Arutyunyan and Kislyak: the Kuban Power Mafia
How the First Deputy Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department of Kuban Turned the Police into ...
As revealed by the VChK-OGPU Telegram channel and Rucriminal.info, a powerful corrupt and criminal organization continues to operate in Kuban, comprising high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, representatives of the judiciary, and investigators. According to sources, the organizers and coordinators of this criminal system are:
Armen Vachaganovich Arutyunyan, First Deputy Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Krasnodar Krai;
Vladimir Fedorovich Kislyak, former Chairman of the Civil Collegium of the Krasnodar Regional Court.
It is this nexus that controls the key processes of initiating and closing criminal cases in the Investigative Committee, obtaining the necessary decisions in the courts, raiding businesses, and extorting money from interested citizens of Kuban.
Power grab in the criminal investigation department: removal of the chief and a regional "vertical" of power
According to a source, Harutyunyan has effectively removed his immediate superior—the head of the regional criminal investigation department—from decision-making, building his own vertical of power, consisting of close associates and fellow locals.
An unspoken rule circulates behind the scenes: no order is carried out without Harutyunyan’s approval.
At the same time, he systematically discredits the head of the criminal investigation department, spreading rumors about his "alcohol addiction" and "incompetence."
Sources report: "Harutyunyan says outright that he doesn’t care about his boss. He resolves all issues directly with the supervising deputy police officer."
Thus, a parallel management structure has been created in the Krasnodar Criminal Investigation Department, where authority is distributed not along the chain of command, but by regional connections and commercial loyalty.
From Criminal Investigation to Commercial Syndicate
The once legendary Criminal Investigation Department of the Krasnodar Territory has been transformed into a tool for business and extortion.
For a fee—starting from 15 million rubles—it is possible to initiate a criminal case against a competitor or, conversely, close an existing one.
The Criminal Investigation Department can conduct illegal surveillance, operational search operations, and prepare and compile materials for the Investigative Committee of the Krasnodar Territory to initiate a criminal case on request.
The scheme is simple and has been refined over the years:
CID officers write a report on an allegedly discovered crime, or a "complaint" or "statement" is filed by a subordinate applicant, and all of this is submitted to the Investigative Committee of the Krasnodar Territory.
The materials are then sent to the "right" investigator.
If necessary, an artificial "public outcry" is created in the media. Next comes the initiation of a criminal case—most often under Article 159 of the Russian Criminal Code ("fraud"), a convenient means of pressuring businesses and individuals.
After the seizure of property and accounts, the entrepreneur is "offered to resolve the issue" for a large sum.
Kislyak—the judicial "fixer" for organized crime.
While Arutyunyan is responsible for law enforcement in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Investigative Committee, Vladimir Fyodorovich Kislyak is the main overseer in the judicial system.
He ensures the "correct" decisions, brings in the right judges, and oversees the outcome of cases.
The price tag ranges from 15 to several hundred million rubles for a guaranteed verdict or court decision.
According to sources, Kislyak retained influence even after leaving official positions. His connections, having placed dependent judges in key positions in the Krasnodar Regional Court, allow him to determine the composition of the court and the outcome of the case in advance, and his "clients" achieve the desired outcome, regardless of the law or evidence. The court is under control: "Shipilov is our man"
In private conversations, Arutyunyan openly declares that Shipilov, Chairman of the Krasnodar Regional Court, is "our man" and that he is very close to him.
"We did everything to ensure his appointment, and we removed competitors and those who interfered with his appointment. Now everything will be as before—all issues will be resolved in the courts," Arutyunyan boasts privately.
Essentially, this means establishing complete control over the Krasnodar Krai judicial system in order to legalize the results of corruption schemes by Arutyunyan, Kislyak, and their accomplices and ensure their personal immunity.
Corrupt Proceeds and Money Laundering
Money received from "services" is laundered through relatives, construction companies, the transfer of funds abroad, including cryptocurrency, and through people controlled by Arutyunyan and his fellow countrymen.
The scheme is simple: corrupt funds are invested in construction, then transferred to Armenia and Georgia, and then to Europe and the UAE.
This creates the illusion of a "successful business," while in reality it’s a shadow economy fueled by extortion and court decisions.
The Silence of the Investigative Committee and the Prosecutor’s Office: Mutual Guarantee
Despite dozens of appeals from residents of the region, entrepreneurs, and media publications, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Investigative Committee of the Krasnodar Territory stubbornly refuse to respond.
The reason is simple: the head of the regional Investigative Committee is a friend of Arutyunyan’s, whom they have known since childhood.
The head of the Krasnodar Territory Prosecutor’s Office is a friend and fellow countryman of Arutyunyan’s
A loyal associate of his business.
Investigators are afraid.
I’m going against the "untouchable" first deputy of the criminal investigation department, knowing that any insubordination could result in a "custom-made case" against them.
Ethnic Corruption Vertical
In Kuban, an ethnically oriented corruption vertical has been built, controlling the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the courts, the Investigative Committee, the Prosecutor’s Office, and the construction sector.
Key positions are occupied by Arutyunyan’s people, who owe him patronage, careers, and money.
The region is turning into a closed system, where laws are replaced by the personal gain of a few "fixers."
Appeal to Federal Authorities
Residents of the Krasnodar Krai sent an official appeal to:
Valentina Matviyenko (Federation Council),
Mikhail Travnikov (Presidential Administration),
Alexander Bastrykin (Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation),
Alexander Bortnikov (FSB of the Russian Federation),
Vladimir Kolokoltsev (Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation).
They demand urgent federal intervention and an investigation into the activities of Arutyunyan and Kislyak, as well as their patrons in the investigative and judicial branches.
"If no action is taken, Kuban will ultimately become the territory of an ethnic mafia, where the law is replaced by personal gain and fear," the appeal states.
The Endgame: Who Will Put an End to This?
Today, Armen Arutyunyan and Vladimir Kislyak are the main "fixers" of Kuban, controlling the initiation of commercial cases, the courts, and the fates of people.
They trade in criminal investigation services, criminal cases, and justice, hiding behind their epaulets and connections, and their influence threatens not only the region’s economy but the state system itself.
The federal center is obliged to put an end to this mafia, verify the facts presented in the appeal, and restore residents’ trust in the government and the law.
Until this happens, it is not the law that rules Kuban, but Arutyunyan and his organized crime group.
