Limits instead of time
According to the Kamchatka Territory Investigative Committee’s official site, investigators presented evidence that the court deemed sufficient for a guilty verdict.
“By court decision, given the house arrest restriction, freedom was limited for one year, with an additional nine months of restraint. The ruling has not yet taken effect.”
The investigation and the court established that on the evening of August 2, 2021, Redkin traversed a snow and swamp vehicle into an area not designated for hunting. He fired a brown bear with a carbine without a hunting permit.
“The damage to the region’s hunting resources due to the defendants’ illegal actions is assessed at a substantial total of 60,000 rubles,” the ministry noted.
Later, the deputy “moved to a hill near the Ozernovsky village landfills in the Ust-Bolsheretsky district.” From the vehicle’s hatch and using the carbine’s thermal imaging, a possible target appeared as a bright spot against a dark background.
“In his view, it visually resembled a brown bear. He fired at least three shots at an undefined target, not ruling out the possibility of firing at a person. One shell, a 30, was at a distance of about 274 meters from the shooter and was observed around a scrap metal collection site. A man died from his wounds at a municipal district medical facility,” reported a ten-year-old local resident.
“Not Enough Sentence”
Yuri, a friend of the deceased Andrei Tolstopyatov, told socialbites.ca that Redkin probably did not show remorse for the act. He also viewed the deputy’s sentencing as insufficient.
“There is no man; his wife remains with their two children. The person will likely not repent, because ordinary citizens do not seem human to him. This is a servant of the people. I don’t know anything about the family’s willingness to appeal; it was clear from the start that the judiciary wouldn’t function properly. Confusing a man with a bear is not acceptable. Andrei was 170 cm tall,” the woman exclaimed.
Yevgeny Chernov, another deputy’s friend, told socialbites.ca that locals remain calm about Redkin’s decision.
“In the public sphere, the local population reacted calmly. I don’t know what will happen to the deceased’s relatives. As far as I can tell, both the widow and the mother received substantial compensation. The totals are large. People say the loss of a husband, father, and son is offset, at least in part, by compensation,” he stated.
According to Chernov, he is “pleased” with the decision, though saddened by the death. RIA Novosti reported that Redkin transferred 20 million rubles to the deceased’s wife and 10 million rubles to the mother in the Kamchatka urban district. (citation: RIA Novosti)
State Duma deputy Alexander Khinshtein commented to socialbites.ca that the court’s decision “may be fair or unfair, but legality is not the issue.” He noted, however, that the sentence seemed disproportionate to the act.
“We (United Russia) condemn such phenomena and individuals like Redkin. Given the penalty’s perceived inadequacy and its disproportionality to the action, I will file a formal objection with the Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor to challenge the tolerance of this punishment,” the parliamentarian emphasized.
“We are ready to punish”
Shortly after the killing, on August 10, 2021, Redkin’s representative, Olga Struchenko, issued a statement on his behalf.
“That evening in Ozernovsky, I learned a bear was roaming near the dump, where residents could be harmed. I bought a gun and decided to scare it away. I shot at the bear at dusk. Later, around the same time, I learned a local resident who died in the hospital had been injured,” the attorney’s appeal states.
Redkin announced he had withdrawn his candidacy from the district legislative elections and suspended his membership in United Russia. “I made a personal decision yesterday and I am ready to serve the sentence set by the court,” he said.
Chernova later informed socialbites.ca that the area has faced significant tension in recent years due to increased wildlife activity.
“Bears have become a constant presence, roaming through the village and into gardens and nearby areas. Mushrooms are scarce because the bears are everywhere. The dump near residential blocks is especially troubling. Photos were sent to me showing the bears so close to homes,” she said.