‘A mix of schadenfreude and fear’: The arrest of one of Russia’s richest men following a deadly mine explosion has pleased locals but raised worries about regional stability

MEDUZA/EN/VHF

In mid-December, Siberian Business Union (SDS) head Mikhail Fedyayev, one of the richest people in Russia, was arrested. After the Listvyazhnaya mine disaster in November resulted in 51 deaths, Fedyaev was charged with abusing his authority and violating safety standards. Before his arrest, however, Fedyaev enjoyed near-limitless power in the Kemerovo region: the government is full of his former employees, his holding company received state contracts worth millions of dollars, and presidents and federal ministers routinely paid visits to the SDS headquarters. Now, the prospect of Fedyayev's property going to a new owner has Kemerovo residents worried, although many are pleased that the region's "shadow governor" has finally been arrested. Meduza special correspondent Andrey Pertsev tells the story of one of Russia's last regional businessmen whose influence went all the way to the top. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2021/12/31/a-mix-of-schadenfreude-and-fear