In Stavropol Territory, Cossacks want investigation of Ataman Khanin's murder

The Cossacks of the Stavropol Territory, who earlier refused to be Russian citizens, are now going to enforce that the investigation into Ataman Andrei Khanin's murder was continued.

This was reported today to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by Nikolai Vykhodtsev, Deputy Ataman of the Nizhne-Kuban Cossack Division of the Stavropol Regional Cossack Society of the Tersk Cossack Army.

He has also confirmed the information on the initiative of a number of Nizhne-Kuban Cossacks about their readiness to quit the State Registry and give up Russian citizenship:

"The initiative was signed by about 100 out of 500 members of the Nizhne-Kuban Cossack Division. If necessary, we'll collect more signatures. Not only Cossacks signed the document, but also other people: tractor drivers and workers. I didn't persuade anybody. The decision was made by the Ataman's Board; the Cossacks had supported it, however later some of them got frightened. Let Lord be their judge."

According to his story, a Government's decision exists to close the hazardous production facility (the meat-packing factory in the city of Novoalexandrovsk is the point, - note of the "Caucasian Knot"), however, the managers of the factory have just improved its purification facilities.

"Earlier, there was a huge pool of dirt there, where all the infection accumulated, Siberian plague, ptomaine, the stench was terrible, residents complained repeatedly. Andrei Khanin had decided to raise the issue before journalists, and then he was killed. We've kept naming the customer of the murder, he was named by Andrei Khanin before his death, but nobody would hear us," Mr Vykhodtsev said.

According to his version, the previous Ataman of the Stavropol Regional Cossack Society of the Tersk Cossack Army, who was dismissed on March 8, had never stood for splitting Cossacks, on the contrary, he supported their integrity and unity.