In mid-December, the telegram channel Gulagu.net published the protocol of the interrogation of the Russian Nazi icon Alexei Voevodin, known by the nickname SVR («Made in Russia») and sentenced to life imprisonment for a number of murders motivated by racism and xenophobia. SVR was one of the leaders of the St. Petersburg BTO («Combat terrorist organization» banned in Russia), which operated in 2003-2006. Now he is serving his sentence in one of the strictest special regime colonies for those sentenced to life imprisonment — IK-18 «Polar Owl», located in the village of Kharp on the Yamal Peninsula.
In October 2021, in the court of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, a trial began against Voevodin, Alexander Ageev (a killer from the Tver Wolves gang) and Igor Nesterenko, an operative of the Polar Owl. Their case is being considered by a jury. Life prisoners Voevodin and Ageev are accused of murdering a cellmate with particular cruelty, causing grievous bodily harm and torture. And Nesterenko is charged with exceeding official powers and organizing torture of convicts.
The hearings were postponed several times due to the failure of the defendants, but in December, judging by the information on the court's website, hearings were resumed — from the middle of the month, sessions began to be scheduled three times a week.
Snowy Owl Colony. Photo: Vasily Shaposhnikov/Kommersant
From the interrogation protocol of Voevodin
“… Dmitry Voronenko was put in cell no. 614. I knew that D. Voronenko had been convicted; moreover, he looked like a native of Central Asia. I think [operative] Nesterenko IN. I knew that nothing good would come from the fact that Voronenko was put in my cell […]. Before transferring Voronenko to my cell, they took me to the shower room so that he would not see me, as he could resist entering the cell. […] Returning to the cell with the shower, I saw D. Voronenko, who greeted me and told me that he had clicked on the DVD-player. After that, without saying a word, I kicked Voronenko in the head with my right foot. From the blow, Voronenko fell and crawled under the bed. I started kicking him and also with soap wrapped in a towel. I hit Voronenko for about 20 minutes. Voronenko sat with me in a cell for 5 days. In addition, I made Voronenko squat until he got sick, once he fainted from squats. ”
Photo: dizst.livejournal.com
During six hours of interrogation, which took place on September 18, 2016, Voevodin talks about eight such episodes. In the case of Voronenko, the role of the IK-18 administration and specifically the operative Nesterenko is not obvious. Theoretically, all of the above could have happened through an oversight of the latter and remain solely on the conscience of Voevodin, who beat up a cellmate because he did not like him.
However, in most other episodes of torture of inmates, Voevodin notes that he allegedly received instructions from operatives. -18 in November 2015.
From the interrogation protocol of Voevodin
“Upon arrival at PKU IK-18, I had a conversation with operative IN Nesterenko, who asked me how I plan to serve my sentence, namely, whether I plan to unreasonably complain about the administration of the institution. I replied that I do not plan to unreasonably complain about the administration and that I plan to serve my sentence normally. After that, Nesterenko I.N. offered to assist him in working with convicts who unreasonably complain about the administration of the institution, as well as those who do not comply with the internal regulations. On the proposal of Nesterenko I.N. I agreed. Instead of me, Nesterenko I.N. promised household benefits, namely, watch more videos, get food any day, etc. »
In May 2016, according to Voevodin's interrogation, he allegedly began to carry out the tasks of an operative to break down prisoners.
From the protocol of Voevodin's interrogation
“… In May 2016 […] I […] were jailed with A.A. Ageev. into the chamber No. 614, which is located in the building No. 4 at the 6th post. Before that, I.N. Nesterenko met with me, who explained that they would put me in the above cell with A.A. Ageev, we will have to work with persons who will be placed in our cell so that they do not write contrived complaints and did not violate the regime of detention in places of serving sentences. Nesterenko I.N. told that we should try to use persuasion to explain to the convicts who will be brought up to us about the need to comply with the detention regime and that they did not write unfounded complaints against the administration staff, if the convicts don’t understand what is required of them, then Nesterenko I.N. said that we can use physical force against them, but only so that there are no bruises and any bodily injury. ”
The first person who, according to Voevodin's testimony, ended up in cell no. 614, was convict Burukhin . He was beaten without direct instructions, but Voevodin said during interrogation that Burukhin, according to his information, violated the detention regime, so he already understood that “he was put with them to work with him so that in the future Burukhin would not violate daily routine and did not complain about the actions of the colony staff. «
Snowy Owl colony. Photo: Vasily Shaposhnikov/Kommersant
The next was the convicted Ataev , about whom the operative allegedly gave Voevodin quite intelligible instructions. “During the conversation, IN Nesterenko said that it was necessary to work with Ataev at the same time, it is desirable that Ataev had no bodily injuries, i.e. IN Nesterenko understood that AA Ageev and I would certainly beat Ataev, that's why he said so, ”Voevodin said during the interrogation.
