"Irrefutable evidence base": a participant in the attack on the Pskov paratroopers in 2000 was detained in Moscow

In Moscow, German Arbinin was detained, suspected of an attack as part of Shamil Basayev's gang on servicemen of the 6th company of the 104th regiment of the 76th Pskov division of the Airborne Forces near the Chechen village of Ulus-Kert in 2000, the Public Relations Center reported ( DSP) FSB of Russia.

"In the course of work together with the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, an irrefutable evidence base was formed for the participation in this crime of a native of the Chechen Republic Arbinin German, who did not incur criminal punishment for this," the message says.

Arbinin was detained in Moscow in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and with the military support of the Russian Guard, the FSB noted.

In the near future, he will be charged with armed rebellion (Article 279 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), participation in a gang (Article 209) and encroachment on the lives of servicemen (Article 317).

The Investigative Committee said that in connection with the special severity of the crimes imputed to Arbinin, the department plans to file a petition for the election of a preventive measure against Arbinin in the form of detention.

“Implementing the principle of inevitability of punishment, investigators, with the operational support of the FSB of Russia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, continue to identify the participants in the attack who are hiding from law enforcement agencies,” the Investigative Committee emphasized.

A year ago, another participant in the events of 2000, a native of the Chechen Republic Mayrbek Bashaev, born in 1983, was detained in the Vladimir region.

As the press service of the FSB noted, an irrefutable evidence base of his participation in the crime was collected.

In addition, in April 2019, Shamil Kazbulatov, who was involved in the attack on the Pskov paratroopers, was sentenced to 16 years in a maximum security colony.

The investigation established that Kazbulatov was part of the armed gang of Shamil Basayev and Khattab on February 29, 2000.

The Investigative Committee said that the convict was aiming at the servicemen with a 5.45 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle.

We add that the detention of Kazbulatov became known in December 2018.

In November of the same year, two other participants in this attack were detained - Nazhmudin Dudiyets, born in 1975 and Ibragim Donashev, born in 1977.

In addition, at the beginning of 2018, two more militants who attacked the paratroopers in 2000 were sentenced by the court to 15.5 and 16 years in a maximum security penal colony.

The paratroopers took an unequal battle

Recall that on February 27, 2000, the 104th paratrooper regiment of the 76th Guards Airborne Division (Pskov) was ordered to advance to a height of 776.0 and Mount Isty-Kord in the Argun Gorge not far from Ulus-Kert.

They were faced with the task of forming strong points and preventing the breakthrough of bandit formations.

The servicemen went to the Ulus-Kert area, but the fog prevented the vanguard of the paratroopers from establishing a strong point at the height.

It was decided to find a place to sleep and wait until morning.

On February 29, the advance of the military resumed, but the reconnaissance patrol discovered an ambush by the militants.

The servicemen opened fire on the terrorists.

The bandits in a short time were able to concentrate forces, many times greater than the number of Pskov paratroopers holding the defense.

About 2.5 thousand militants spoke out against 90 servicemen.

As stated in the materials of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, in these conditions, "the only correct decision was made - to withdraw to a height of 776.0 and organize defense there."

On the night of March 1, 2000, the 6th company of paratroopers was attacked by a select detachment of Jamar terrorists, numbering more than 400 people.

Nevertheless, the servicemen withstood several waves of night attacks by militants who suffered heavy losses.

On March 1, at 01:50, the terrorists ceased fire and invited the 6th company to withdraw from the occupied lines.

The guardsmen refused, deciding to fight until reinforcements arrived.

At 05:10, the militants launched a massive attack from all directions. 

In the Argun Gorge, almost the entire personnel of the 6th Airborne Company was killed.

Of the 90 servicemen, only six people survived. 

March 12, 2000 and.

about.

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin awarded 22 paratroopers (21 - posthumously) the title of Hero of Russia, 68 (63 - posthumously) soldiers and officers were awarded the Order of Courage.

In Grozny, in honor of the fallen Russian servicemen, 84 Pskov Paratroopers Street appeared, and in Ulus-Kert, at the place of their death, a monument to the Poklonniy Cross appeared.