It was hot July 2010 outside... My friends and I met on Poklonnaya Hill near the Monument to the Warrior - Internationalist. The meeting of combatants was organized by young guys - veterans and invalids of wars in South Ossetia and Chechnya. We signed up online and agreed to meet. There were not many of us - about a hundred people, but from all over Russia. There were also Afghans - guys of our age, and very young boys ... Two front-line priests were preparing to serve a memorial service for the dead at the Monument. The weather was perfect and everyone was in a great mood. Many knew each other, but had not seen each other for a long time, hugging, laughing, talking. There were also wives and children. I was told that Yury Budanov could come to the meeting. I really wanted to get to know him. He approached somehow unexpectedly and immediately to our group. I recognized him. "Budanov Yury Dmitrievich!" he said simply and with dignity, and held out his hand. So he said to each of us, shaking hands. Then he took off his dark glasses and smiled broadly. We made eye contact and I saw his eyes. Blue, amazingly beautiful eyes that I will never forget. It seemed to me that I looked into those eyes for so long that in that short moment I managed to look into his soul, as bright and pure as these eyes, capable of neither lying nor betraying. Never and for nothing in the world. So Yura Budanov entered my heart and my life and stayed there, deep in my heart and soul forever ...
FATHER...
I was in the hospital preparing for the operation. The hospital is specialized, workers of the nuclear industry, nuclear weapons testers and liquidators of various accidents at nuclear power plants operated here. The men are mostly middle-aged, well-educated and experienced in life, with high intelligence and a sense of humor. Fate gathered them in one place and with one misfortune. There was no time to lose heart - everyone was fighting for life. Who took a session of chemistry, who went under the surgeon's knife, who departed from the operation. Strange, but in this institution there was a positive and cheerful spirit in the atmosphere, although most of the diagnoses sounded like a sentence - cancer. These were amazing guys! How many long intimate conversations there were at night, it was not possible to sleep, these stories about youth, life and work were so fascinating - the very essence of which is the Feat. In the morning, Yura Khabarov came to see me - a surgeon from God, with golden hands and a heart, who saved the life of me and a huge number of people not for the first time. "Dmitry Ivanovich Budanov, the father of Colonel Budanov, entered our surgery. I will operate on him. Do you want to go to him?" Dmitry Ivanovich turned out to be a tall, gray-haired man with intelligent and lively eyes. I told him about my attitude towards his son Yuri, and we easily became friends. It was evident how severe his illness was, but he laughed, joked and behaved well. Only when it came to Yura, he grew gloomy and dark from pain for his son, but everyone, literally everyone around him so unconditionally told him that his son Yuri was a real Hero, to which Dmitry Ivanovich quietly smiled, feeling great moral support, and it was clear that this was better than not saying anything about Yura. "Oh, I would have to wait for Yurka, drink a hundred grams with him and die in peace!" "Wait, Dmitry Ivanovich! You have no other choice. Yura is also waiting," we told him. Then he waited for another two long years, fading away, but his voice on the phone was cheerful even through the pain. Yura got out of prison and hugged his father in his home. "There was a man of amazing will, Dad ... - Yura told me later - He drank exactly one hundred grams and died a week later." How much pain and suffering did the father endure during the years of his son's captivity? And mother? Dmitry Ivanovich set himself the task of waiting for his son from prison. And he, like a real military man, completed this task.
