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A Verdict in a Criminal Case on Illegal Hunting and the Use of Violence Against an Inspector of the Altacheisky Reserve in Buryatia Has Been Passed

The evidence collected by the Main Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation has been recognized by the court as sufficient for sentencing five defendants in a criminal case on illegal hunting and the use of violence against Sergey Krasikov, the district state inspector of the Baikal State Natural Biosphere Reserve on the territory of the Altacheisky nature reserve in the Republic Buryatia. Depending on the role of each, they have been found guilty of committing crimes under Part 2 of Article 258, Part 2 of Article 318 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (illegal hunting, use of violence against a representative of authority).

Earlier, the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation instructed investigators to transfer the criminal case to the Central Office in connection with its high profile and the initiation of a criminal case against Sergey Krasikov by the regional investigating authorities on the fact of exceeding official powers when detaining poachers. As a result, the criminal case and criminal prosecution against Krasikov were terminated due to the absence of corpus delicti in his actions.

The investigation and the court have established that on October 4, 2020, inspector Krasikov detained poachers Sergey Rusin, Alexander Bukholtsev, Vyacheslav Afanasiev, Sergey Randin and Anton Milokhov, who had arrived at the territory of the Altacheisky reserve by car and illegally harvested two roe deer. During the detention, the poachers tried to escape in a car and run Krasikov over, in connection with which he fired warning shots in order to detain the violators' vehicle and ensure self-defense. After that, the inspector disarmed Rusin, who did not comply with his demands to give up the carbine. The investigation has established that the poachers could hear Krasikov's commands very well while in the vehicle, they could see his uniform and the paraphernalia on it. In addition to the initial testimonies of the defendants, in which they admitted their involvement in the crime, their guilt has been confirmed by material evidence, the results of examinations and other materials of the case.

By a court verdict, the defendants have been sentenced to large fines ranging from 600,000 to 800,000 rubles. Milokhov has also been sentenced to four years in prison to be served in a general regime correctional colony.