LONDON -- If you Google "Vladimir Nikolaev," mayor of Vladivostok, 2007," you will come up with an interesting story about how he was recently arrested. You will also find stories about how he resisted arrest, but finished up in handcuffs.
Nikolaev has a long history of allegations of criminal activities. He was in prison for a while, where he was allegedly known as Winnie the Pooh. It is also alleged that he used flame-throwers to support his arguments.
He thought he was safe. He was released from prison under an amnesty at the end of the 1990s. He had acquired substantial wealth in previous years (use Google to check how). He used this wealth, allegedly, of course, to buy himself a strong position in the Vladivostok branch of the United Russia Party (URP).