WAR…
Guard Colonel Yuri Budanov participated in two Chechen campaigns. No, he participated - this is not about him, Yura fought in Chechnya. He fought well, for real. When a soldier or an officer is REAL, this manifests itself especially in war ... As well as vice versa. Yura Budanov was real. Man, soldier, commander, friend. A real warrior who was loved by his own and feared by strangers. Yes, his enemies were afraid of him, hated him, but respected him. It was a very rare combination of directly opposite feelings, but it was real! What is war? War is an extreme degree of social evil in which all its participants suffer, all without exception. How did the Chechen war begin and was it fair? There is no unequivocal answer to this question, although everyone has their own, but I advise you to find and read the Report of the Parliamentary Commission's investigation on the events in Chechnya from 1991 to 1994, preceding the start of the first Chechen war. This commission was led by an honest and respected man, director and deputy of the State Duma deservedly loved by the people - Stanislav Govorukhin. He later published this Report in the form of a small book. The blood runs cold from the atrocities committed by Chechen bandits in Grozny, Bamut, Shali, Urus-Martan, Tolstoy-Yurt and other settlements of Chechnya ... They killed and raped, took away cars and property, expelled Russians, Armenians, Jews from their homes and took into slavery Russians, Armenians, Jews - there was no mercy for either the elderly or the children. Chechens, normal people, who tried to stand up for their neighbors, with whom they lived side by side for many years, also got it. They were also killed, and their property was taken away. But, of course, the Russians suffered most of all... The war in Chechnya began in 1991 from the moment these terrible crimes began, for which many criminals never received any punishment. Now they prefer to keep silent about it, this is understandable and understandable, but the truth does not cease to be true, even if someone does not recognize it. The first Chechen war was a direct consequence of the atrocities that could not but be stopped, both from a legal and human point of view, but only through the military operations of the army in Chechnya and the destruction of armed gangs that grew like a cancerous tumor inside Russia ... Was it possible to agree? Don't know. But would you like to negotiate anything with murderers of people and rapists of children? I think there would be no sense from these conversations and agreements. It happened, exactly what happened. Then there was the New Year's assault on Grozny, for the sake of the idiotic ambitions of stupid armchair false generals. Our boys and commanders fought heroically, dying in brigades in the crucible of Grozny avenues ablaze from bombardments. Then there were stubborn bloody battles for the cities and villages of Chechnya. There was heroism and cowardice, high deeds and betrayal, victories and defeats. Then there was a real war - where the grief and pain of each individual person, like small tears, merge into a cruel mountain river of tears, sweeping away in its path all the good and good that remains in a past, peaceful life. It was in this fierce real war (just and unfair at the same time, like any civil war on the territory of any state) that the real Colonel Yuri Budanov fought. He commanded a tank regiment, personally went into reconnaissance and hand-to-hand combat, protected, like the apple of his eye, the life of each of his soldiers and officers, was a father commander and a brilliant commander, awarded by the Motherland with two Orders of Courage - the highest military awards after the Star of the Hero of Russia, to which he had very little left. For the feat of rescuing almost two hundred GRU special forces, when, contrary to the orders of the command, he jumped into a tank and, together with his deputy, fought off an entire company of special forces from militants from an ambush in the mountains, giving the guys salvation from certain death, Colonel Budanov, no doubt, deservedly received the Gold Star of the Hero of Russia.
And although at the moment when Yura made a decision and accomplished this feat, he least of all thought about the Star of the Hero and about his life, his life would certainly have turned out differently if that terrible tragedy had not happened in the mountain village of Tangi-chu, Urus-Martan district of Chechnya in the spring of 2000 ...
TRAGEDY…
This tragedy is known to all. Guards Colonel Yuri Budanov lost several of his soldiers and officers killed just shortly before the end of the Chechen mission and the return of the 160th Guards Tank Regiment home. Young guys died from a sniper's bullet near the mountain village of Tangi. Yura fought so skillfully that he very rarely lost his fighters.
