New traffic police chief appointed in Kuban from Rostov Oblast

In January, Oleg Bogun, the head of the Don Traffic Police (GAI), left his post. He has become the head of the traffic police in Krasnodar Krai—a general«s position, according to colleagues from 161.RU. In Rostov Oblast, Colonel Sergei Sasin has become the acting head.

“Bogun had been planning to go to Kuban following [the former head of the Don police] Oleg Agarkov since the summer, but in Moscow they decided to wait, because they were in no hurry to free up a place for him in Krasnodar Krai. The approval had been ongoing since the summer—the head of the traffic police didn«t want to just leave. He wanted to transfer and immediately get a lucrative post,” a source said. “But the arrival of the new head of the MVD ruined Bogun»s plans. [Alexander] Rechitsky also accelerated this process, cutting off paths to corruption, at least in the traffic police in the Don region. And he started with traffic police inspectors on the streets,” a 161.RU source said.

Oleg Bogun was born in Krasnodar Krai and has served in State Traffic Inspectorate structures since 1994. Before his appointment to Rostov Oblast, he was head of the Kuban traffic police department from July 2011, and before that for five years he headed the traffic police department of the Leningradsky District in Krasnodar Krai. In 2011, Oleg Agarkov was appointed to lead the Russian MVD Directorate for Krasnodar. That same year, Oleg Bogun was also appointed in Krasnodar. After that, both moved to Rostov Oblast and became heads of different departments there. Oleg Agarkov headed the Russian MVD Main Directorate for Rostov Oblast in 2017. And in June 2018, Oleg Bogun became the head of the traffic police for the region.

According to 161.RU, Bogun first went on a long vacation and then did not comment on information about his departure at all. The department«s press service also did not comment on the situation. And deputy head Sergei Sasin, who has now become the head, back in September called information about Bogun»s departure rumors that are unconfirmed.

“Oleg Nikolaevich is simply on vacation, a well-deserved scheduled vacation. Everything that is being said is absolutely untrue. However much I pay attention, nonetheless. Everything is fine, Oleg Nikolaevich is on vacation, we are waiting for you. Everyone is alive, healthy, and in the ranks,” said Bogun«s deputy Sergei Sasin at the time.

After Sasin«s statement, 161.RU sources again confirmed the information about Oleg Bogun»s departure.

“The decision on Bogun was made back in May. He will no longer work in this position. Moreover, after the arrival of the new head of the regional MVD Alexander Rechitsky, not only Bogun will leave his post,” one of the publication«s interlocutors said.

In May 2019, former governor Vasily Golubev reprimanded Bogun for poor organization of parking in Rostov. He ordered the issue to be resolved within ten days. And in July 2022, the leadership of the Rostov Oblast traffic police was declared partially unfit for service. Colonel Bogun and his two deputy lieutenant colonels had their qualification ranks reduced by one step. Bogun became a specialist of the 2nd class.

The Main Directorate of the MVD for Rostov Oblast issued the order on partial service fitness on 25 May after corruption scandals and mass searches in the traffic police units. A year earlier in Rostov Oblast, searches were conducted at several high-ranking traffic police officers. The scandal led to criminal cases. In mid-April 2022, 24 traffic police officers were arrested in a case about bribes on the roads of the Aksaysky District. These were mainly officers of the separate first battalion of the traffic police.