Moscow Court Jails Ex-Sochi Mayor for 15 Years in Prison in Corruption Case

Oct. 5, 2026 Alexei Kopaygorodsky and his wife in court. Dmitry Belitsky / Moskva News Agency A Moscow judge has sentenced Alexei Kopaygorodsky, the former mayor of the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, to 15 years in maximum-security prison for corruption, state media reported Monday, citing the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office. Kopaygorodsky, 41, served as mayor from September 2019 until May 2024, when he abruptly resigned, citing a transition to a federal post. After the transfer failed to materialize, Kopaygorodsky joined a volunteer army battalion fighting in Ukraine. He was arrested in eastern Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Luhansk in September 2024 and transferred to Moscow, where prosecutors sought 21 years in prison for him and 16 years for his wife. The Meshchansky District Court found Kopaygorodsky guilty of receiving large-scale bribes, embezzling municipal property and laundering criminal proceeds, according to the Interfax news agency. His wife Yanina Kopaygorodskaya was sentenced to 10 years in prison for serving as an accomplice, while her assistant Alexander Pasunko was fined 190,000 rubles ($2,200). Kopaygorodsky and his wife were also ordered to pay fines of half a billion rubles ($5.9 million) each. In addition, the former mayor was stripped of his state medal, banned from holding public management roles for 14.5 years and will face three additional years after his prison term. Prosecutors accused Kopaygorodsky of embezzling two municipal land plots and concealing their origin, as well as accepting more than 319 million rubles ($3.7 million) in bribes from business leaders and developers in exchange for favors and protection in 2022-24. Kopaygorodskaya was also accused of threatening one witness in order to receive false testimony and bribing another witness through Pasunko with half a million rubles ($5,900) while under house arrest. Both denied the charges. Earlier in January, a Sochi court seized the family’s assets worth more than 1.6 billion rubles ($18.8 million). Kopaygorodsky is among at least 10 current and former deputy governors who have faced criminal prosecution since Veniamin Kondratyev became Krasnodar region governor in 2015. Read more about: Sochi , Criminal case Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Ukrainian Drone Attacks Spark Fires at Sochi Fuel Depots Local authorities said drone debris had fallen at multiple locations in the Black Sea port city, sparking several fires. 1 Min read Sochi Closes Beaches as Torrential Rain Floods City Streets Videos posted on social media showed floodwaters partially submerging cars overnight and snowfall in Sochi’s mountainous areas. 1 Min read Storm Triggers Flooding in Southern Russia’s Sochi Meteorologists said one month’s worth of precipitation fell in Sochi over the past day. 1 Min read Russian Orthodox Resort Helps Pilgrims' Progress to Sochi An Orthodox resort for pilgrims and tourists has opened near the southern Russian city of Sochi, the city administration press service announced Tuesday...