He deeply, precisely as a personal tragedy, experienced the loss of each of his people. Having received information about a sniper point in the village of Tangi, Yuri Budanov brought the alleged sniper, the girl Elza Kungaeva, for interrogation to the location of the regiment. During the interrogation, Elsa died as a result of strangulation. There is no doubt that this is precisely the deepest tragedy and a terrible combination of circumstances. A tragedy for the Kungaev family. A tragedy for the Budanov family. A tragedy for relations between the Russian and Chechen people. A tragedy for all people who do not want hatred and war, but want peace and harmony. For everyone, except for some scum, sowing evil and hatred, as well as making personal PR and political capital on this human tragedy. “If I had known what would happen there that evening, I would have left that same day, sailed away, would have gone on foot through the mountains from there ...” - Yura later told us bitterly. But it was already too late. Politics intervened in this matter. And there was a trial, a sentence and a long prison term. Streams of lies, slander and dirt in newspapers and on television began to pour out in tons on Yura Budanov. Dozens of examinations, even with all their bias, could not prove the fact of rape, although with the capabilities of modern forensic science it is impossible to hide this fact if it really were in reality. Hundreds of corrupt journalists and “human rights activists” continued stubbornly squealing about this violence, as if Yuri Budanov, among other things, were defending them from terrorists, bandits and murderers who came to our homes in Moscow, Beslan, Stavropol, Makhachkala and many other cities of Russia with explosions, grief and pain. Yura Budanov drank his cup to the bottom, although it is difficult to imagine what kind of human strength and will you need to have in order to survive all this and not break. Two brutal wars, blood and death on both sides, many years of captivity in prison, strong psychological pressure and a huge mental breakdown. What kind of person can stand such a test? Too much for one person. But he came back and won again. His father, mother, wife and children were waiting for him at home. Yura now just wanted to live, because so many trials had already fallen to his lot. The enemies could not defeat him. And then they decided to kill him insidiously and revealingly ...
MEMORY…
On June 10, 2010, in the center of Moscow, at noon, in the courtyard near the playground, where children were walking carelessly, a killer terrorist shot Yura Budanov in the back and head six times. Face to face to meet with Colonel Yuri Budanov vile killer was afraid. Warriors don't shoot in the back. Jackals and terrorists shoot in the back, just as they shot in the backs of men, women and children at the Beslan school, the Budenov hospital and the Dubrovka Theater Center in Moscow. The terrorists managed to kill Guards Colonel Yuri Budanov, but they failed to defeat him and will never win again. Like George the Victorious, the warrior Yuri (in baptism Georgy) Budanov defeated the forces of evil and ascended to heaven in order to protect his Russia, which he selflessly loved, fought for her with enemies and died in battle for her, together with the Holy Warriors in the Kingdom of Heaven. "Sleep well, Hero", "Russian Colonel - Eternal Memory", "Yuri Budanov - Hero of Russia!" - Huge posters with these words appeared at football stadiums in the hands of fans of the Spartak and CSKA clubs, and on the streets of Russian cities immediately after the murder of Yuri Budanov. Photos of posters with these sincere words of gratitude to Yuri Budanov and recognition of his services to the Fatherland and people are on the Internet. This is what the people say, but you cannot deceive the people, the people are always right. It is no coincidence that in Russia they say: "The voice of the people is the voice of God!" The people themselves returned to Yuri Budanov the Colonel's shoulder straps, military awards - two Orders of Courage and awarded the title of Hero of Russia ... People's Hero is perhaps the most important and worthy title of Colonel Yuri Budanov.
Sleep well, Hero! Your Russia will never forget you. Eternal memory to the warrior Georgy Budanov!!!
Vadim Savateev - Chairman of the Board of the Fund for Assistance to Veterans of Combat Operations "Faith and Valor", Head of the working group of the Council for the Affairs of the Disabled under the President of the Russian Federation
Yuri Budanov is a Russian soldier, former colonel, ex-cavalier of the Order of Courage, participant in the First and Second Chechen wars. In 2003 found guilty of the kidnapping and murder of 18-year-old Chechen girl Elza Kungaeva, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in a strict regime colony.
Born in the Donetsk region of the Ukrainian SSR on November 24, 1963. After graduating from the Kharkov Guards Higher Tank Command School, he continued to serve in the military units of Hungary, and then Belarus. Then he took part in the First Chechen War, where in January 1995. in the explosion of a landmine received the first concussion of the brain.
In 1998-2000 commanded the 160th Guards Tank Regiment. October and November 1999 was twice shell-shocked when a shell exploded and when a tank was fired from a grenade launcher. In January 2000 received the rank of colonel, and in March he was arrested on charges of kidnapping, rape and murder of E. Kungayeva.
