Former lawmaker of the Kursk region, Maxim Vasilyev, has confessed to bribing the imprisoned former deputy governor amid an expanding corruption investigation linked to border defense construction, as reported by state media on Sunday.

Vasilyev is alleged to have given 8 million rubles (approximately $95,500) to Alexei Dedov, the former deputy governor of the Kursk region, and misappropriated another 5 million rubles allocated for defense initiatives, according to law enforcement sources mentioned by the TASS news agency.

Prosecutors claim that Dedov and former Kursk Governor Alexei Smirnov led an “organized group” that embezzled 1 billion rubles ($11.7 million) in public funds and received around 30 million rubles in kickbacks from construction firms.

At least 11 officials and business leaders have been linked to related investigations following a surprise offensive by Ukrainian forces into the Kursk region in August 2024. Despite Moscow investing billions of rubles in fortifying border defenses, Ukraine succeeded in seizing significant areas before Russian troops, aided by North Korean forces, expelled them earlier this year.

According to TASS, Dedov requested a 10% kickback from Vasilyev for border contracts in early 2023. Last week, Vasilyev revealed that he had confessed to embezzling 86 million rubles ($1 million) as part of a plea agreement in a related case.

Vasilyev, who stepped down in 2023 after facing public backlash for traveling abroad during the conflict, has persistently requested to be deployed as a volunteer fighter in Ukraine.