Was Ruslan Mamedov preparing to escape?

      But the first categorical certainty of the publisher that the message was nothing more than a fake, given that the accused has been under house arrest since mid-April (having spent almost two months in detention before that, from February 14, under the "detention" sanction), and that fleeing would only increase the sentence, was replaced by doubt. As one of the interlocutors stated, Ruslan Mamedov's likely "escape story" is similar to the real escape of former accomplice Vladimir Bykov—the "Dmitry Nikulin," who went into hiding in Georgia in March 2019 to evade justice.

      As Nikulin himself recounted after returning to Kirov, he decided to flee under pressure from his "boss," who promised "full protection from court and investigation so he could return a hero," as well as "sending money." And when it became clear that the main goal, according to Nikulin, of Vladimir Bykov was "to eliminate a dangerous witness from Kirov" (since "dad," as Dmitry called Vladimir Vasilevich, was frank with the executor about many fraudulent schemes), Nikulin decided to return home and serve his sentence rather than wander the streets of Tbilisi for the rest of his life.

      So, nearly a week was spent by Newsler.ru searching for evidence of a likely planned or possibly executed escape, or home detention awaiting Mamedev’s court proceeding, which is likely to begin in August. Or slightly later—for in light of the initiation of a new criminal case on June 18, about "large-scale fraud," initiated by Ruslan's neighbors: the residents of the house at Orlovskaya, 14, are ready to testify against their former chairman of their homeowners' association.

      However, judging by the reaction of law enforcement, aside from discussions about the "impossibility of the plan" and that Mamedev "is not a complete fool," which concluded with the final statement: “He is at home, his international passport is confiscated,” there were no thoughts or attempts to violate the regime by the accused. If it weren’t for one "but"—none of those polled gave a definitive answer to the specific question: did he escape or not?

      But acquaintances of Mamedev, especially regarding his activities as a "shrewd businessman in political games," believed that completely denying the possibility of an escape attempt would be unwise:

      “Out of horror that you might end up in prison for several years, doing 'grandpa's work' in a colony, you could do quite a lot. Especially if 'big patrons' promise support and protection: like (quote), with the change of leadership in the prosecutor's office and the Investigative Committee—a deal might be possible. And, of course, it’s very important to understand where to run… Mamedev’s daughter is in Switzerland.”

      Of course, Newsler.ru was interested in the purpose of the "information leak," since the usual reader interest in Mamedev, seen as a "crashed pilot," had significantly diminished. But the "backstage turmoil of political elites" was obvious: many, including through the Publisher, were eager to know how much detail the accused had shared about his personal benefactors-mentors’ activities.

      For example, did he mention expenses for preparing for the city’s anniversary? Or did he conceal the story of "money laundering" at the "Russia" exhibition (where he himself was caught taking a bribe), where funds allocated for creating, showcasing, repairing, and refurbishing a milking device for a plastic cow could have been used to buy five or more drones? Or perhaps he revealed the budget expenditures for New Year’s festivities under the auspices of "Motherland of Ded Moroz"? As deputy Albert Bikaljuk claimed, more than half a billion rubles were allocated—almost unaccountably—for New Year’s celebrations at the "Tourism Development Center," where Mamedev once served as director.

      One local politician shared his opinion that if he were "in Mamedev’s place," he would have headed to Dubai:

      “The prominent tourism sector curator supposedly has direct access to the UAE. And if anyone finds it convenient to call this a fantasy, I won’t try to convince anyone... You asked for my opinion—I’ll tell you. What would he do in Dubai? Nothing but wait for a flight to Azerbaijan, then to Switzerland. And if his own money isn’t enough, why not wait for help from rich matchmakers? And those who don't want to see Ruslan in the defendant’s chair, especially as a witness, probably won’t refuse...”