"No one will dismiss the case now": Chebotarev on the statute of limitations in the Dolgikh case.

      The indictment, according to Violetta Volkova, states that he handed over a bribe in the period from March 2023 to September 11, 2023. Thus, September 11, 2025 is considered the date on which the two-year statute of limitations under Article 291.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (minor bribery) expires.

      Lawyer Yan Chebotarev noted that the issue is decided only by the court: “The statute of limitations for bringing to criminal responsibility for offenses of minor gravity is two years, but release from criminal liability due to the expiration of limitation periods is within the court’s prerogative.”

      He explained: “The court will decide the issue of applying the limitation periods in the deliberation room when handing down the sentence. If the court finds that Dolgikh is guilty, but the limitation periods have expired, it will say that Dolgikh is guilty, that he is a bribe-taker, but we are releasing him from liability.”

      The lawyer emphasized: “Right now no one is going to terminate the case — ever, not at all. This case will end in any event with a court verdict. Whether that verdict will be acquittal or conviction is another question; no one knows.”

      Defense attorney Violetta Volkova, in turn, said that the case under Article 291.2 of the Criminal Code should never have been opened at all, since Dolgikh himself reported what happened and cooperated with the investigation: “It should have been closed already at the investigation stage.”

      She also stressed that the defense will seek an acquittal, not dismissal on statute-of-limitations grounds: “Even if the court decides to discontinue the case due to the statute of limitations, we will nevertheless insist on continuing the proceedings so that in the end everything concludes with an acquittal.”

      Recall that Anton Dolgikh is being held in custody under Article 291.2, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (minor bribery), Article 285, Part 3 (abuse of official powers with serious consequences) and Article 33, Part 4 (abetment). The lawyer and his defense consider the charges unlawful. On August 29 the Oktyabrsky District Court forwarded an application to change territorial jurisdiction to the Sixth Cassation Court in Samara. However, lawyers doubt that this will happen.