The case of a loss of paratroopers from Pskov in Chechnya in 2000 referred to court

Vladimir Markin, official representative of Committee of Inquiry of the Russian Federation (CIR), reported that the case of Rashid Atuov, Kemal Yezbeev and Khamidulla Yapov accused of involvement in killing 84 paratroopers from Pskov during battles in Ulus-Kert, Argun canyon of Chechnya, was referred to court.

Earlier, the "Caucasian Knot" reported that on December, 6, 2010, two residents of Karachay-Cherkessia, Rashid Atuov and Kemal Yezbeev, were detained in this republic. On December, 15, a thirty-three-year-old resident of Stavropol region Khamidulla Yapov was also detained in Moscow region by the personnel of Chechen Ministry of Interior Affairs and transported to Chechnya under guard.

"According to the investigation's version, on February, 29, 2000, the defendants among other participants of paramilitary groups under the command of their leader Khattab, attacked the servicemen of the Sixth paraborne company of paraborne regiment No 104 dislocated in the neighbourhood of the settlement of Ulus-Kert, web-site of CIR reports.

"The armed group in which the defendants participated directly numbered no less that 200 people. The total number of gunmen who took part in the armed confrontation made about 2000 people. During the attack which lasted 16 hours 84 servicemen perished", CIR reported.

Rashid Atuov, Kemal Yezbeev and Khamidulla Yapov are accused of committing crimes stipulated by clauses: "gangsterism", "terrorism" and "attempt at the personnel of law enforcement bodies" of the Criminal code of the Russian Federation.

"It should be mentioned that earlier, Atuov, Yezbeev and Yapov served punishments stipulated by clause "participation in a paramilitary group". The dossier of the criminal case came to 26 volumes, RIA "Novosti" quotes Markin.

We will remind that investigation of the case of killed paratroppers was recommenced on December, 6, 2010, in connection with emergence of new operative data.

The detainees' attorneys stated earlier that the investigation used illicit methods in collection of evidence on the case.