Ex-director faces trial over $110K radar system procurement disaster in Omsk
A former director in Omsk, Sergei Ivanov, faces court after a costly procurement blunder at a state-funded hydrometeorological service. Ivanov is accused of abuse of office, leading to losses of 10 million rubles ($110,000) for the agency.
The case centres on 16 radar-based monitoring systems that were improperly installed and later dismantled in an attempt to hide the failure.
Between March 2013 and October 2016, Ivanov approved the purchase of automated hydrological systems without consulting the institution's founder, Wladimir Petrow. Investigators confirmed Petrow had no involvement in the decision during this period.
Ivanov then selected the wrong installation method, rendering the equipment unusable. To cover up the mistake, he sent workers to dismantle the systems and bought spare parts for repairs.
Russia's Investigative Committee has now completed its criminal probe. Authorities have already recovered 5.5 million rubles from Ivanov, while another 3 million rubles of his assets remain seized. The case has been forwarded to court for further proceedings.
The Ob-Irtysh Hydrometeorological Service, a federal budgetary institution, suffered significant financial damage due to the procurement errors. Ivanov's actions resulted in a total loss of 10 million rubles, with partial recovery already made. The court will now determine the outcome of the criminal charges against him.
