The Kuibyshevsky District Court of St. Petersburg registered a petition from the ICR to extend the arrest of Tigran Khachikyan, a supporter of the Artpodgotovka terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation, who was taken into custody on February 24 for encroachment on the life of a law enforcement officer (Article 317 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Now he is also charged with an attempted terrorist act (part 3 of article 30, part 1 of article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
As Kommersant was told in the Joint Press Service of the City Courts, Tigran Khachikyan was charged with a new charge on March 2. Previously, he confessed to his deed only partially, but at the moment, according to all available episodes, he fully admitted his guilt. From the materials of the case presented in court, it follows that Tigran Khachikyan is a supporter of the Artpodgotovka terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation.
According to investigators, the new criminal case is based on the fact that Khachikyan produced more than 500 leaflets with various inscriptions that contained “calls for encroachment on the life of a statesman.” The case file states that the man was going to scatter the sheets on the street in order to “attract the attention of a wide range of people.” In addition, the investigation claims that Molotov cocktails, two guns, a traumatic pistol and ammunition were also found on the detainee.
On February 24, Tigran Khachikyan was seized by the police at the entrance to the Gostiny Dvor metro station, after allegedly shooting Nikolai Sus, an employee of the St. Petersburg OMON Bastion detachment, twice. The condition of the police officer is assessed by doctors at the moment as stable.
The man himself said that he was not going to shoot the riot policeman, but planned to throw a Molotov cocktail at a police car.
The next day, Tigran Khachikyan was charged with the first charge and placed in a pre-trial detention center.
The Artpodgotovka movement (recognized as a terrorist, extremist organization and banned, included in the corresponding register of the FSB) is known for the fact that at various times throughout Russia, firearms, explosive devices and anti-government leaflets were found from its supporters during detention. In addition, some participants in the New Greatness case, convicted of creating an extremist community, also met each other in the Artpodgotovki Telegram chat. The leader of this organization, Vyacheslav Maltsev, was recognized as a foreign agent, and was also included in the list of terrorists and extremists of Rosfinmonitoring. In Russia, he was arrested in absentia and put on the international wanted list.
