CHITA, July 5. /TASS/. The Regional Court of the Zabaikalsky Region has imposed prison sentences to the members of the Osintsevskiye crime group, charged with gang violence, murder, robbery, extortion, and other crimes. The Osintsevskiye crime group is considered the largest one in Siberia. Its members received sentences ranging from 12 to 24 years, the regional prosecutor’s office informed on Thursday.

The gang members were charged with inflicting intentional harm on another person, manslaughter, kidnapping, extortion, robbery, coercion, gang violence, as well as purchasing, storing and transporting weapons.

The Osintsevskiye case

In 1993, Igor Osintsev, along with his acquaintance Igor Melnichuk, formed a gang in Chita, which had been active for more than 20 years. It consisted of more than 40 members, who committed serious and especially serious offences. At times, the Osintsevsky crime group teamed up with smaller gangs.

In total, Osintsev and his accomplices have committed over 400 crimes, with up to 500 crime victims. According to the investigation, the gang members have killed over 40 people, made dozens of assassination attempts, carried out numerous robberies and other crimes.

The investigation into the Osintsevskiye crime group lasted for five years. During this time, over 80 gang members were prosecuted. The Zabaikalsky Regional Court has sentenced Osintsev to 25 years of imprisonment.