Stavropol Week: Maldives Trip and CEO Custody Headline News
This week in the region saw numerous events, from stars traveling to doctors saving lives and law enforcement taking action. For more on the standout news, read the traditional Sunday digest from 26.RU.
Bastrykin Demands Report on Childbirth in Stavropol Perinatal Center After Mother«s Complaint
The story of a difficult childbirth at one of Stavropol Krai«s perinatal centers has reached the federal level. After a local resident»s video appeal was published online, Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia (ICR) Alexander Bastrykin requested a detailed report on the criminal case into inadequate medical care.
The case involves a woman who was admitted to the perinatal center for delivery in July 2024. According to the investigation, due to an incorrectly chosen childbirth tactic, her newborn child suffered serious head injuries and now requires long-term rehabilitation. The family«s numerous complaints about the doctors» actions to various authorities, according to the mother, long yielded no results.
Cheburashka Reaches Court in Stavropol
The Industrial District Court of Stavropol is hearing a civil case where the main character, unexpectedly, is Cheburashka—though not the cartoon version, but a legal one.
The lawsuit was filed by the film studio Soyuzmultfilm. The company is seeking compensation of 20,000 rubles (approximately $200 at current rates) from a local individual entrepreneur for the unauthorized use of the character image from «Gena the Crocodile».
As per the case materials, in July 2023, a website owned by the entrepreneur featured an offer to sell decorative magnets with Cheburashka«s image. The businessman did not obtain the copyright holder»s consent to use the character, which became the grounds for the court appeal.
The film studio states that it holds exclusive rights to use the character and the corresponding trademark.
Pyatigorsk Doctors Remove Apple-Sized Neck Cyst from Teenager
As noted by Pyatigorsk City Clinical Hospital, a 16-year-old resident of Stavropol was admitted to the surgery department with a rare pathology—a median neck cyst that reached 8 centimeters (about 3.1 inches) in length. This anomaly forms during fetal development.
«During the 6th–7th week of development, an embryo forms a slit between the root of the tongue and the thyroid gland. Over several weeks, the opening should close, but sometimes it does not. Subsequently, fluid accumulates in this »space« and forms a cyst. If not removed in childhood, it begins to grow, becoming visible and causing difficulties with swallowing and breathing,» the doctors say.
The teenager needed to have the cyst removed along with the body of the hyoid bone, without damaging major blood vessels and organs. The surgery lasted about an hour and a half. The patient is now feeling well and is undergoing outpatient treatment.
FSB Eliminates Stavropol Resident Preparing Terror Attacks Against Russian Military Personnel
In Stavropol Krai, security forces thwarted preparations for terror attacks against Russian military personnel. During an attempt to detain him, the suspect offered armed resistance and was eliminated by return fire.
According to TASS citing the FSB Public Relations Center, the individual eliminated was a 43-year-old Russian citizen, a resident of Kislovodsk. He was identified during operational search measures after a prevented terrorist attack in Stavropol in December 2025.
During the special operation, the man opened fire on officers of a special unit. As a result of return fire, he was neutralized. There were no casualties among law enforcement officers or civilians, the Center for Public Relations of the agency emphasized.
According to the security forces, this person had previously acted on the instructions of Ukrainian special services. He, as claimed by the FSB, planted an explosive device in a cache, which was later used by a female terrorist caught red-handed—she attempted to mine a car near one of the Russian Defense Ministry«s military units.
Palms, Ocean, and Coconuts: Ksenia Borodina and Her Stavropol Husband Flew to the Maldives
Borodina and Serdyukov are actively traveling the world. The couple also celebrated the New Year at a resort, but in Thailand. The travelers tried new dishes, strolled around, and moved from one location to another. However, the vacation for the pair did not end. Shortly after returning from Thailand, they unpacked their suitcases at a new spot on the map—Suzdal. Instead of street noise—the silence of snow-covered houses and views of ancient temples.
Thought that was all? No! Apparently, the frosty weather so impressed the couple that the family decided to escape the cold for the tropics again. Borodina and Serdyukov are now vacationing in the Maldives. They are not commenting on their trip but are actively sharing photos against the backdrop of the ocean and palms. They are not sunbathing alone—later, Ksenia«s friend Olga Orlova flew here to join them.
6 People, Including a Child, Poisoned by Carbon Monoxide in Stavropol
In Stavropol, another domestic experiment with gas nearly ended in tragedy. On Ryazanskaya Street, six people, including a child, were poisoned by carbon monoxide. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, but the situation could have been much worse.
As reported by the Stavropol administration, the cause of the emergency was unauthorized interference with the operation of a gas boiler. The residents altered the chimney structure, causing combustion products to flow directly into the apartment.
After the incident, city authorities together with Stavropolgorgaz reminded that repair, adjustment, and maintenance of gas equipment must be performed exclusively by licensed specialists. Any attempts to «tweak,» «clean,» or «redo» a gas boiler on one«s own can cost lives.
CEO of «Kardo» Valentin Rabotenko Suspected of 4 Million Ruble Fraud—Taken into Custody
The detention of the CEO of «Kardo» became known on 23 January. Valentin and his assistants may have produced and submitted 105 counterfeit airline tickets to the Ministry of Youth Policy of Stavropol Krai for participants of the «Kardo» festival, but no one used them. The documents were accepted and approved despite possible discrepancies.
Today, the prosecutor«s office of Stavropol Krai reported that Rabotenko—the head of an NPO (non-profit organization)—received a grant of 215 million rubles (approximately $2.15 million at current rates) from the regional budget. These funds were allocated for organizing the »Kardo« street culture and sports festival. However, according to the investigation, the suspect and two of his assistants embezzled 4 million rubles (approximately $40,000 at current rates) from this sum.
Law enforcement agencies initiated a criminal case under Part 4, Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud on a particularly large scale). This article carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
On 25 January, Valentin Rabotenko was taken into custody by court order. A similar preventive measure was chosen for his two assistants. The criminal investigation continues.
