Former Minister of Housing and Communal Services of the Novosibirsk Region, Denis Arkhipov, has stated he will be considering his next steps following his sentencing. The sentence was delivered today, June 2nd, at the Central Court of Novosibirsk.

Arkhipov spoke briefly to a correspondent, noting that a “certain practice of responsibility for management decisions made in difficult, complex operational conditions is being introduced.” He characterized this as something new to him.

When asked about the possibility of returning to his post if the decision to remove him from office is overturned, the former minister declined to comment.

This development follows earlier reports that the prosecution had requested a 7-year sentence in a penal colony for Arkhipov, who faced trial on two criminal cases.