The former head of the Rostekhnadzor department was sentenced to 8 years for bribery in Nizhny Novgorod.

      On June 25, 2026, at 10:07, Incidents The Nizhny Novgorod District Court announced the verdict on June 24 for the former head of the department for oversight of energy installations of the Volga-Oka management of Rostekhnadzor, Nikolai Markin — the last defendant in the criminal case regarding bribes for certification in the field of industrial safety. This was reported by "Kommersant-Privolzhye."

      The court found him guilty on ten counts of receiving bribes as part of a group of individuals in a preliminary conspiracy and sentenced him to eight years and two months in a strict regime colony. Additionally, Markin is prohibited from holding positions in government institutions for five years.

      According to the investigation, in 2021-2022, the former deputy head of the management, Denis Shakirov, organized a scheme to receive bribes from representatives of training centers and enterprises for the successful and expedited certification of workers and course attendees. The group also included the deputy head of the department, Sergey Kulkov, and inspector of the Dzerzhinsk branch, Sergey Devyatkin.

      The total amount of bribes reached 15.3 million rubles. The money was transferred in cash and also wired to the accounts of an individual entrepreneur who was unaware of the criminal scheme.

      The investigation established that for each successfully certified participant, the scheme's members received between 2,000 and 6,500 rubles depending on the qualification. Examinees were allowed to use the internet and were given hints for the correct answers. In the Dzerzhinsk branch, even poorly prepared candidates could pass the certification.

      In terms of role distribution, Denis Shakirov, named the organizer, received three-quarters of the total amount. Sergey Kulkov interacted with training centers, Nikolai Markin scheduled and signed certification protocols, while Sergey Devyatkin ensured the conduct of exams in Dzerzhinsk.

      Markin admitted to three of the ten episodes, stating that his actions should be classified as mediation and abuse of office. In particular, he confirmed receiving 14,000 rubles from a representative of the First Cargo Company for expedited document processing and assistance in passing the exam. Another 12,000 rubles were received for changing the order of certification, part of which was handed over to Devyatkin.

      The defendant denied involvement in the organized scheme and claimed that he received money from colleagues who lectured at training centers in exchange for not formalizing their days off and administrative leaves with retained salaries.

      The prosecution requested a 13-year prison sentence for Markin, along with a 40 million ruble fine and a ban on holding managerial positions in government bodies for 11 years. The court chose a milder punishment. The defense has not yet decided on appealing the verdict.

      It should be noted that other defendants in the case have already been convicted. Sergey Kulkov received seven years in a strict regime colony with a 25 million ruble fine, and Sergey Devyatkin received three years of imprisonment. Denis Shakirov was sent to the SVO zone.

      Earlier, we reported that the former head of "Teploenergo," Ilya Khalturin, will remain in pre-trial detention until the end of September. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.