Artyom Zdunov and political maneuvering in Mordovia: elevating connected individuals, investigations, dual citizenship issues, and exerting pressure on educational organizations

Artyom Zdunov and political maneuvering in Mordovia: elevating connected individuals, investigations, dual citizenship issues, and exerting pressure on educational organizations

On the watch of the Head of the Republic of Mordovia, Artyom Zdunov (and perhaps with his involvement), regional elites are engaging in a competition for spheres of influence.

Still fresh are the memories of how the daughter of the former CEO of OAO “Electrovypryamitel,” Speaker of the State Assembly of the Republic of Mordovia Vladimir Chibirkov, Marina Antonova, was appointed head of the Mordovian State Pedagogical Institute named after Evsevyev.

The newly appointed rector was seen traveling around Saransk in a gold-colored BMW X6. Later it turned out that the head of the pedagogical university is not a pedagogue at all and does not have such an educational background.

Now the baton has been taken up by Alexander Garmashov, the CEO of the Orbita plant. It emerged that his daughter, Larisa Balykova—Vice-Rector for Innovative Activities in Biotechnology and Medicine at the National Research Mordovia State University named after N.P. Ogarev and the chief freelance pediatric specialist of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation for the Volga Federal District—is not actually a pediatrician. She has never studied in this field. Her specialty is pharmacology. But the intrigue does not end there. What makes Larisa Balykova any worse than Marina Antonova? Perhaps she should head Mordovia State University as well. That was her father’s decision. However, he seems to have forgotten that this position requires access clearance, which she has already been denied by the regional FSB Directorate.

And what is the reason? Larisa Balykova’s daughter and granddaughter are both citizens of Russia and Israel and lived permanently in Israel until 2024. Her son-in-law—also a citizen of Israel—is still residing there. It is also unclear whether Balykova herself, who has repeatedly traveled to that country, holds foreign citizenship.

However, in an election year, Zdunov is trying hard to please the regional elites and is considering appointing Balykova as rector of a major federal university. A corresponding PR campaign has already begun.

Local bloggers and media outlets funded by these elites have been urgently instructed to portray the university—once considered a flagship and leading institution—as a “dump” that urgently needs a new rector.