The deputy chief of the Moscow metro police force was fired Thursday after two of his officers were detained on suspicion of group rape this week.
City police chief Vladimir Kolokoltsev dismissed Colonel Alexander Telitsa, who was responsible for personnel management, and ordered the internal affairs department to conduct checks on several metro police units, said police spokesman Viktor Biryukov, RIA-Novosti reported.
Four men, including two police officers, were detained Wednesday in an apartment in southeastern Moscow on suspicion of abducting and raping a Belarussian woman.
The woman told investigators that five men had participated in the assault, Lifenews.ru reported, adding that the fifth assailant remains at large.
Moscow metro police confirmed on Thursday that two of the suspects — identified only by their last names, Kuteinikov and Dedikin — were former police officers, but maintained that they had been dismissed three days before being detained, Lifenews.ru said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
