×
Enjoying ad-free content?
Since July 1, 2024, we have disabled all ads to improve your reading experience.
This commitment costs us $10,000 a month. Your support can help us fill the gap.
Support us
Our journalism is banned in Russia. We need your help to keep providing you with the truth.

Russian Doctor Receives 9-Year Sentence for Fatally Assaulting Patient

Ilya Zelendinov, the Russian doctor accused of fatally assaulting a patient at a hospital in the southern Russian city of Belgorod, has been sentenced to nine years and two months in prison, the Interfax news agency reported Thursday.

The court also ruled that he cannot practice as a doctor for three years after his release.

The prosecutors had requested a 10 ½ year prison sentence for Zelendinov. The defense team wanted a suspended sentence.

The incident occurred on Dec. 29, 2015. During a procedure, 57-year-old patient Yevgeny Vakhtin allegedly kicked a nurse. The 32-year-old doctor hit the patient, who fell to the floor and died.

The incident provoked outrage among the public after security camera footage of the attack was released online.

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more