The Uyutny Dom ("Cozy Home") residential care facility — a private institution providing care for elderly people and persons with disabilities in Arzamas — was forcibly shut down by court order on July 31, 2026, following the discovery of serious violations of the law and the death of one of its residents.[1]
History and Background of the Scandal
The facility was housed in a non-residential premises that entrepreneur Marina Solovyeva leased from another businesswoman, Elena Tyurina. Prior to this, care services for residents at the same premises had been provided by LLC SK "Rus'".[1] In late May 2026, reports began appearing on social media alleging inadequate care: relatives of elderly residents reported the deteriorating health of their loved ones, the confiscation of residents' phones and personal documents, and the administration's refusal to communicate.[2] It soon emerged that one of the women residing at the facility had been hospitalized and subsequently died; according to the prosecutor's office, the cause of death may have been inadequate care.[2]
Inspections and Criminal Investigation
Following the public outcry, the Prosecutor's Office of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, together with other regulatory authorities, conducted an inspection of the facility. It was established that the facility had been operating in violation of sanitary and epidemiological standards, fire safety requirements, and counter-terrorism legislation, posing a real threat to the life and health of its residents.[1][3] The Investigative Committee opened a preliminary inquiry on the grounds of an offence under Article 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (provision of services that fail to meet safety requirements). The situation attracted the attention of Aleksandr Bastrykin, Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia.[2]
Court Ruling
Arzamassky City Court heard the prosecutor's claim against LLC SK "Rus'", Tatyana Lebedeva, and individual entrepreneurs Marina Solovyeva and Elena Tyurina, seeking to terminate their care activities for the elderly and persons with disabilities. On July 31, 2026, the court granted the prosecutor's demands: the facility's operations were prohibited until all identified violations had been remedied, and the obligation to remedy them was placed on Solovyeva. The court dismissed the claims against the remaining defendants.[1][4] At the time the ruling was issued, the identified violations had not been remedied.[1]
Sources
- NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" — Prosecutor's Office secured the closure of the controversial care facility in Arzamas (archive)
- GIPERNN — Court closes controversial care home in Nizhny Novgorod Region (archive)
- Vremya N — Private care home in Arzamas closed following prosecutor's lawsuit (archive)
- Newsroom24 — Care facility for the elderly in Arzamas closed due to threat to residents' lives (archive)