THE GENERAL CHANGED THE “SYCHEV CASE”

Now the trial is nearing its end

On September 4 , at the trial, which has been taking place in the Chelyabinsk Garrison Court since the beginning of summer, the defendant Sivyakov, the main defendant in the case of bullying soldier Andrei Sychev, will finally be interrogated. After the interrogation of Sivyakov, who continues to deny his guilt, only legal debates and, finally, a verdict should follow. The appearances of all the main witnesses are over, and the fact that the interrogation of the accused is scheduled for September 4 is a direct result of statements made in court by the last witness to testify, Viktor Kalkutin, the chief military forensic expert of Russia (head of the Central Laboratory of Forensic Medicine of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation).

There was little hope that Kalkutin would support the truth. He is a very famous person - in that he belongs entirely to the Ministry of Defense hierarchy, and in this sense, a clan man, a senior military official with many years of experience, is not at all a dissident in his department, with a strong reputation as a loyal officer, which was especially clearly demonstrated in the trial about the sinking of the Kursk submarine.

General Kalkutin's speech became a sensation: he defended the position of civilian doctors from Chelyabinsk Hospital No. 3, where Andrei was first operated on, saving his life, and against what the head of the Military Hospital said in court. Burdenko.

“We forgot that we were in court, listening to Kalkutin,” says Andrei Sychev’s sister Marina Muffert. — It was as if we were at a scientific symposium. Kalkutin shocked everyone with strict scientific evidence that his brother did not have any thrombophilia, that the tragedy that happened to him was a consequence of physical violence. We were very surprised by Kalkutin's position.

“Sivyakov’s lawyers,” says Andrei Sychev’s mother Galina Pavlovna, “are in a state of agony.” They are trying to delay the moment of sentencing, but after Kalkutin’s speech this is difficult.

“Listening to reports from the trial, he was very indignant. Especially when the guys started saying that he was frozen in the toilet, where he washed the floor in slippers on New Year's Eve. He was so indignant... I told him: “Sit down and write what you think. Maybe this will be useful to someone." By that time, the court decided not to interrogate Andrei. He wrote this letter - and somehow he was relieved, he himself felt better. Just as I thought. Then they thought about it and sent a letter to Chelyabinsk.

“Now Andrey feels good,” Galina Pavlovna said in an interview with our newspaper. — We continue to wait from day to day for transfer to another hospital for prosthetics. Already tuned in.

Anna POLITKOVSKAYA, Novaya columnist

Statement by Andrey Sychev

To the Chelyabinsk Garrison Military Court

I, Sychev Andrey Sergeevich, am currently undergoing treatment at the hospital named after. Burdenko, due to health reasons and intensive treatment, I cannot take part in the court hearing. However, from the words of my sister Marina, I have a good idea of ​​what is happening there.
I am very worried, and I am very offended that my colleagues are forced to tell lies in court. I am not offended by them, I understand that they have further to serve and therefore they are forced to give such testimony. That is why I decided to write this statement and talk about cleaning the toilet and washbasin. I actually took part on December 31, 2005 in this cleanup. There were several of us. This was my first time taking part in cleaning the toilet and washbasin. Those who already had cleaning experience showed how it should be done. I remember exactly that it was not cold in the washbasin, a little cooler than in the company position, but not much. At least I was wearing slippers and wasn't cold. I can’t say what the others were wearing, because I don’t remember. I claim that no one forced us to wear boots while cleaning that day. While cleaning, my feet were dry and I didn’t feel cold. If my feet were cold, I would wear boots, which, unfortunately, I cannot wear now.
Before the New Year, and also on December 31, after cleaning the toilet, my legs did not hurt and I felt normal. I confirm the testimony given earlier and ask the court to trust them.
August 19, 2006.

08/31/2006