In February 2001 hearings began on a scandalous case that had a wide public resonance. Y. Budanov himself claimed that the killed E. Kungaeva was a sniper who destroyed dozens of his soldiers during the fighting in the Argun Gorge.
In July 2002 instead of issuing a verdict, the court ordered a medical examination; in total, four mental examinations of the serviceman were carried out. The first examination, conducted in Novocherkassk, recognized Y. Budanov as sane, the second examination confirmed the results of the first examination. The third examination, conducted by doctors from the Serbsky State Center for Forensic Psychiatry, established that the colonel was insane at the time of the crime. For this reason, in 2002 the court decided to send the serviceman for compulsory treatment in a psychiatric hospital, but in February 2003. The Supreme Court overturned the decision and sent Budanov's case back for retrial, which ended with a guilty verdict.
The North Caucasian District Military Court recognized the colonel as sane at the time of the crime and sentenced the serviceman to 9 years in prison under Art. "Murder", to 6 years in prison under the article "Kidnapping" and to 5 years in prison under the article "Exceeding official powers" of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and collectively sentenced the colonel to 10 years in prison. In addition, the court decided to deprive the defendant of his military rank and the Order of Courage.
May 2004 The pardon commission granted V. Budanov's request for early release, but the decision was met with a flurry of criticism from human rights activists, and the head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, even stated that if the request is granted, then "we will find an opportunity to reward him with what he deserves." In 2004 Yu.Budanov withdrew his request for pardon, but in 2008. the new appeal of the former soldier was granted, and in January 2009. he went free.
Y. Budanov was killed on June 10, 2011. on Komsomolsky prospect in Moscow. Experts say that the murder was custom-made.
The colonel's lawyer Anatoly Mukhin, who represented his interests during the criminal proceedings, spoke positively about the serviceman. "The concepts of 'honor', 'army', 'willingness to close the embrasure if the Motherland needs it' are not an empty phrase for him even now," the lawyer argued. The commander of the Russian Airborne Forces, Lieutenant General Vladimir Shamanov, described Yu. Budanov as follows: “He never hid behind the backs of soldiers. commandment."
Meanwhile, many servicemen call the former colonel "a disgrace to the Russian army", discrediting its image and significance. Human rights activists also speak negatively about the murdered.
Budanov Yuri Dmitrievich is a Russian soldier. He took part in many military operations. During the Second Chechen campaign, he led a tank regiment, had the rank of colonel. His life was short lived. At first he was convicted of committing a brutal crime, and after his release he was shot on one of the streets of Moscow.
Yuri Budanov: biography
Place and date of birth of Yury Budanov: Ukrainian Republic, Donetsk region, Khartsyzsk city, November 24, 1963. He grew up as an active child, was fond of martial arts, mastered the sambo technique. Born into a military family, Yuri followed in his father's footsteps. He dreamed of a military career.
In 1981, he was called up for military service. After the end of his service, Budanov decided to continue his studies in military affairs, not imagining himself in another profession. He made a decision for himself that he was not created for a peaceful life. The young man entered the Kharkov Guards Higher Tank Command School, which he graduated in 1987. After receiving his education, he served in Buryatia, Hungary and Belarus. Yuri returned to the Russian Federation after the collapse of the Soviet Union, not wanting to stay in a foreign country.
The biography of Yuri Budanov is quite interesting, because he devoted almost his entire life to military service. Returning to Russia, this man continued his military career in Transbaikalia. He had an ideal reputation, had no complaints. Here he stayed for ten years. During this time, Yuri Dmitrievich graduated from the military academy and received the rank of lieutenant colonel. Later Yury Budanov served in Chechnya.
