The Orenburg Regional Court has begun hearing the state prosecution's appeal in the 6-million-ruble bribe case involving former senator Rauf Arashukov. The prosecution is seeking to increase the fine for the former official, who was sentenced to life imprisonment, from 120 million to 420 million rubles.
Dagestani resident Eldar Nasrulaev was sentenced to five years in a general regime penal colony. Two years ago, an explosion at his premises killed 33 people.
Nasrulaev was found guilty under Part 3 of Article 238 of the Russian Criminal Code, which pertains to the storage and sale of goods that do not meet safety requirements, resulting in serious bodily harm and the death of two or more people. The investigation established that, without self-employed or entrepreneur status, Nasrulaev was engaged in the sale of chemical fertilizers. He rented illegally constructed buildings in Makhachkala to store ammonium nitrate and hydrogen peroxide, in violation of GOST requirements, without entering into the necessary contracts. These buildings were not equipped with fire alarms or ventilation systems, and they were not equipped with the necessary contracts.
In August 2023, a fire broke out in rented warehouses, resulting in an ammonium nitrate explosion. The blast wave and debris caused a fire and subsequent explosion at a nearby gas station.
The tragedy claimed the lives of 33 people and injured approximately 100 more. Property damage is estimated at more than 370 million rubles.