ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- A resident of Kazakhstan's largest city, who fought alongside Russia-backed separatists against Ukrainian armed forces in Ukraine’s Donbas region, has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering five people in September.
A court in Almaty sentenced Igor Duzhnov on April 26 after finding him guilty of illegally taking part in a military conflict abroad, assaulting law enforcement officers, and murdering five people in Almaty.
The 54-year-old Duzhnov shot to death two police officers, a bailiff, a new owner of his foreclosed property and his friend when they came to evict him on September 20.
Duzhnov pleaded not guilty to all charges. He said he had "to liquidate a group that illegally entered my private territory."
As for his joining Russia-backed separatists in Donbas for about one year in 2014-2015, he said he was there "to establish peace."
Duzhnov's trial started on March 18.
