies flowed to mayor-linked groups, a circumstance that became the subject of investigation.
The club withdrew from the Second League Gold Group in June due to financial issues. The club stated that it needed approximately 250 million rubles to participate in the season, and faced the disbandment of its first team after major investor Delo Group halted financial support.
The mayor's asset declarations are also drawing attention. Russian officials must declare their income and assets every year, and the mayor has published his declarations several times since taking office. As the investigation proceeds, it is expected to be confirmed whether there were discrepancies between past declarations and actual assets.
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