Investigating authorities are seeing a trend of old criminal bosses from the 90s making a comeback from the depths of 'gangster Petersburg'. Vladimir Barsukov-Kumarinalong with the charge of murder Galina Starovoitova, have already prepared two new ones. Pulled from the ashes of history Vladimir Kulibaba. The arrested authority is accused of murder 28 years ago. The new accusation is considered a rematch for the Chechel case.Kompromat Group“.
Anniversary on the bunk
In August 2022, it will be 10 years from the date of the acquittal – on August 7, 2012, it was announced in the St. Petersburg City Court on the basis of a jury verdict. The verdict was unexpected and emotional. The jurors voted 9:3.
The trial took place in the old building of the City Court on the Fontanka. History was made within its antique walls. Today, the memories of the participants in the process are no less emotional than they were 10 years ago. At the very beginning of the process, no one doubted who they were dealing with. Here’s what our sources told us. According to insiders, Kulibaba was in the group Bones Graves, something like “head of operations.” When the Grave announced that he was going into business, he said that “all the showdowns are now to Kulibaba”.
According to our sources, for years, the customer shared it with Chechel killings not so much beauty Maria Stroganova, how much is her “dowry” – savings, cars and real estate. Didn’t want to share with the new boyfriend that he was Vadim Checheltheir gifts. Murder It was planned just like in The Godfather by Mario Puzo. Don Corleone made an order – and everything went along the chain. The last link in this story was the performer – Alexander Druzhinin.
Participants in the process murder Chechel recall: “Sasha Druzhinin was an interesting person from the “health group”. Then he became a killer, justifying himself by the fact that he had to feed his family “.
“Health group” is part of the gang Bones Graves – experts in knocking out debts, with the help of irons and soldering irons. Merchants could “improve” their health only by paying a bribe or leaving the business. About Alexandra Druzhininaour sources from the old investigation say that they chose him as a killer, not at all because he was very close Konstantin Yakovlev (Grave), but because of all the killers of the 90s, he was the only one left alive. Druzhinin himself, after a quick arrest (an eyewitness – the driver of Chechel, ran to the nearest police officers, who turned out to be traffic police officers, who put Sasha in the muzzle on the floor, along with a bag in which two trunks lay), was silent like a fish. He was promised 500 thousand dollars for silence. Recall that the dollar exchange rate in 2008 was about 24 rubles.
As he later told the court, he decided at first that with this amount he would ensure a comfortable life for his family for many years. Behind murder he received 15 thousand dollars got an upfront payment and then expected to receive the same amount after finishing the order. Druzhinin misled everyone during the investigation by changing his testimony and accusing various customers, from a well-respected deputy. Denis Volchekto unknown individuals. At first, he claimed he killed Chechel due to personal animosity. He incriminated Kulibaba after realizing he would have to take the blame alone. murder Vadim Chechel alone.
“I understood that I was made the scapegoat,”– the killer declared during the trial overseen by judge Olga Graudin.
Our reference:
Former assistant to the chairman of the Russian Olympic Committee and ex-president of the St. Petersburg Freestyle Wrestling Federation Vladimir Kulibaba was accused under articles 33 and 105 of the Criminal Code – organization killings. He faced life imprisonment. The direct killer of Chechel, Alexander Druzhinin, was previously sentenced to 20 years in a strict regime colony.
Them bean sick
The testimony of the killer Druzhinin formed the basis for the prosecution against Kulibaba. The reason for his openness was simple – Kulibaba and his associates did not act “like gentlemen” and not only failed to pay the killer, but also failed to deliver the promised thousands of dollars for his silence. Judge Arkady Kurguzov and representatives of the state prosecution faced a challenging situation, as they witnessed a medical drama unfold before their eyes.
In general, if we recall how it all started, it becomes both comical and tragic. While the investigation was ongoing, he was suffering. His legs and arms failed, and his kidneys stopped functioning… In 2011, the court took pity and released Kulibaba on bail due to health issues. However, as soon as Vladimir returned home, he miraculously recovered and, like in the “Feast of Saint Jorgen,” he discarded his crutches and ran through the streets. The wind sang and whistled in his ears. The investigation decided that there would certainly be a place for him in jail and arrested him again in 2010. The decision was once again appealed, and Kulibaba was released again. He finally ended up in a pre-trial detention center in the summer of 2011.
