Investigators have charged a deputy from the Bryansk region with 212 child sex offenses.
Nikifor Zhukov, a 62-year-old member of the village of Churovichsky's council, sexually abused about 30 schoolgirls aged 11-17 in three districts between July 2007 and May 2013, the Investigative Committee said Tuesday in an online statement.
Investigators said Zhukov's alleged crimes followed the same pattern.
He specifically targeted schoolgirls from poor families, driving them to a secluded area and offering them money to have sex with him in his car, the statement said.
Zhukov also threatened and physically overpowered a number of his victims, before giving them between 500-1,000 rubles ($14-28) in exchange for their silence, according to the statement.
Zhukov frequently met with seven victims under these circumstances and used hard liquor to get them drunk, investigators said.
On one occasion, Zhukov committed an act of sexual abuse alongside a 19-year-old accomplice, who later died in a car accident.
In total, lawyers for the victims are suing Zhukov for 20 million rubles ($560,000) in damages.
Investigators expect to wrap up their inquiry in the near future.
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.
