Six young men have been detained in connection with the stabbing death of a 15-year-old in Siberia’s Irkutsk region, Russian authorities said Monday.
The unnamed teen was killed at a bus stop on Saturday evening “after a minor verbal altercation,” the Investigative Committee’s Irkutsk region branch said.
“The 15-year-old boy was stabbed at least four times and died instantly from his wounds,” it said in a statement.
The six suspects are all aged between 15 and 21, the investigative body said, adding that an unspecified number of them have a criminal record.
They face murder charges, which carry a maximum prison sentence of 15 years, as well as charges of hooliganism, which is punishable by up to seven years in prison.
Authorities in Irkutsk sought to dispel rumors that the stabbing death was linked to a popular new TV series that glorifies Russia’s infamous criminal underworld.
On Sunday, Irkutsk’s Interior Ministry branch said one of the suspects denied that he had watched the series.
Media reports initially claimed that one of the suspects was overheard reciting a phrase from the TV series to the murdered teen during the attack.
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.
