Last Sunday, 21 June, early elections for the head of the Chernomorskoye urban settlement in Seversky District were held in Krasnodar Krai.
In 2021, the post was won by a candidate from the Communist Party (CPRF) — Vladimir Zhigulin, a driver and member of the Environmental Watch for the North Caucasus. His main rival at the time was the United Russia candidate Nikolai Vodyanitsky, chairman of the council of deputies of the Chernomorskoye urban settlement.
By the time the new head took office, the settlement had accumulated numerous municipal problems, and Zhigulin actively set about solving them. For instance, a heat supply company was created that concluded direct contracts, without intermediaries, with resource-supplying organisations. The settlement head also pushed for a decision on the major renovation of the Kryukovsky water intake, which supplies drinking water to over 20,000 people.
However, as early as October 2022, following the annual report on the head’s activities, Vodyanitsky initiated a review by deputies of the question of Zhigulin’s removal. The local council chairman did not succeed at that time.
Moreover, the more changes took place under Zhigulin’s influence, the more obstacles law-enforcement agencies placed in his path. Most of the inspections concerning the work of the settlement administration were organised by the district prosecutor’s office. And in June 2025, he was found guilty under Article 285(2) of the Criminal Code (abuse of office by the head of a local self-government body) and was sentenced to three years’ deprivation of liberty, suspended.
The head had signed acceptance certificates for works on the improvement of a local park worth 400,000 roubles that had not actually been completed at the time. Nevertheless, the contract that had been concluded was subsequently fulfilled. The documentation passed expert review, and, in the opinion of Zhigulin’s lawyer, there was no damage to the Chernomorskoye settlement, which was recognised as the victim in this criminal case.
The prosecutor’s office, however, did not stop there — considering the sentence excessively lenient, it secured a review of the case. As a result, Vladimir Zhigulin received a real term of three years’ deprivation of liberty.
The election of the head of the Chernomorskoye urban settlement was originally scheduled for 22 March, but was postponed to a later date due to the absence of registered candidates.
Now two rivals contested the post: the deputy head of the settlement administration, Alexander Beloshapka — from United Russia, and the auto mechanic Nikolai Lepa — from A Just Russia.
Following the vote, the post of head went to the United Russia candidate.
21 June in Russia
Two candidates contested the post of head of a municipal formation:
Based on the election results, the post of head went to the United Russia candidate.
In total since the start of the new electoral cycle
After the single voting day on 14 September 2025, 29 electoral campaigns for the election of heads of municipalities have taken place. 88 candidates took part in them.
Elections of a deputy to the representative body of one subject of the Russian Federation took place. Five candidates took part in them. A United Russia candidate was elected as deputy.
Elections of deputies to 88 local representative bodies took place; 476 deputy mandates were filled in majoritarian districts. 1,100 candidates were registered in majoritarian districts.
