Alexander Berdnikov
Alexander Vasilyevich Berdnikov is a Russian politician, and was until 2019 head of the Altai Republic.
He took office on January 20, 2006. He was a candidate in the December 2001 election for that position, receiving 9.6% of the vote and coming in sixth place. In 2004, a new law stopped direct elections for Russian administrative division leaders. In December 2005, Berdnikov was nominated by Vladimir Putin and confirmed by the State Assembly of the Altai Republic, succeeding Mikhail Lapshin.
His 12-year term has been plagued by multiple scandals, such as the Altaigate scandal.
