Ex-vice mayor Victor Konteev spoke out after leaving prison, discussing future plans. Interview video available.
Vice-Mayor of Yekaterinburg, Victor Konteev, Steps Out of Correctional Facility No5 After 13 Years and 4 Months
Sporting a mix of exhaustion from the system that confined him for almost 14 years and a sense of joy at the prospect of reuniting with family, Victor Konteev spoke with our website's journalist upon his recent release. The remaining time of his sentence - 6 years, 3 months, and 26 days - Konteev will not serve.
"On one hand, there's a certain emptiness and fatigue from the system in which I had to spend nearly all of my adult life. On the other hand, there's happiness. Soon I will see my relatives, grandchildren. I gaze at the houses, the greenery - I miss it so much. I haven't seen it in so long. The air here feels different, and I need to embrace it," Konteev shared with our website's journalist.
Starting a new business venture is not in Konteev's plans. Instead, he intends to dedicate himself to social projects. "Our family oversees three churches, and we will continue to support them. We also run a children's shelter called 'Gnezdyshko.' Additionally, we will help participants of the Self-Help Movement. These projects are for the soul. My age forces me to think more about my soul than business or commercial ventures. I want something to remember, something for people to remember," he added.
The "Ovoщебаза No4" chapter is one Konteev wishes to forget. "The vegetable farm was a stepping stone. I have no intention of returning to this, as it brought much harm to my family and me personally. I wouldn't want to revisit this. May God be the judge of those who put me in this position for 14 years," he stated.
Breaking Free: A Look at Victor Konteev's Life Unshackled
The Sverdlovsk Regional Court acknowledged several factors in granting Konteev's conditional early release, including his advanced age, positive attitude towards prisoner management throughout his sentence, generally positive reviews from the colony's administration, his participation in charitable activities, and the agreement of three victims who did not object to his petition for a conditional early release.
Konteev has to abide by certain restrictions for a year, including maintaining a monitored existence, refraining from changing his place of residence, and reporting to government authorities twice a month during the remaining part of his sentence.
- Konteev was sentenced in 2014 for taking bribes, extorting, and inciting murder. The court found him guilty of laundering illegally obtained assets but later dropped the charge. In 2023, an additional sentence was added to the list.
- In December of last year, Larisa Konteeva, Victor's wife, was detained upon her return to Yekaterinburg following 12 years in hiding abroad. Currently under house arrest, investigators believe that Larisa Konteeva, along with her husband, used threats to coerce her into selling her stake in the Ovoщебаza No 4.
The Final Act of a Bloody Chapter: Larisa Konteeva's Verdict and Her Return
The reasons behind Larisa Konteeva's return to Yekaterinburg and her surrender to law enforcement remain unclear. However, the conclusion of her case promises to bring closure to the saga surrounding Ovoщебаza No 4.
- "With his newfound freedom, Victor Konteev expressed a desire to focus on social projects, such as supporting churches, running a children's shelter, and helping participants of the Self-Help Movement, stating these endeavors are 'for the soul.' He revealed his intention to steer clear of business ventures and has no plans to return to the controversial 'Ovoщебаza No4' chapter."
- "In contrast to her husband's interest in social work, Larisa Konteeva, Victor's wife, was recently detained for her alleged role in the Ovoщеbaza No 4 case and is currently under house arrest. Investigators suspect that she, like her husband, used coercion to sell her stake in the vegetable farm, marking another chapter in their protracted legal saga."