Military service in the Chechen Republic
There were numerous disputes about whether Yuri participated in the First Chechen campaign. The fact is that the documents with which you can confirm this fact have disappeared. According to some reports, it became known that the serviceman destroyed them on his own. And he really had a reason for it. Knowing about the shell shock, the medical commission would simply not allow him to take part in the Second Chechen War. Journalists carefully studied the biography of Yuri Budanov and found out that he took an active part in the First Chechen War and was even seriously wounded. The second Chechen campaign also did not bypass the military. He was shell-shocked three times due to wounds.
Budanov's feat
Many people who knew Yuri Budanov consider him a real hero. To some extent, this is true. At the end of 1999, a reconnaissance group led by Shtykov fell into a trap. The militants were able to deceive the Russian military, sending them on the wrong path. As a result, help came to a completely different place. The tank battalion, located in the regiment of Yuri Dmitrievich, was able to help the reconnaissance group. At the same time, about fifty people died, military equipment was lost. Other troops were unable to quickly orient themselves and come to the rescue due to bad weather conditions.
The serviceman made an independent decision to save the reconnaissance group, he did not receive orders from above. For this, the colonel was reprimanded, but still a little later he was awarded the medal "For Courage".
End of career
On March 26, 2000, the irreparable happened. This date became fatal in the life of the hero of our article. To find out why Yuri Budanov was convicted, you need to consider the events that preceded this. It was on this day that the colonel's daughter was born. He decided to celebrate this significant event with his colleagues. Alcoholic drinks have taken their toll.
Drunken soldiers came up with the idea to shell the village where civilians lived. But not all participants in the drinking bout agreed with this decision. And then Colonel Budanov decided to get even with the girl who was suspected of being a sniper. This girl's name was Elza Kungaeva. She was a Chechen and barely 18 years old. It was on this day that the colonel put an end to his impeccable career with his own hands.
Details of the crime
Colonel Budanov, being intoxicated, ordered his subordinates to bring the girl to him. The soldiers, having arrived in the village, dragged Elsa out of the house by force and brought her to the headquarters. Budanov personally interrogated Kungaeva. The interrogation lasted several hours. The colonel applied physical force to the girl. As a result of such interrogation with the use of violent actions, the girl was strangled. Moreover, her neck was broken. After Elsa's death, her body was handed over to the soldiers, who in turn abused him. Later, a forensic medical examination, examining the girl's body, confirmed the fact of rape.
Detention of Colonel Budanov
After the crime became known to the public, the colonel was taken into custody. The arrest took place on March 27, the day after the murder. At one point, the hero Budanov turned into a brutal killer. Initially, he was charged not only with murder, but also with rape. The rape article was later dropped. It turned out that the violent actions against the deceased were carried out by the soldier Egorov.
A noisy and lengthy trial began. The prosecution spoke of three crimes committed by the colonel: kidnapping, murder and abuse of power.
Consequence
During the investigation, Budanov was repeatedly interrogated. Each time he repeated the same version of events. The story of Yuri Budanov was known not only to the investigator, but also to his cellmates. According to the colonel, during the interrogation, Elza Kungayeva confessed to the charges against her. She spoke about feeling hatred towards Russian servicemen.
Knowing that the girl's father keeps firearms in his house, all family members were taken under the supervision of the military. As a result, it turned out that Elza Kungaeva periodically goes to the mountains. As a result of established surveillance, it was possible to find out that the young girl is a professional sniper and fights on the side of the militants.
Having received a confession from Elsa, Colonel Budanov decided to hand over the girl to the soldiers for detention. According to Yuri Dmitrievich, there was a high temperature in the room and, having removed the upper part of his military uniform, he put his service weapon on the table. The girl grabbed the Colonel's pistol and tried to fire it. A struggle began, and in the heat of passion Budanov strangled the suspect. Yuri claimed that the murder he committed was unintentional. He explained his insane state by the fact that Kungaeva threatened to find his newborn daughter and kill her. He repeated her cruel words that she would wind the intestines of a child on a machine gun.
The servicemen claimed to have buried the girl's body immediately after she was killed. But forensic medical examination argued otherwise. During the exhumation, it turned out that the girl had been severely beaten and raped during her lifetime. Moreover, it turned out that at the time of her burial, she was still alive.
