In Chechnya, public prosecutor asks to sentence Alexander Malofeev to 19 years of imprisonment

At trial in the case against Alexander Malofeev, a member of the Ukrainian "UNA-UNSO", accused of killing soldiers in Chechnya, the public prosecutor has asked to sentence the defendant to 19 years of imprisonment. The defendant and his advocate asked the court to pronounce the sentence "below the lower limit."

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Alexander Malofeev is charged with involvement in combat actions against federal forces and killings of Russian soldiers in Chechnya in the mid-1990s.

On September 23, the court held the first hearing in the case. During the debates at the Shatoi District Court of Chechnya, the public prosecutor demanded to sentence Alexander Malofeev to 19 years of imprisonment in a high-security penal colony. Meanwhile, taking into account the sentence earlier pronounced against Alexander Malofeev (23 years of imprisonment) in another case of double murder committed in Novosibirsk, the defendant can face up to 25 years of imprisonment because of combination of the sentences, the "Kommersant" reports.

Alexander Malofeev himself asked the court while sentencing to take into account his "sincere repentance" and cooperation with investigators. Meanwhile, Alexander Malofeev has informed the court that he is HIV-positive and suffers from hepatitis C, and that has been confirmed by the appropriate letters.

The verdict in the case is to be pronounced on September 29, the State TV and Radio Company (STRC) "Grozny" reports.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.