The Belgorod District Court sentenced Alexei Marushchenko, founder of the private military company (PMC) Yastreb, to 18 years in a strict-regime colony. The prosecution had requested 20 years. The verdict was reported by the Telegram channel Ostorozhno, Novosti.
Marushchenko was found guilty of organizing a murder, two counts of kidnapping, illegal weapons trafficking, extortion, fraud, and abuse of office with the use of torture. He admitted guilt and cooperated with investigators, according to The Insider.
The case against Marushchenko was opened in February 2025. According to investigators, he and accomplices took money from servicemen, promising them service in the PMC instead of a contract with the Defense Ministry and better conditions. As Kommersant writes, victims were promised help with documents and the purchase of equipment. In total, the perpetrators defrauded at least 89 people, stealing more than 8.8 million rubles, The Insider specifies.
According to Kommersant, investigators believe Marushchenko ordered subordinates to kill Private Rashid Adzhiev 'to maintain authority' — Adzhiev refused to follow orders and showed disrespect toward the PMC founder. Adzhiev was taken to a forest and shot. Four servicemen who doubted Marushchenko's authority were beaten in the forest for four days until they recognized him as their commander.
The case also involves the kidnapping of military correspondent Roman Semyonov. According to investigators, PMC fighter Ivan Timokhov, on Marushchenko's orders, took Semyonov from St. Petersburg to the Belgorod region, where Semyonov was placed in a coffin and buried underground for 12 days. Semyonov's wife was extorted for 1 million rubles. In June, Timokhov was sentenced to five years in a colony for torturing Semyonov. Marushchenko was also accused of stealing weapons from a military unit, with the help of Interior Ministry Lieutenant Colonel Igor Dushkin in selling them.
Ekho notes that during testimony, Marushchenko spoke of an alleged bribe of 4 million rubles to General Alexander Dembitsky, who supported the PMC. In 2025, Verstka included Marushchenko in a list of commanders who kill members of their units.