Table of Contents
Seven servicemen charged over alleged cable theft at Leningrad Naval Base
Seven servicemen stationed at the Leningrad Naval Base in Kronstadt appeared in court on January 30, 2026. Prosecutors allege the group removed some 4.6 tons of cable from a classified facility and burned insulation to extract copper.
Authorities say four of the accused are conscripts and three are contract soldiers. Investigators contend the metal was repeatedly delivered to a scrap collection point.
Officials estimated losses to the Defence Ministry at nearly 11 million rubles. The servicemen reportedly received about 3 million rubles from the scrap dealer, according to prosecution statements.
The case highlights security concerns at a major naval facility and raises questions about internal controls and oversight within the Defence Ministry.
The defendants’ accounts, collected by independent outlets, present a different version of events. Younger conscripts told reporters they were ordered to remove electrical cables after being told that refusal would lead to deployment to fight in Ukraine. After criminal charges were filed, sources said investigators again presented the conscripts with a choice: sign a service contract and be sent to the front, or accept a prison term. These allegations come from the defendants and third‑party reporting; they have not been independently verified by the authorities. This article summarizes the public details of the case while preserving the factual elements revealed in reporting.
Background and the sequence of events
Prosecutors allege theft of cables at the naval facility. Defence officials have described the incident as criminal misconduct by a small group of servicemen. Independent reporting, by contrast, emphasizes pressure on junior conscripts and the role of commanding officers in directing the removal of equipment.
According to the conscripts’ accounts, orders to take the cables were framed as compulsory. The conscripts say they were told that refusal would result in immediate reassignment to a combat zone. After investigators opened criminal proceedings, sources say the conscripts were offered alternatives that linked continued service with front‑line deployment.
Authorities have charged multiple servicemen in connection with the incident and are seeking to establish criminal responsibility. Defence Ministry statements to date describe the matter as a security breach and pledge internal review. Independent outlets have published interviews and documents that the defendants say contradict official explanations.
The conflicting narratives underscore questions about internal controls, command responsibility and the treatment of conscripts at the facility. Court proceedings and official inquiries are ongoing, and further evidence may clarify whether the actions resulted from individual wrongdoing, coercion or chain‑of‑command directives.
I’m sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.
Prosecutors say three senior officers systematically removed cable insulation from Defense Ministry property during repeated trips to the site. The officers are identified as Senior Lieutenant Alexander Korendyasov, Lieutenant Maxim Klychnikov and Lieutenant K. Shishkin. Klychnikov is described in charging documents as an engineer responsible for measurement systems. Shishkin is said to have overseen fire safety at the facility. The case includes charges of grand theft and embezzlement of Defense Ministry property.
Conscripts’ allegations of coercion and threats
Several conscripts stationed at the site have provided statements to investigators alleging they were pressured to assist with the removal of material. According to those accounts, orders came from supervising officers and were framed as mandatory tasks related to maintenance or safety.
Conscripts told prosecutors they faced threats of disciplinary action if they refused. Some
I’m sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.