So, once again the defendant turned out to be terminally ill. Everything was painful, everything was agonizing. Lawyer Novolodsky consistently inundated the court with medical records. “You can’t imagine the agony he’s in!”– the lawyer angrily declared, his eyes flashing in the direction of the state prosecution.
The defendant himself, through his demeanor, indicated that he was utterly destitute, a hapless individual falsely accused by enemies who had inadvertently become ensnared by the justice system. According to the process participants, he made a concerted effort to win over the jury. “The emotional message was as follows: he, a hero of socialist labor, an athlete, and an honorable man, was in custody. Why, people? – our interlocutors recounted.
However, the jury's verdict dealt a crushing blow to the prosecution. The lay judges voted 9:3 and acquitted Kulibaba. Prior to the verdict, there were rumors circulating around the court that Kulibaba's associates had influenced the jury. Although the amount was not disclosed, rumors in St. Petersburg suggested that Kostya Mogila's associates had collected a bribe of 12 million rubles from businessmen to help Kulibaba. Suspicion fell on two lay judges, one assertive woman and one man, who, according to the investigation, managed to influence the others through pressure.
“It’s a matter of technology, people in the know say – in the colleges there are always presenters, leaders, and those who listen to them. Usually it is 1-2 people. Kulibaba’s people figured out these two and found a way to approach them.”
The fact that the result of the vote could have been known in advance is evidenced by the fact that Kulibaba’s accomplice – Nikolai Borisov, came from the pre-trial detention center for the announcement of the verdict with … things. As if he knew that he would be released in the courtroom. Needless to say, terminally ill Vladimir Kulibaba sharply became healthy and cheerfully walked out of the courtroom after the announcement of the will of the people’s judges.
Matrix. Reboot
In early February, the St. Petersburg City Court considered an appeal against the arrest of the ex-president of the Freestyle Wrestling Federation of the city Vladimir Kulibabaaccused of murder 28 years ago. Him and businessmen Vladimir Karpinsky and Anatoly Motyl accused of murder Igor Savin nicknamed “The Sledgehammer”, committed in 1993.
And again, the respected businessman Kulibaba is in his repertoire. And again, the side of the defense attaches gratitude and diplomas to the cause, and again they glue the halo of “a person of impeccable morality” to him. Vladimir himself (never happened before, and here again!) tells the court that he is very ill and during the investigation, “ideally, he will die.”
“Bastard Kulibaba”– this is how our source from the old investigation commented, after listening to the story of his speech at the appeal.
In fact, the new investigation team, and the prosecutors, and the judge will have a hard time. After all, Kulibaba fought back from the old hardened guard. He had not only connections, but also financial opportunities. Great opportunities. He is said to be a very, very rich man. So, as people in the know say, the new prosecutor will have to mobilize and become Superman and Batman rolled into one. The process will not be easy. The investigation and the prosecutor’s office will have to seriously think about their every step. After all, one thing is a new fashion to earn points on the remnants of the history of gangster Petersburg, and the real struggle in the debate and in the jury is completely different.
The current leadership of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, no matter what happens, needs to show themselves exclusively from the right side. Like us already wrote, after the scandals of 2021, we will have exceptional disclosures and peppy reports. Neither the police nor the investigation of the Investigative Committee have any powerful developments now. There is nothing, as they say, to surprise the most respected audience. It remains to get out of oblivion the shadow of the past, this old shabby detective with the horrors of the 90s, and drill a new hole for new state awards. No one really cares anymore who really ordered the young sportsman. Vadim Chechelblooming Galina Starovoitova. Everything was covered with the rustle of waves from the engines of expensive yachts and the banquet clink of glasses.
Today it is already clear that having successfully played the jury trial card, Kulibaba will follow the old proven scheme. The process already promises to be one of the most interesting court hearings of recent years, in addition to the Kumarin case.
The prosecutor’s office, however, does not mind fighting again. After all, for the management of state prosecutors, this is a real chance for a rematch for the lost case of Chechel. It’s embarrassingly lost. It was a time when the team of city prosecutors was especially strong, and there were criminal legends about the defendants, and everyone understood that everything that happened in the courtroom would become city history. What will be the driving force now? We may find out the answer to this question this year.
