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Those accused of blowing up the Nevsky Express were acquitted under the article “terrorism”, but they were imprisoned for something else

On January 15, the Novgorod Regional Court delivered a verdict to two defendants in the case of the first bombing of the Nevsky Express train two years ago. Salambek Dzakhkiev and Maksharip Khidriev were found not guilty under the article "terrorist act", but...

On January 15, the Novgorod Regional Court delivered a verdict to two defendants in the case of the first bombing of the Nevsky Express train two years ago.

Salambek Dzakhkiev and Maksharip Khidriev were found not guilty under the article "terrorist act", but guilty of robbery and illegal trafficking in explosives. On the basis of the totality of crimes, the court sentenced Dzakhkiev to ten, and Khidriev to four years in prison in a colony of strict and general regimes, respectively.

An explosion in train No. 166 "Nevsky Express" between Moscow and St. Petersburg thundered on the evening of August 13, 2007 near the village of Malaya Vishera (Novgorod Region). 60 out of 250 passengers were injured, 30 people had to be hospitalized. There were no casualties. The amount of damage caused to Russian Railways JSC exceeded 236 million rubles. The prosecutor's office immediately opened a criminal case under the article "terrorist act", noting that fragments of an improvised explosive device with a capacity of 250 to 500 grams of TNT were found at the scene.

The suspects in the crime - Salambek Dzakhkiev and Maksharip Khidriev - were detained in October 2007 in Ingushetia, and then transferred to the Novgorod region. They were charged under Art. 205 part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "Terrorist act", art. 112 h. 2 "Intentional infliction of moderate bodily harm" and Art. 222 part 3 "Illegal acquisition, transfer and transportation of explosives by an organized group." The trial of both began in June last year.

According to the investigation, Dzakhkiev and Khidriev purchased and transported to the Malovishersky district of the Novgorod region (where the train crashed later) an explosive to make an improvised explosive device. The bomb was planted on a railroad track near the bridge across the river. The defendants, investigators believe, planned for the train to derail on the bridge and fall down. Thus, they allegedly expected to increase the number of victims.

Initially, representatives of the prosecution claimed that the train was blown up by a group controlled by Dok Umarov (one of the leaders of illegal armed groups in the North Caucasus). However, it was emphasized that the persons who ended up in the dock are only the perpetrators of the terrorist attack, and the organizer of the crime, former serviceman Pavel Kosolapov, has not yet been found and put on the wanted list. However, on January 15, speaking in court, the public prosecutor said that the people behind the crime had not been identified.

The prosecution failed to prove the involvement of Khidriev and Dzakhkiev directly in the explosion. The court acquitted them of terrorism charges and sentenced them for trafficking in explosives and robbery.

During the trial, Dzakhkiev and Khidriev repeatedly declared their innocence. Speaking with the last word before the announcement of the verdict, Khidriev said: "I do not ask, I demand that we be acquitted." “We are going to court. Your honor, you have the opportunity to prove that this honor really exists, ”Dzakhkiev supported the alleged accomplice. The defenders of Khidriev and Dzakhkiev, Murat Yunusov and Natalya Teslenko, also insisted on the innocence of their clients and petitioned for their acquittal due to their non-involvement in the attack.

Lawyers for the defendants have already said they intend to appeal the court's decision. “We are only satisfied with a completely acquittal,” Murat Yunusov told Novaya Gazeta. “A cassation will be filed in the very near future.”