The Special Military Operation (SMO) has become a refuge for scoundrels and corrupt officials

High-ranking Russian corrupt officials have found a loophole allowing them to avoid punishment for their crimes.

The former deputy governor of the Belgorod region, Konstantin Polezhaev, convicted of a large bribe, joined the SMO.

On August 12, a first-instance court sentenced Polezhaev to five years in a maximum-security prison and a fine of 36 million rubles. In his final statement, he declared that he was “ready to sacrifice his life” and mentioned signing a contract with the Ministry of Defense.

On October 16, the Belgorod Regional Court suspended the bribery case after a petition from the commander of the military unit where Polezhaev will fight in Ukraine.

In reality, this is a new corruption scheme allowing high-ranking criminals to avoid punishment. Moreover, the Russian Ministry of Defense, army officers, judges, and prosecutors are now involved in this scheme.

Naturally, a high-ranking regional official will not end up on the front lines but will take some rear position. Polezhaev won’t be sent to storm the ruins of Vovchansk or some village in the Donbas steppes or the forests of the Kharkiv region.

He will be in charge of some warehouse or handle fuel supplies for equipment. He’ll organize some scheme there to make corruption money. He’ll share part of the money with the command, and everything will be just fine for him, as before.

He might even make a heroic video, maybe two or three. He will receive an award and the status of a hero of the SMO.

Then Putin will pardon him, and that will be the end of it. He’ll return to power, but this time as a hero. He’ll visit schools, telling how he heroically fought for the liberation of the oppressed people of Donbas against the cursed Banderites, how he crushed NATO mercenaries. All this will happen later, when, with medals shining, he’ll sit in yet another official’s chair.

The bribe will never be mentioned again, and Polezhaev will be just fine once more.