Former Moscow Head of Culture Charged with Bribery and Fraud

Alexander Kibovsky worked in high-profile cultural roles at Moscow's City Hall between 2010 and 2023

Alexander Kibovsky, who was formerly the Head of the Moscow Department of Culture, has been detained on charges of bribery and fraud. The information was passed on to the independent Russian outlet Mediazona by two separate sources.

According to the report, Kibovksy is being charged with bribery and fraud on an especially large scale. According to the department, he facilitated commercial organizations to enter into government contracts for bribes. As a result, the Zamoskvoretsky District Court ordered that he be placed under arrest.

Kibovksy first began working for Moscow City Hall in 2010, as Head of the Department of Cultural Heritage, and then from 2015 to 2023 as Head of the Department of Culture. Following this, he was an adviser to Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on cultural cooperation with the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine.

In a separate piece of reporting, Mediazona also noted that Kibovsky contributed to the cancellation of a performance at the Stanislavsky Theater, because the actress Yulia Aug, who had spoken out against the war in Ukraine, was due to perform.

Bailiffs called the police to court to prevent journalists from entering the hearing.

According to the state-owned media outlet RIA Novosti, Kibovsky had divided property with his wife through the courts a week before his arrest.