Alexander Klebanov, the former head of the Ministry of Transport and Road Facilities of the Republic of Bashkortostan, stands at the center of a bribery case that prosecutors describe as large scale. He testified in his capacity as a deputy, with the news agency TASS reporting the testimony based on enforcement sources. The case ties the former official to allegations of taking substantial bribes during his time in office and hints at broader influence over infrastructure decisions. The investigation has connected Klebanov with other senior figures, including Deputy Prime Minister Alan Marzayev, and it maps a pattern in which officials allegedly accepted or arranged payments linked to road projects and patronage. The testimony signals that the case could have wide implications for how governance is conducted in Bashkortostan and how future procurement decisions are reviewed by authorities and oversight bodies. Observers note that the matter involves several contracts managed by Bashkiravtodor and related agencies, raising questions about procurement transparency and controls.
According to the reporting, Klebanov signed a cooperation agreement before the trial. The former minister publicly asserted that Alan Marzayev received bribes totaling 37 million rubles. The documents reviewed by investigators point to payments tied to political favors and to help in securing or enhancing benefits from a cargo transportation company and its deputy. The scheme appears to have used corporate structures connected to Bashkiravtodor to move funds associated with work performed under contracts. The details emphasize the scale of alleged wrongdoing and the perceived closeness between some officials and business interests involved in regional infrastructure. The description also highlights how decisions about road building and maintenance can become entangled with personal gain, complicating oversight and public trust.
On the eve of the Moscow proceedings, the period of Klebanov’s house arrest was extended to January 2025. Court and law enforcement officials cited the ongoing nature of the investigation and the need to preserve evidence as reasons for the extension. The move reflects common practice in high profile corruption cases where authorities keep pretrial restrictions to ensure continued cooperation and to prevent flight risk or interference. Reports from TASS, based on law enforcement sources, placed the extension within the broader context of actions aimed at examining contracts and payments tied to road projects in Bashkortostan.
Investigators say that in May 2023, while serving on the Bashkiravtodor board, the former minister allegedly demanded bribes of 5 million rubles in exchange for patronage and help from the general director of a cargo transportation company and that director’s deputy. The payments were reportedly linked to work performed under contracts and funneled through Bashkiravtodor as payments for those projects. The allegations portray a scheme designed to secure favorable treatment in the awarding or execution of infrastructure contracts in the region. The figures cited illustrate a substantial payoff tied to influence over road construction and maintenance decisions.
In May 2024, Klebanov resigned from his ministerial post and was taken into custody as part of the ongoing investigation. Earlier in the case, another former head of Bashkiria’s Ministry of Transport admitted guilt in taking bribes, an outcome that underscores concerns about governance in the sector and the risk of corruption affecting public works. The sequence of events has kept attention on how road projects are managed and how oversight and accountability are exercised in Bashkortostan.