Official to Be Tried for Negligence in Dog Attacks
Investigators have sent to court the case of Yulia Makukha, head of a department in the Chita city administration, accused of negligence that led to stray dog attacks on people, as reported on 27 January in the Telegram channel of the Investigative Committee for Zabaykalsky Krai. The accused«s surname was provided by a source in law enforcement.
«According to the investigation, the accused, responsible for dog catching, improperly performed her official duties. In the first half of 2025, more than 2,800 applications for catching were received. Knowing this, the accused did not ensure proper control over the execution of catching contracts, did not monitor the processing of applications, did not demand from the contractor an increase in the number of canine teams for prompt response, and did not organize the conduct of mandatory daily raids provided for in the documents,» the message states.
Investigators believe that as a result of Makukha«s improper performance of her duties in April–August 2025, 13 residents of Chita, including seven children, were harmed by dogs.
The Telegram channel of the Zabaykalsky Krai prosecutor»s office states that from January to August, 18 people, including eight children, were harmed by dogs.
During the preliminary investigation, two victims filed claims for damages totaling 5.1 million rubles (about $56,700 at current rates). For possible confiscation of property, an arrest has been imposed on the accused«s apartment worth more than 5 million rubles (about $55,600 at current rates).
The case against her was initiated under Part 1 of Article 293 of the Russian Criminal Code, «Negligence.» The sanction of the article provides for a fine of up to 120,000 rubles (about $1,330 at current rates), corrective labor for up to one year, or arrest for up to three months.
A criminal case has also been initiated against the owner of the company «Five Stars,» Alexander Soldatov. He has been charged under several articles – providing services that do not meet safety requirements, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy, fraud in the execution of municipal contracts, and manufacturing for use fake orders for the transfer of funds. Under these articles, he faces punishment in the form of imprisonment for up to 10 years.
The criminal case is linked to an attack by a pack of stray dogs on a 4-year-old girl at the KSK in Chita. Initially, Soldatov was sent to a pre-trial detention center for 2 months, he attempted to appeal this decision, but failed: the regional court kept him in custody. In October, the Chernovsky District Court extended the custody period until 23 December. Alexander Soldatov and his lawyer filed several appeals to change the preventive measure for the accused, and on 19 December it became known that the court agreed with the defense«s arguments and released Soldatov under house arrest.
