In the Irkutsk region, a 55-year-old man has been sentenced to 16 years in a strict regime colony after being convicted of killing two woodcutters, attempting to murder another person, and setting fire to a structure in an effort to drive rivals from a residence. The verdict was announced by the press service of the regional investigation department of the Investigative Committee of Russia.
The court noted that the criminal acts occurred in November 2021. During a confrontation with the individuals he worked with while they were engaged in tree felling, the defendant allegedly set fire to a skid to force the others to leave the home trailer. As the occupants emerged into the street, the accused opened fire on them, according to the investigators. The lives of two men were claimed by the gunfire, while a third person managed to escape unharmed.
Following the incident, law enforcement authorities detained the suspect. In police questioning, the man claimed that tensions had existed between him and the victims for some time, describing the relationship as hostile.
In a related case, a separate sentence involved a man who killed a pregnant friend in Kaliningrad and was given a 20-year prison term. These cases highlight the severity with which authorities address violent offenses involving weapons and threats to others.
Notes from the regional Investigative Committee indicate that the incident underscores the dangers present during on-site work in forestry and the potential for violent confrontations to escalate rapidly when disputes arise among workers. The court emphasized the need to protect workers and called for strict enforcement of the law to deter similar acts in the future. This ruling serves as a reminder that violence of this kind triggers long-term confinement and has lasting consequences for all involved parties. [Investigation Committee press service, regional division]