The Court of the Krasnoyarsk Region heard yesterday Anatoly Bykov, former head of the KrAZ (Krasnoyarsk Aluminium Plant), now deputy of the regional legislature. Bykov testified as a witness of defence in a trial of Vladimir Tatarenkov (aka Tatarin), a crime boss accused of murdering 3 people. Bykov said that he knew the defendant well and had doubts about him being guilty.

Court hearings began later than scheduled, due to icy road conditions, which impeded the transfer of the defendant to the court. While waiting Anatoly Bykov was talking to the lawyers and strolling through the corridors of the court building. Bykov had to attend the session of the regional legislature and was allowed to testify before the other witness.

The lawyers of Tatarenkov called Anatoly Bykov in his defence. According to the investigators, Bykov’s car was destroyed by explosion in 1994. Bykov survived the attempt on his life, but failed assassination triggered murder of Aleksandr Naumov and Kirill Voitenko, “eliminated” at Tatarenkov’s order. Bykov did not confirm this version. He said to the judge that he had never talked to Tatarenkov about the assassination, neither had his friends. The lawyer asked Bykov whether he had ordered a murder of someone related to the assassination. Bykov answered in the negative and added that he did not suspect anyone.

Bykov said that he had met Tatarenkov at the beginning of the 1990s through people with whom he had played sports. He confirmed his acquaintance with murdered Naumov, saying he knew he had been a business owner. Bykov said he had never met Kirill Voitenko.   

Bykov said he had doubts about the accusation raised at Tatarenkov. “He is on trial, because he managed to survive. In the 90s a lot of people pointed at Bykov and Tatarenkov, but now in London, as you can see, they testify about what really happened in the region and in Russia and who stood behind that process,” he said referring to Boris Berezovsky’s $5.5 billion suit against Abramovich, heard by London High Court.

Vladimir Tatarenkov is accused of organising criminal group and committing a number of murders in 1994. He took part in the gangster war for aluminium assets in the Krasnoyarsk region and Khakassia, the investigators believe. Tatarenkov was arrested in Germany over illegal carrying of weapons, and then he was extradited in Russia. He is accused of the crimes under Article 209.1 and 102 of Russia’s Criminal Code (“gangsterism” and “murder in socially perilous way”). According to the investigators, he organised killing of three people: crime boss Vladimir Mustafin and businessmen Aleksandr Naumov and Kirill Voitenko.

 

Kommersant