An official from Novouralsk, who was releasing underqualified students from the driving school, was sentenced to a long term.

      The Sverdlovsk Regional Court upheld the sentence of former official of the Novouralsk City Hall Alexander Belyaev, who was previously convicted of bribery and official forgery, reports the press service of the regional courts.

      Former chief specialist of the territorial division of the regional Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Market Alexander Belyaev was charged under part 6 of article 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (receiving a bribe in especially large amounts), part 3 of article 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (receiving a bribe by an official for illegal actions or inaction), part 2 of article 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (receiving a bribe by an official in significant amounts), and in nine crimes under part 2 of article 292 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (official forgery that caused significant violation of the rights and legitimate interests of citizens), committed between 2014 and 2023.

      Being aware (by virtue of his position) of where drivers of self-propelled machines (intended for performing work, not for participating in road traffic, such as tractors, excavators, bulldozers, rollers, and special equipment - note from Uralweb) are trained, the official devised a scheme to take bribes from the school director.

      Belyaev was willing to ignore the fact that the trainees were being taught less than required and to ensure that the school had a smooth and successful examination process. Bribes were also given for issuing certificates of passing technical inspections of self-propelled machinery without actually conducting them.

      The total amount of bribes amounted to 3,416,875 rubles.

      In November 2025, the Novouralsk City Court found Belyaev guilty and sentenced him to 14 years in a strict regime colony, with a fine of 16.5 million rubles.

      The former official was also deprived of the right to hold positions related to the exercise of functions of a representative of power, organizational and administrative powers in state authorities and local self-government bodies for a period of 10 years.

      The convicted person and his lawyer filed an appeal against the sentence. However, the Sverdlovsk Regional Court, having reviewed the case materials, left the first-instance court's sentence unchanged.