Support The Moscow Times!

No Plea Bargain for Snowplow Driver Involved in Death of Total CEO

Prosecutors have turned down a requested plea bargain for a man implicated in the airport runway collision that killed a French oil executive in Moscow in October, state news agency RIA Novosti reported Wednesday, citing the suspect's lawyer.

Vladimir Martynenko was operating the snowplow that collided with the private jet of Christophe de Margerie, the CEO of oil giant Total, on the runway of Moscow's Vnukovo Airport on the night of Oct. 20. The aircraft caught fire, killing de Margerie and three French crew members on board.

Martynenko's lawyer, Alexander Karabanov, told the Izvestia newspaper earlier this week that his client was ready to admit partial guilt in exchange for leniency by prosecutors.

In October, Martynenko was charged with violating transportation safety regulations. He faces up to seven years in prison.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

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 you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more