A Russian court sentenced Ukrainian national Alexander Permyakov to life in prison for trying to assassinate nationalist writer Zakhar Prilepin, federal investigators announced Monday.
“The court sentenced Permyakov to life imprisonment in a special regime penal colony,” Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said. Special regime colonies are notorious for their harsh conditions.
Permyakov was arrested in May 2023 after a car bomb wounded Prilepin and killed his security guard in the Nizhny Novgorod region. According to his lawyer, Permyakov pleaded guilty and cooperated with investigators, who claim he acted on instructions from Ukrainian special services.
On Monday, a judge found Permyakov guilty of terrorism, terrorist training, arms trafficking and forgery, sentencing him to life in prison.
According to investigators, Permyakov entered Russia on a Ukrainian passport after undergoing sabotage training in Ukraine. He is said to have surveilled Prilepin for an extended period and planned to escape using a forged Kazakh passport.
Authorities have issued a search warrant for an unidentified accomplice.
Prilepin, known for his novels based on his experiences fighting with Russian forces in Chechnya, has been a vocal supporter of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine since 2014.
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.
