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In Moscow sentence passed over members of gang found guilty of nine murders and robberies

A court has recognized the evidence gathered by Moscow Main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee sufficient to convict Sergei Balikhin, Viktor Yakubiv and Marat Yusupov. Depending on the role of each, they are accused of committing crimes under Article 209 of the RF Criminal Code (robbery), Subsections "a, g, h" of Part 2 of Article 105 of the RF Criminal Code (murder), Part 4 of Article 162 of the RF Criminal Code (robbery), Part 3 of Article 222 of the RF Criminal Code (illegal circulation of firearms).

The court and investigators have found that the gang was created in 2009 by a resident of the city of Moscow Sergei Balikhin to attack citizens and seize their property. He gave a detailed confession of crimes and denounced his accomplices. During the search at the summer residence of one of the accomplices in October 2012, three grenades, two sawn-off shotguns, five pistols, including the one used in two murders, were seized. The involvement of gang members in the murder of nine people has been established. March 7, 2009, the accused committed a robbery at the apartment at the Zarevy Proyezd in Moscow, during which three people, including a minor, were brutally killed. November 26, 2010, a small shop clerk was murdered at the Linii Oktyabrskoy Zheleznoy Dorogy Street. March 18, 2011, a pawn shop at the Bryanskaya Street in Moscow was attacked, and three its employees were killed. December 29, 2011, a jewelry store "Svadebny" at the Butyrskaya Street in Moscow was robbed, and the store manager was murdered. In addition, the accomplices killed a pensioner on February 20, 2012 in Domodedovo, Moscow Region.

During a search in October 2012 in a holiday house of one of the accomplices the investigators confiscated three grenades, two sawn-off guns, five pistols, including one that was used for the murders.

The court has sentenced Balikhin to life in prison to be served in a special-security penal colony, Viktor Yakubiv – to 14 years in prison and Marat Yusupov – to 19 years in prison to be served in a maximum-security penal colony.