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Russian investigators fails to find evidence of crimes by Shikhlinskis and Safarovs in Yekaterinburg

26 September 2025 15:10 (UTC +04:00)

Russian investigators still unable to find evidence

The Russian Investigative Committee has yet to find substantial evidence that Shahin Shikhlinski, head of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Yekaterinburg, and the Safarov family, who were arrested in Yekaterinburg, committed any crimes, APA reports citing “ruscriminal.info.”

Lack of basis for charges

According to the report, prosecutors have been unable to explain why the Safarovs and Shikhlinskis were detained so violently in Yekaterinburg or what the charges against them were based on. After nearly three months of investigation, Ural investigators reportedly have nothing beyond a few confessions, which may have been obtained under severe torture, as was the case with the deaths of brothers Huseyn and Ziyaddin Safarov.

Federal inspections and mayor’s admission

It was also reported that after the known events, extensive checks were carried out by the center in the Sverdlovsk Regional Department of the Federal Security Service and the Sverdlovsk Region Investigation Department of the Russian Investigative Committee.

“The federal agents reviewed the case materials, talked with the heads of both agencies, as well as with the investigator leading the case against the Azerbaijanis - the head of the fourth department for especially important cases of the Investigative Committee's Sverdlovsk Region Investigation Department, Major Yaroslav Kuzvesov. After the checks, Major Kuzvesov admitted that he had deceived Major General Bogdan Francisko (Investigative Committee) and Major General Igor Nikolayev (FSB) about the evidence he had in the criminal cases. According to Kuzvesov's colleagues, he is dissatisfied with the fact that the heads of other departments of the Sverdlovsk Investigative Committee have the rank of colonel, while only he has the rank of major. Even Kuzvesov's deputy has a higher rank; he is a lieutenant colonel,” the source notes.

Criminal case driven by career ambitions

“Kuzvesov sees the criminal case against the Azerbaijanis as an excellent opportunity for his career advancement,” the publication wrote.

“Ruscriminal.info” also reported that the Yekaterinburg investigator involved the heads of the Sverdlovsk security structures in an international conflict.

Investigator intoxication scandal

The Russian “VChK-OGChP” telegram channel today published information that investigator Kuzvesov, who was conducting an investigation into the criminal case against Azerbaijanis Shikhlinski and Safarov, was drunk and behaved inappropriately at work. It was reported that, according to Major Yaroslav Kuzvesov’s colleagues, the reason for the drunkenness and hysteria at work was a conflict with the head of the Sverdlovsk Investigative Committee, Major General Bogdan Frantsishko.

“Frantsishko called Kuzvesov and demanded that he speed up the investigation into the Azerbaijanis. He said that he would not stand behind General Kuzvesov. Kuzvesov, in turn, said that everything was fine and that he would cope with the case. At this point, an argument broke out between them,” wrote “VChK-OGChP”.

Operation and its consequences

In June, Russian law enforcement conducted an operation against Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg. Force was used, resulting in the deaths of brothers Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov. Other Safarov family members were detained by court order, facing charges related to crimes committed in 2001, 2010, and 2011. Later, Shahin Shikhlinski and his son Mutvali were also detained. Mutvali Shikhlinski faces charges of violence against a state official, while Shahin Shikhlinski is accused of attempted contract killing and violence against a state official.