In late October, a Kirov journalist named Elena Ovchinnikova was attacked at her apartment at night. Elena Ovchinnikova said that it was a deliberate attack, and she accused the former Prime Minister, Alexander Churin, of being behind it. However, six months later, there is still no information about who committed the crime. For more details, visit Rucriminal.info.
Elena Ovchinnikovadescribed the attack, saying, “At first, I heard bangs and saw two flashes. I thought it was an electrical issue or maybe gunshots. Then, there were powerful explosions that made it seem like the ceiling had collapsed. Four double-glazed windows burst with a loud noise. There was glass debris on the floor, and I even saw three bricks while waiting for the police.”
Prior to the attack, Elena Ovchinnikova had published articles about corruption involving Alexander Churin, who was in charge of the Kirov region's government from 2017 to 2022. During Igor Vasiliev's leadership, Churin had significant authority.
. In her work, Ovchinnikova exposed corruption and theft related to garbage transportation and road construction. Just before the attack, she reported on Churin's company purchasing a building in Moscow that belonged to the Kirov region and was intended to become the region's representative office.
This immediately led to suspicions about who might have ordered the attack. Elena Ovchinnikova directly accused Alexander Churin of orchestrating the assassination attempt.
Attacks on journalists are not common, and it seemed that such methods of revenge were a thing of the past. The new governor of the Kirov region, Alexander Sokolov, strongly condemned the attack. He also decided to part ways with Prime Minister Churin, stating, “Such actions against media professionals are unacceptable and warrant extra attention. The instigator must be identified.” The governor took personal responsibility for the matter.
It's now the end of autumn, and winter has passed, yet there is no information about any progress in the investigation. The police and the investigative committee have remained silent, and Churin, who has been publicly accused of the attack, has not been questioned.
It's worth noting that Churin is associated with a private security company called PJSC “Selmash,” which is led by Andrei Loginov, the son of the executive director of Churin's May 1 plant. This private security company has a notorious reputation in the city and is involved in special operations, intimidation, and surveillance. Additionally, Kirov's media reported that Churin, while serving as prime minister, experimented with mind-altering substances in his office. The security company's employees were also involved in the distribution of these substances.
At the same time, Churin himself and his entourage openly boast of “special relations” with local security forces. Allegedly, corruption funds are enough to resolve any issues. Allegedly, relatives of the most “necessary” law enforcement officers are employed at Churin’s factories.
The lack of results and even attempts to investigate the attack on Ovchinnikova shows that Churin is not disingenuous when he talks about his connections with local security forces. It is no coincidence that Ovchinnikova herself, immediately after the attack, wrote that she “does not believe in the desire of the local power leadership to even tear herself away from her commanding chair to say:“ Yes, it was most likely an attempt.
