Vologda Region investigating bodies of the Russia’s Investigative Committee continue investigating a criminal case over hijacking and escape of a convict from a correctional facility. Investigators have brought final charges against 33-year-old Alexey Shestakov, 36-year-old Alexander Rusakov and 35-year-old Tatyana Vazhalina. Depending on the role of each one, they are charged with crimes under paragraphs “a, c, d” of part 2 of article 211 (hijacking of an aircraft), part 3 of article 313 (escape from a place of confinement committed by a person who is serving a sentence), part 1 of article 318 (threat to use violence against a representative of the authority), part 166 and part 3 of article 30, part 4 of article 166 (hijacking and attempted hijacking), part 2 of article 228 of the RF Criminal Code (illegal acquisition, storage, transportation of psychotropic substances on an especially large scale).
According to investigators, on 22 March 2012, in the early morning a helicopter of a Vologda aviation airline ordered by the accused Shestakov through a third party, arrived for transportation of people to recreation center Irma of Sheksninsky district, Vologda Region where it took aboard 2 people. In the air the passengers – Tatyana Vazhalina and Alexander Rusakov – threatening to use objects as weapons, forced a pilot to fly to the village of Sheksna. On arriving at the village the armed people forced the pilot to descend the helicopter over the territory of a correctional facility № 17 of the Vologda Region Directorate of Federal Penitentiary Service. The convict Alexander Shestakov, who was serving his sentence, grabbed a rope thrown down to him from the helicopter and got in. The helicopter then flew to Vologda, where it landed near Okruzhnoye highway and the passengers left it and fled the scene.
On 22 March 2012, a car was stopped approaching the town of Gryazovets by local police forces. The car was driven by Alexey Shestakov who earlier had escaped from the correctional facility. The convict threatened the police to blow them up with fake grenades and pointed at them a pistol which was like a real one. After that, wishing to flee from the police officers, Shestakov sat to a driver seat of a car he did not owned and drove in the direction of the city. After several tens of meters he abandoned the car, being armed with an airgun, tried to seize UAZ Patriot automobile where a driver and his son were at the moment. He aimed the gun at them and started to open the door of the car, but failed and was detained by the police.
Alexey Shestakov is charged with organization of a crime – hijacking of an aircraft, as well as with escape from a confinement, hijacking of a vehicle, threat of violence against a representative of the authority and attempted hijacking of a vehicle.
Tatyana Vazhalina and Alexander Rusakov are charged with hijacking of an aircraft, as well as complicity in escape of a convict from a confinement. Rusakov is also charged with illegal acquisition, storage, transportation of psychotropic substances on an especially large scale (almost 1.5 kg of amphetamine) which, investigators believe, he had got in Saint-Petersburg and was transporting at the moment of the detention.
At present, investigating and procedural operations are underway to finish preliminary investigation. The accused are going to read the files of the case before it will be forwarded to the court for the indictment to be approved.
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