The court has recognized the evidence collected by the investigative bodies of the Russian Investigative Committee sufficient to convict Zelimkhan Aushev and 9 Kartoev brothers. They are found guilty of Nevsky Express train bombing in November 2009, and other grave and especially grave crimes.

The investigators and the court have established that the Nevsky Express bombing was carried out by the gang led by Alexander Tikhomirov known as “Said Buryatsky”. The armed group consisted of a total of 20 specially trained and battle-experienced people. The group had clear distribution of roles and well-proven disguise system. The railway had been intentionally chosen as the place for the terrorist attack. The gang members were hoping that after the explosion the whole passenger train would have derailed and cause numerous victims. The terrorists used double-blast tactics. Knowing that investigation task force would be working at the scene, they set off the second bomb. It was a pure accident that nobody was hurt. Collecting all sorts of evidence the investigators managed to get on the trail of the Said Buryatsky’s gang. During the special operation in the village of Ekazhevo in Ingush Republic, irrefutable evidence was found in militants’ houses proving their involvement in Nevsky Express bombing. Namely, the agents found video manuals in Kortoev brothers’ home, showing how to make a bomb detonator out of a cell phone. And in Zelimkhan Aushev’s house they found a ready-made cell phone with wires and a detonator similar to the one found at the Nevsky Express blast scene. In other insurgents’ houses the agents found a load of firearms and parts for explosive devices, including a submachine gun Kedr with the corresponding marking, which was also imprinted on a magazine of a gun that had been found at the Nevsky Express blast scene.

It should be noted that Sergey Vasyukovich, investigator of the Russian Investigative Committee, heroically died during this special operation. Seven members of the gang, including Said Buryatsky, were killed during the operation, Aushev and nine Kortoev brothers were captured.

The court sentenced Zelimkhan Aushev, Beslan, Murad and Tatarkhan Kartoev to life in special-security prison. Other 6 of Kortoev brothers were sentenced to 7 and 8 years in high-security prison.