A 16-Act Drama: Formal Justice in Kuzbass
The woman was appointed to a new term shortly before her detention
The phrase about «the most humane court in the world» recently found its embodiment in the «temple of justice» of the Zavodsky District of Kemerovo, where a verdict was handed down to a former official for crimes in the very sphere that fell under the responsibility of her civil-law husband, who is also a public servant. The servant of Themis needed just 16 hearings, some of which lasted no more than half an hour, to sentence Marina Kolyadenko, whose actions left dozens of families without apartments.
The more the NGS42.RU editorial team studied this story, the more often the word «formality» came to mind — applying to the investigation, the court hearings, and even the decision. What happened before the announcement, to which a journalist was not invited, how one of the loudest corruption cases ended, and how it could affect personnel reshuffles in the Kuzbass government — in Lera Gorodetskaya«s report.
Lopatina (right) said an assistant«s »mistake« prevented the journalist from working
Not Such Unfortunate Friends After All
Before the final hearing, Marina Kolyadenko was visibly nervous — pacing from side to side, and a couple of minutes before it began she even quarreled with her former subordinate and co-defendant Tatyana Konovalova. What caused the confrontation within the courthouse walls is unknown, but after the raised-voice exchange they waited for the fateful decision in different corners of the corridor.
Kolyadenko also had a sharp word for our journalist.
On social media at the time, residents agreed: as a deputy governor he failed at his job (and everyone expected his resignation), but as a man he acted with dignity
— Well, look at that, a familiar face. The journalist who takes sneaky photos — the defendant quipped.
— Is a journalist taking photos at a court hearing «sneaky»? — I asked in response.
— Yes, I understand, that«s your job — Kolyadenko tried to smooth things over immediately.
Apparently, the former official spoke this way because of a photo of her partner — Deputy Governor for Construction Gleb Orlov, who came to court on the day the woman was arrested. He introduced himself to the convoy as her civil-law husband.
A few minutes later, the former head of the Kemerovo District experienced new emotional swings: the desire to needle gave way to wariness when Judge Natalya Lopatina entered the hall and immediately began reprimanding the lawyers.
— At previous hearings, we concluded the debates, but the participants in the process presented their opinions improperly. There are contradictions in the defense«s speech. Respected defenders, define your position! Are you asking to acquit them [Kolyadenko and Konovalova] or to requalify the case, or are you not asking for anything at all? I would like the position of each of you to be clear and understandable and to allow no ambiguity — the judge said.
Later, the servant of justice softened: «I am now giving you the opportunity to remedy all violations,» after which she left.
What happened next, the NGS42.RU editorial team was not allowed to learn. Lopatina«s assistant asked the journalist to leave, stating that the hearing »for today« was over. But she left the defense lawyers and defendants in the hall, after which behind closed doors the former officials heard the verdict: three years suspended for each.
Later, in a phone conversation, Lopatina explained that «a mistake occurred» and apologized for it. The secretary, according to the judge, mixed something up, and the open court proceeding «accidentally» turned into something resembling a private gathering.
Complete Formality
The finale of this judicial saga turned out as blurred and formal as the beginning. After all, what you, readers, know about the corruption case is a complete surprise to the security services and the authorities. Apparently, everything was meant to be handled quietly, since the press service of the Investigative Committee, which handled the case, never once spoke about it in its releases: neither the detention nor the arrest was ever covered by the agency. The only thing they reported was the completion of the investigation, but again, everything was maximally depersonalized, without names or surnames.
Pulling the story off under a «secret» label failed thanks to NGS42.RU journalists. Last autumn we learned about searches in the administration of the Kemerovo District, and from there events developed rapidly.
It should be said that 2025 as a whole passed for the regional elite under the sign of personnel turbulence. A sense of an impending redistribution of spheres of influence hung in the air: leaders lost their positions in batches — some were promoted, while others were moved from comfortable armchairs to the hard bench of the defendant.
One of these was Deputy Head of the Kemerovo Region Tatyana Konovalova, and her arrest was not something the security services were shy about formalizing in press releases.
