Bribery Conviction Overturned for Former Vladivostok Mayor After Military Service Recognition

Former Vladivostok Mayor Oleg Gumenyuk had his 12-year prison sentence for bribery annulled following the receipt of a state award while he was in the Russian military, according to a statement from the Primorye region’s court system on Wednesday.

Gumenyuk, who held the position of mayor in the Far Eastern port city from 2018 to 2021, was convicted in 2023 on charges of accepting a bribe worth millions of rubles, which he has consistently denied.

In 2024, he enlisted in the Russian army due to a law permitting convicts to have their sentences paused or annulled if they fulfill military service requirements or receive certain state honors. This legislation was introduced by President Vladimir Putin as part of initiatives aimed at enhancing the military’s manpower amid the conflict in Ukraine.

The Primorye court system noted that on July 29, 2025, the regional bailiff service ceased the enforcement of Gumenyuk’s prison sentence after he was granted the Order of St. George by presidential decree.

The court emphasized that Putin’s decree enabled Gumenyuk to be «completely relieved from serving his sentence» effective from the date he was awarded.

Additionally, a Vladivostok court lifted the confiscation of Gumenyuk’s properties and vehicles on Monday.

His attorney, Alexander Kitayev, informed the business publication Kommersant that Gumenyuk served in a military unit consisting of convicts, sustained injuries, and has since recuperated. He continues his military service but is no longer part of that specific unit, according to Kitayev.