MOSCOW, July 16. /TASS/. The investigation was able to gather evidence of the Khabarovsk Region governor Sergey Furgal’s involvement in assassination of businessmen Yevgeny Zorya and Oleg Bulatov and attempted assassination of Alexander Smolsky in 2004-2005 only after 14 years, Russia’s Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko told TASS, adding that the witnesses were intimidated and refused to testify.
"The work on solving crimes never stopped, but it was severely complicated by the fact that the people who were possible aware of the events were mostly intimidated and refused to testify against Furgal and his accomplices. However, at the initial stage, the investigation materials contained separate testimonies of individual witnesses about the circumstances of the events and Furgal’s possible involvement. In 2019, the evidence base was augmented by other information as well, which allowed the investigation to make an unambiguous conclusion of Furgal’s involvement in the assassinations and to combine the criminal cases into a single proceeding," Petrenko said.
She noted that, considering the gravity of the crime, the court will make a decision on statute of limitations.
"The investigation has no doubts regarding Furgal’s involvement as the direct instigator of the assassinations. This is confirmed by the gathered evidence, including expertise conclusions, investigative materials, witnesses’ testimonies, and other data," the spokeswoman said.
Elimination of competition
The assassinations took place in Khabarovsk and Amur Regions in 2004-2005. The investigation believes that the decisions on assassinations were made amid promotion of commercial interests of Furgal and his accomplices. In particular, the assassination of Yevgeny Zorya was connected to a long-standing conflict with Furgal and court proceedings about the recently acquired reinforced concrete plant.
Zorya was assassinated one day before the court ruling, "the outcome of which was obvious to both."
The second victim - Oleg Bulatov suspected Furgal of involvement in Zorya’s assassination. Furgal organized his murder out of fear of exposure. After that, he got his hands on Bulatov’s share in their common business, the MiF Company which bought and re-sold scrap metal. Later, Furgal opened a scrap metal collection point in one of the Amur Region settlements.
Smolsky conducted a similar business there and bought scrap materials at a higher price.
"Furgal, who sought to push his competitor out of the market, demanded changes in pricing or complete rejection of business. Furgal solved this conflict by a method that was already customary to him, by organizing the assassination through his accomplices. Two grenades were thrown in the garage, where Smolsky was at the moment. He survived by sheer luck," Petrenko said.
Roman Sandalov was another victim, eliminated over commercial interest. Furgal’s bodyguard and personal driver took the responsibility for his murder.
"It should be noted that one of Furgal’s accomplices was Alexander Karepov, who was his aide during Furgal’s tenure as State Duma deputy. In early 2000, Karepov has close ties with a local crime group. […] Members of this band were the direct executors of the assassinations, organized by Furgal and his accomplices. Furgal himself repeatedly used his lawmaker status and refused to testify to the investigators," the spokeswoman said.