The former governor of Russia’s Kirov Region, Nikita Belykh, has been sentenced to eight years behind bars after a court found him guilty of a bribe amounting to €400,000 ($500,000). Belykh has also been slapped with a fine of 48 million rubles ($856,000). The ex-governor was acquitted on one of the charges. Both the prosecution and his lawyers have indicated plans to appeal the verdict.