Businessman Dmitry Mizgir has admitted guilt in a criminal case involving the supply of spoiled canned meat to Russian servicemen participating in the military operation in Ukraine.
Mizgir did not attempt to hide from law enforcement, was unaware that he had been placed on a wanted list, and voluntarily traveled to Moscow after being detained in neighboring Belarus, according to Russian state news agency TASS.
Belarus, a neighboring nation maintaining close security and legal agreements with Moscow, frequently assists Russian authorities with the detention and transfer of individuals sought in criminal investigations.
Pre-trial detention and medical claims
Following his admission of guilt, Mizgir's defense legal team announced plans to petition the court for a lighter restrictive measure, requesting that he be transferred from custody to house arrest.
His defense attorneys cited serious health conditions, stating that the businessman has been diagnosed with diabetes, atherosclerosis and kidney stones.
Despite the medical arguments presented by his legal representatives, the 2nd Western District Military Court in Moscow ordered that Mizgir remain held in a SIZO pre-trial detention center. SIZO facilities are Russian remand prisons used to detain criminal suspects while investigations and court proceedings remain ongoing.
Defendants and financial damages
Preliminary financial losses in the food procurement scheme are estimated at approximately one billion rubles. Law enforcement authorities have identified six individuals as key figures in the criminal case.
In addition to Mizgir, the investigation names Viktor Tarazevich, the former head of the food management division within the Russian Ministry of Defense's resource support department. The case also targets Alexei Baranov and Dmitry Vislobokov, directors of the meat supply firm Narmyasprom, alongside Artem Baryshkov, general director of the Selyatino meat processing plant in the Moscow region, and Zinaida Grishchuk, a technologist at the enterprise.
The Selyatino plant, located in the Moscow region, operates as a regional meat production facility providing processed foods. Ministry of Defense procurement departments rely on such specialized contractors to supply food rations to military forces.
Tarazevich, Baranov, Vislobokov and Mizgir have all been arrested by Russian law enforcement, while Baryshkov and Grishchuk have been placed on an official wanted list. Tarazevich previously declined to admit guilt in the case.
