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Suspected Russian contract killer detained in Austria

Russian national Anatoly Radchenko, wanted on charges of being a part of a criminal group and of a number of contract killings, has been detained in Austria’s capital of Vienna

A man with a gun (archive) ITAR-TASS/Dmitry Rogulin

A man with a gun (archive)

© ITAR-TASS/Dmitry Rogulin

MOSCOW, February 27. /ITAR-TASS/. Russian national Anatoly Radchenko, wanted on charges of being a part of a criminal group and of a number of contract killings, has been detained in Austria’s capital of Vienna, the Russian Interior Ministry’s department for the Siberian Federal District reported on Thursday.

Radchenko, who comes from the Siberian city of Novosibirsk and was on the international wanted list since 2009, was detained by officers of Interpol and Austria’s counter-terrorism special task unit EKO Cobra.

The department’s press service did not specify, when Radchenko was arrested, but said the issue of his extradition to Russia was currently being considered.

“He [Radchenko] is accused of taking part in a criminal group, brigandage and organization of contract killings,” the press service said.

According to investigators, Radchenko, known in the Russian criminal world under the nickname of ‘Celentano,’ was a member of an organized criminal group, led by Alexander Trunov, also a resident of Novosibirsk.

The criminal group acted in Novosibirsk since late 1990s and was particularly notorious for contract killings of businessmen and criminal ring leaders, investigators said, adding that Radchenko was believed to be in charge of hit men in the group and also handled several contract killings personally.

Investigators claim in particular, that the group was behind the killings of two Novosibirsk vice mayors, Igor Belyakov and Valery Maryasov, in 2001 and 2003 respectively. A total of ten criminal cases were opened in regard to the criminal group.

Trunov and several contract killers from the criminal group were arrested in 2009, while Radchenko managed to flee. Trunov was sentenced to 22 years in prison after he was tried in a court and found guilty of several criminal accounts. Three more contract killers were sentenced to prison terms of between 18 and 20 years.

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