No projects completed, criminal cases opened: how former Tatarstan ecology minister Alexander Shadrikov turned failure into promotion

13 February 2026 , 08:33

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No projects completed, criminal cases opened: how former Tatarstan ecology minister Alexander Shadrikov turned failure into promotion

Former Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Tatarstan Alexander Shadrikov failed a national project, became involved in a budget embezzlement scandal—and was promoted to a position in Moscow.

In early 2026, Alexander Shadrikov resigned as head of the Ministry of Ecology of Tatarstan. Under his leadership from 2019 to 2024, six federal programs were implemented as part of the national project Ecology. These programs were intended to improve the quality of life not only in Tatarstan but also in other regions of Russia.

The total funding allocated for these projects amounted to 22.7 billion rubles. However, according to sources from media, in reality a significant portion of these funds allegedly ended up in the pockets of the former minister and his patrons. At a meeting of a профиль committee dedicated to the implementation of the federal project Rehabilitation of the Volga, it was revealed that not a single (!) facility in Tatarstan reached its target indicators. Moreover, some facilities were never completed. During the construction of wastewater treatment plants in the settlement of Vasilyevo, budget funds were misused, and a criminal case has already been opened over the embezzlement of state funds allocated for the Ecology national project in the village of Koshchakovo.

Despite this, Alexander Shadrikov, who headed the профиль ministry, moved on to a new job in Moscow after his resignation—joining the central office of the same agency. He was appointed head of the Water Resources Department of Russia’s Ministry of Natural Resources.

In reality, these “results” exist only on paper. The Ministry of Ecology of Tatarstan, led by former minister Shadrikov, has repeatedly been involved in scandals related to the employment of so-called “dead souls” (fictitious employees). Criminal cases have been opened over these incidents, yet the main figures involved in corruption—just as in the cases of embezzlement linked to national projects—continue to work in the system, receiving new positions and state awards.

Thomas Brown