At present investigation is continued against Oleg Belov. Even before he was detained a court has issued warrant to arrest him as the accused of mass murder (part 2 of article 105 of the RF Penal Code). It is possible that two cases – one over the murder of children and their mother in Nizhny Novgorod and the murder of Belov’s mother in Vladimir – will be joined to form a single law suit. The investigators found the murder weapon.
I can officially say that while being arrested Belov fought back and was wounded by the police. Now he is at hospital and will be interviewed when he gets better, then a court will decide on restraint.
During the investigation we are going to find out all the circumstances and reasons for that atrocious crime. At the very beginning of the probe the investigators had to face a number of problems which actually became the reason for the tragedy.
The first thing the investigators did find out was the fact that despite the signals that the children had lived in the situation that threated their health and lives, officials of Nizhny Novgorod administration did nothing for three years, they did not go to court to file action against Belov in order to deprive him of custody. They actually did not tried to isolate the children from parents in any way, knowing that one of the parents was mentally disturbed. If they had taken proper measures, there would not have been such terrible consequences. Considering all that, a criminal investigation was opened against Igor Kryuchkov, Head of the Office for Education and Social and Legal Protection of Childhood of Nizhny Novgorod administration. He is suspected of a crime under part 3 of article 293 of the RF Penal Code – negligence, and is facing 7 years in prison.
Of course, during the probe the investigators are going to reveal other conditions that made the crime possible.
The Investigative Committee together with operative services has done everything to detain Belov as soon as possible. But unfortunately we have investigate the crime that was already committed. We were surprised to say the least, when after the tragedy the officials in charge of protecting children did not say that they were sorry, but claimed that they were “controlling” the investigation. I would like to ask: What were they going to control? The work of the investigators or operatives? It is clear that it is way beyond their power and not their duty at all. They should have “control” things when the children were alive. Moreover, they should have acted rather than just talk about things. So I call upon all those who want to “control” things - get to your immediate duties, so that such a tragedy does not repeat itself in this or any other region. Do your job instead of covering your indifference and self-admiration with concern about the investigation.
As for the Investigative Committee, I can guarantee that together with operative services of the Federal Security Service and Ministry of the Interior we will finish the investigation and do our best to make the officials of different level who were guilty of the tragedy pay for it.
Head of Media Relations V.I. Markin
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