Subsequently, it turned out that the reason for the beating of Ataev was a prayer:
From the interrogation protocol of Voevodin
“On the same day, Ataev began to pray in the cell and did it aloud so that Ageev and me could hear it. This angered me, I put on my boots, and went up to Ataev, after which I kicked him once in the ribs on the left side. Then A.A. Ageev and I began to beat Atayev together, namely, we first began to kick him on the torso and legs. When Ataev began to shout, A.A. Ageev and I began to kick him on the torso and head, after which Atayev stopped offering any resistance and said that he understood everything. Ageev and I began to beat A.A. Ataev, because he actually did not understand what I was telling him. […] A few days later, A.A. Ageev and I again beat Ataev, because he continued to disrupt the daily routine, performing various religious rituals, namely, we hit and kicked Ataev's body, how many blows we did, I didn’t I remember that during the beating Atayev was lying on the floor. ” they allegedly violated the daily routine.
Voevodin scoffed at Shigaev, as the investigator could write, with particular cynicism.
First, Voevodin and Ageev beat the bound Shigaev in the legs with a 200-gram piece of laundry soap embedded in a towel. Later, Voevodin, in his own words, practiced hand-to-hand fighting techniques on Shigaev, and Ageev even stopped him several times.
As a result, Shigaev's health deteriorated from the beatings, and he consulted a doctor. The physician «did not notice» the traces of beatings, but ordered the convict to bed rest. However, this only provoked Voevodin.
Voevodin's interrogation protocol. Episodes with beating of prisoner Shigaev
Such enthusiasm of a Nazi would sooner or later lead to “an overstretch on the ground.”
On September 13, 2016, Nesterenko allegedly informed Voevodin, according to his testimony, that Zakharkin would be transferred to their cell, who complains about the administration. Voevodin accepted the order.
From the protocol of interrogation of Voevodin
“[…] I went up to him and with the elbow of my left hand struck him one blow on the head in the occipital region. From the received blow, Zakharkin did not fall, but fell a little on Ageev A.A., then we began to strike with our hands on the body and head of Zakharkin. At this time, Zakharkin closed himself off from us, when we pushed Zakharkin to the wall, I jumped up and struck him one blow with my right elbow on the head on the right side. From this blow, the skin on Zakharkin's head burst and blood began to ooze. Zakharkin continued to stand on his feet. After that, A.A. Ageev and I began to hit and kick all over Zakharkin's body, including the head, in order to put him on the floor, but Zakharkin continued to resist and did not lie down on the floor. After a while, we managed to knock Zakharkin to the floor, and A.A. Ageev took Zakharkin to a choke hold. […] After that, Ageev A.A. tied Zakharkin's hands behind his back, we put him on his stomach, after which I put a bar of soap in a towel and began to strike at the buttocks, calves and thighs. ”
On the same day, Zakharkin, who after the beating was lying on the floor unable to move, died.
Voevodin claims that no one had intent to kill. However, the motive to get rid of Zakharkin could well have been with others. The murdered prisoner had been in prison for more than 15 years, previously serving time in the colonies «Vologda penny» and «White Swan». And everywhere he complained about the conditions of detention. In 2010, the European Court awarded Zakharkin 21 thousand euros for inappropriate conditions of detention. With the money received, the convict hired lawyers and continued to write complaints with the support of professional lawyers. Not knowing what to do with him, he was placed in the «press-hut» to Voevodin and Ageev.
«Novaya» monitors the criminal process.