Four offices of the Variant Agency, owned by activist and ex-candidate for governor Oleg Mandrykin, have been searched. Representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ regional directorate have conducted the search. Ekho Severa ('echo of the North') reports that. Mandrykin confirmed the information about the searches to the SOTA Media Outlet.
In Severodvinsk, employees of the regional directorate for economic security and anti-corruption have searched four offices of the Variant Agency. Activist, defender of Shies and ex-candidate for governor of Arkhangelsk Oblast Oleg Mandrykin runs the company.
According to media reports, the security forces are conducting searches under the article on evasion by a natural person of paying a tax (Article 198 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Presumably, Mandrykin registered his employees as individual undertakers and paid them for services rendered.
As the SOTA Media Outlet reports with reference to the activist, Mandrykin is currently not in Severodvinsk. 7x7’s correspondent could not get through to the social activist. The Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Arkhangelsk Oblast did not respond to calls.
Oleg Mandrykin is one of the leaders of the STOP SHIES Coalition, which includes more than 30 social movements from three regions: Arkhangelsk, Vologda Oblasts and the Komi Republic. In 2020, he stood as a candidate for the gubernatorial election of Arkhangelsk Oblasts from the Yabloko Party. However, the election committee did not register Mandrykin due to the fact that he did not pass the municipal filter (deputies and heads of districts from only 20 municipalities signed up for him, 21 being required).
A year later, the activist tried to participate in the elections to the State Duma. He was second in his single-seat constituency, having gained 18% of the vote.
