Vyacheslav Datsik, a mixed martial arts champion and ultranationalist who fled a psychiatric hospital near St. Petersburg this summer, has been refused political asylum in Norway, with local police accusing him of planning a series of killings in the country.
Datsik intended to kill employees of the Russian Embassy in Oslo and Norwegian Muslims with the help of unspecified friends, who were to provide him with weapons, uniforms and fake IDs, a police spokesman said, the Aftenposten daily reported Thursday.
Datsik, nicknamed “Red Tarzan,” faces deportation to Russia, the report said.
Datsik was arrested for robbery in 2007 and placed in a psychiatric hospital after being diagnosed with schizophrenia. He escaped in August and surfaced in Norway in September.
(MT)
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
