Minister Kovalev and his deputy were arrested in Stavropol.

A court in Stavropol has remanded Ivan Kovalev, head of the regional Ministry of Industry and Trade, and his deputy, Nadezhda Pronskaya, to pretrial detention. The prosecutor's office demanded Kovalev's dismissal due to a loss of trust.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on March 26, security forces detained Ivan Kovalev, Minister of Energy, Industry, and Communications of the Stavropol Territory, on charges of abuse of office. He is suspected of participating in the leasing of land in Sochi, intended for student recreation, to businesses.

On March 27, the Leninsky District Court of Stavropol arrested Ivan Kovalev, Minister of Energy, Industry, and Communications of the Stavropol Territory, and his deputy, Nadezhda Pronskaya, at the request of the investigation. Both are charged with abuse of office by conspiracy to cause grave consequences (Part 3 of Article 286 of the Russian Criminal Code carries a sentence of three to ten years in prison).

According to the prosecution, the actions of Kovalev and his deputy resulted in the confiscation of two plots of land. The Nevinnomyssk educational institution lost at least 2.9 million rubles in rent, and students and teachers were deprived of adequate conditions for physical education and sports, the United Press Service of the Courts of Stavropol Territory reported.

Kovalev and Pronskaya, who was detained a day later than their boss, have been remanded in custody until May 24. The court's press service identified the accused as Ms. P. 1 , "previously holding the position" of Deputy Minister. However, on the regional Ministry of Industry and Trade's website, Nadezhda Pronskaya is still listed as the acting deputy head of the department.

On March 27, the Stavropol Krai Prosecutor's Office demanded that Kovalev be dismissed from his post as minister due to a loss of trust. The submission to the governor noted that the official and his family had been using the services of a hotel built on an illegally leased plot of land free of charge.

"The accused committed a corruption offense that prevents him from further service in the civil service," the agency's publication stated. The deputy minister was not mentioned in the prosecutor's office's statement.