The charge, however, looked quite banal at the very beginning: construction of two buildings for benefit recipients was frozen, while budget money had been fully transferred to the developer. There were plenty of abandoned sites in the region at the time, but from experience our editorial team understood: this was only the tip of the iceberg. And so it turned out.
At the end of May, another defendant appeared in the case — head of the district Marina Kolyadenko. If the investigation is to be believed, back in 2022 she and the deputy came up with a scheme of fraud, because of which the treasury lost 300 million rubles ($3.3 million). But sources in the administration told us that Konovalova, in their opinion, was more a victim of circumstances and of her boss«s desire for profit — she allegedly signed contracts with the unscrupulous developer under pressure.
Who ultimately played what role among the «unfortunate friends» remains a mystery. Besides the fact that journalists were not allowed into the hearing, the court and security services continue to remain silent not only about the verdict but also about the final charges against the women.
A Faithful Man and an Iron Woman
Throughout, the case was spiced up by the fact that Kolyadenko is accused of a crime in the construction sphere — the very one overseen by her high-ranking partner, Kuzbass Deputy Governor Gleb Orlov.
The couple spent the entire process in a silent dialogue, and it was more Kolyadenko comforting Orlov with her gaze than the other way around. The accused generally behaved with emphasized toughness and composure: she answered all questions from the investigator and judge sharply and from the first minute did not admit guilt.
— I disagree with the detention and generally do not understand what grounds there were for it — said from the «aquarium» the then still head of the district.
It was expected that because of her refusal to admit guilt, the high-profile process would drag on for long months. The same former deputy governor Vyacheslav Telegin refused to cooperate with the investigation, and his trials stretched over 3.5 years and 250 hearings.
But Orlov«s partner»s story was exceptional in this respect too — just 16 hearings were enough for the judge to consider the case of the disappearance of 300 million rubles from the budget. And that is taking into account Kolyadenko«s sick leave after eye surgery, because of which the proceedings were postponed.
According to NGS42.RU sources, Gleb Orlov«s resignation is possible in the autumn, and he is preliminarily expected to receive an appointment in St. Petersburg. His partner, meanwhile, is barred from holding administrative positions for another couple of years.
But the Trials Continue
It is unknown whether Kolyadenko and her former subordinate will challenge the suspended-sentence decision; probably not. But the reasons for the former officials to return to court have not run dry — ahead lies the consideration of a civil claim for damage to the district budget.
Since the women were found guilty of abuse of power, most likely the lost money will have to be returned to the treasury by them; the only question is the amount. However, in this story one can never rule out an unexpected twist: what if the head of the Kemerovo District, Dmitry Pavlov, like Leninsk-Kuznetsky Mayor Evgeny Nikitin once did, says that he «sees no problem for the treasury.» All that remains is to follow the situation, which the NGS42.RU editorial team does not stop doing.
For the same unfinished buildings, the husband of former Deputy Governor Alexander Turbaba and his former colleagues from the SDS holding are also currently on trial. The spouse of what was once the «gray cardinal» of Kuzbass politics, according to the investigation, helped the developer of the buildings conceal problems with construction.
This hearing is at an initial stage — the prosecutor is reading out a 120-volume indictment. And here it would be surprising if thousands of pages of materials were studied in just a few weeks, because this process, which we also attend, does not produce that feeling of «formality.» But that is a completely different story, which we will tell later.
In the Meantime, You Can Read Other Materials from the «Criminal Tuesday» Section
Handcuffs Instead of Rolex: How Former Kuzbass Health Minister and Former Millionaire Dmitry Beglov Was Tried;
Difficult «Waiters»: How the Relatives of Former Kuzbass Officials Under Investigation Live;
«Don»t Be Bored«: How the Trial of a Former Kuzbass Deputy Governor Went and Why He Was Sent to a Penal Colony;
An Accusation from the President, Raiding, and Murky Schemes: Which Crooks Sat in Power in Kuzbass;
Extortion, a Collapsed Building, and Lessons on Bribes: Which Crooks Sat in Power in Kuzbass — Part 2.
