| The motives for blowing up a residential building in Arkhangelsk are still unclear Today marks exactly one year since a nine-story residential building was blown up in Arkhangelsk on Soviet Cosmonauts Avenue. Funeral services for the dead will be held in all churches in the region. The top officials of the region and the city, including Governor Nikolai Kiselyov, will lay flowers at the site of the tragedy, which claimed the lives of 58 people. Prosecutor of the Arkhangelsk region Alexander Apanasenko, whose subordinates are investigating this crime, in turn yesterday at a special press conference reported on the results of their work. According to him, the investigation into the case of the explosion of a residential building on March 16, 2004 has entered its final stage, the case materials have already been handed over to the victims for review, and in a week they will be handed over to the accused and his lawyers. However, yesterday the prosecutor’s office failed to clearly explain the investigation’s version of whether it was a terrorist attack or the prank of an offended drunken mechanic.
On April 20, 2004, former Gorgaz employee Sergei Alekseychik was detained on suspicion of committing an explosion. On April 29 of the same year he was charged under Art. 105-2 (murder of two or more persons committed by explosion) and Art. 167 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (intentional destruction or damage to property through negligence). However, the investigation still cannot understand the motives why Sergei Alekseichik committed the crime. According to the defendant's defense, this will be the main subject of debate in court.
Initially, the main motive defended by the prosecution and confirmed by the accused during the first interrogations was revenge on the management of the Arkhangelsk Gorgaz for the allegedly illegal dismissal of the accused Sergei Alekseichik in 2001. Now, according to Apanasenko, this motive has been rejected by the investigation. Now the prosecutor's office believes that the explosion was nothing more than a well-planned terrorist attack, committed “to sow fear, panic, and disorganize the work of the authorities.” Based on this, on January 19, 2005, Alekseichik was charged under Art. 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (terrorism).
The investigation found that “Alekseichik committed the entire crime from beginning to end himself.” “He challenged society,” Mr. Apanasenko said yesterday. “Perhaps this was not his intent, but his very actions testify to this.” It passed spontaneously for him, against the background of alcohol intoxication.” However, the accused himself refuses to testify on this matter. The investigation is also not inclined to connect the motive for the crime with the religious beliefs of the accused, which “were not established” during the investigation.
According to the defendant's lawyer Lyudmila Kovalenko, motive is one of the weakest aspects of the prosecution. “It’s no secret that the explosion was recognized as a terrorist attack under public pressure,” the defender noted. “However, the prosecutor’s office did not take into account that no one in Arkhangelsk believes that this terrorist attack was the work of my client.” She also said that the defense is once again preparing a complaint against the actions of law enforcement agencies who put pressure on her client, forcing her to sign a confession. It was indeed signed by Alekseichik, but after that he stated that he did it under pressure. Twice the regional prosecutor’s office, by court decision, checked the facts of “pressure”, but did not find any.
Mr. Apanasenko also reported yesterday that 171 residents of Arkhangelsk, as well as the municipality of Arkhangelsk, were recognized as victims of the explosion. The amount of damage amounted to more than 48 million rubles, including damage to the municipality - 7.9 million rubles. The volume of the criminal case has already reached 50 volumes. It also included 44 videotapes and physical evidence, including doors, fragments of pipes, etc. Due to the prolonged familiarization of the victims with the case materials, the investigation period was extended until June 16. The prosecutor's office also intends to petition for an extension of the defendant's detention in custody. At the same time, the preparation of the indictment began, the volume of which already amounts to 50 pages. Mikhail SERAPIONOV, Arkhangelsk |
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