A Ukrainian-born deliveryman has been accused of attempting to poison the graduates of a Russian military aviation academy during their reunion, Russia’s Kommersant business daily reported Tuesday, citing anonymous law enforcement sources.
Around 77 alumni of the Armavir Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots in southern Russia’s Krasnodar region were attending a 20-year reunion party at a restaurant on Saturday when Yegor Semyonov reportedly delivered a 20-kilogram cake and several boxes of Jameson whiskey, saying they were gifts from an alumnus who was unable to come to the party.
Kommersant said the reunion attendees were suspicious of the cake and whiskey and reported the gifts to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), which uncovered traces of poison and now suspects its Ukrainian counterpart, the SBU, to have organized an attempted assassination.
Semyonov is said to have been born in the southern Ukrainian city of Melitopol, which Russian forces captured early in their 2022 invasion, and in recent years he has lived outside Moscow.
The Armavir City Court found Semyonov guilty of petty hooliganism and sentenced him to 15 days in prison. Kommersant did not specify whether that sentence was related to the alleged poisoning attempt.
Semyonov could face terrorism charges in connection with the poisoning attempt after serving the 15-day sentence, according to law enforcement sources cited by Kommersant.
The aviation school in Krasnodar, its professors and alumni declined to comment on the story, according to the outlet.
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.