Trial
The case of Yuri Dmitrievich Budanov received a wide public outcry. There were defenders and opponents of the colonel. The investigation into the case of Yuri Budanov went on for three years. In 2002, he was declared insane. The court took into account the contusions preceding the crime. The examination said that such injuries easily explain the condition of a combat officer. They could provoke a loss of control over consciousness. Compulsory treatment in the clinic was supposed. But a little later, the decision of the court was annulled.
The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation issued a verdict in July 2003. The decision of the court was disappointing. Budanov Yury Dmitrievich was sentenced to imprisonment for 10 years. He was sent to serve his sentence in a strict regime colony in the city of Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk Region. Moreover, Yuri was stripped of all military ranks and awards. It was also decided to ban holding leadership positions for three years.
Why was Yury Budanov convicted? The verdict was handed down on all three charges brought by the prosecutor.
Prison term
While serving his sentence, the former colonel repeatedly filed petitions to mitigate his fate. The first petition was sent to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. Due to the fact that the case of Yuri Budanov gained international resonance, he withdrew the petition.
President of the Chechen Republic Kadyrov declared the officer an enemy of the Chechen people. He accused him of cruelty and inhumanity.
A little later, Budanov filed a petition for pardon again. After that, the commission agreed to return to Yuri his awards, deserved by blood. But the case turned into public discontent, after which the petition was rejected.
The next petition was filed in 2007. The result was negative. A year later, the court made a positive decision, and the former military man's term was reduced. In early 2009, Yuri Dmitrievich Budanov was released from custody. He served almost the entire term.
New life for ex-military
Having received the long-awaited freedom, Yuri returned to his family. His father had a serious illness. He died shortly after his son's return from prison. Budanov was given housing and a good job. He started life anew. But everything turned out to be not so simple. Yuri was charged with a new charge. Civilians of the Chechen Republic began to claim that the former military man was involved in the kidnapping and murders of eighteen more people. A criminal case was opened, and the investigation began again. Nevertheless, Budanov's involvement in the crimes was not confirmed. All charges were dropped.
Murder of Yuri Budanov
The family of Yuri Budanov consisted of four people: Yuri, his wife, son Valery and daughter Catherine. At the time of the death of the former military man, his son was already an adult and lived an independent life. Daughter Catherine was 11 years old. Her parents wanted to send her abroad. To do this, it was necessary to issue certain documents. Budanov and his wife went to the notary, near the office of which the father of the family was killed.
On June 11, 2011, at 12 o'clock, shots were fired on Komsomolsky Prospekt, which were aimed at ex-colonel Yuri Dmitrievich Budanov. Three bullets hit the head, two - in the body. The man died instantly. He had no chance of survival.
The murder of Yuri Budanov was discussed on the central television channels of the country. Video footage filmed by street cameras was shown to the public. According to them, the identity of the killer Yuri Budanov was determined. The police were able to quickly find the man. Yury Budanov's killer claimed revenge was his motive.
Where is the former soldier buried?
Many believe that the murder of Yuri Budanov was inevitable, while blaming the leader of the Chechen Republic. After all, the deceased himself repeatedly told his relatives about a possible attack, which could be revenge for the murdered Elza Kungaeva. Many articles appeared in the press about where Yuri Budanov was buried. His last refuge was the Novoluzhinskoye cemetery in Khimki.
The funeral was attended by a large number of his colleagues. They escorted each other with honors on their last journey. On that day, the place where Yury Budanov is buried was visited by several thousand people. The former soldier was buried as befits a hero.
After the tragedy, the family of Yuri Budanov was in danger. Colleagues and acquaintances helped his wife Svetlana in every possible way. Yuri Budanov's family was taken under guard. The state did not leave the relatives of the former officer in danger.
The biography of Yuri Budanov is of interest to many residents of Russia. After all, he was a valiant officer, served his homeland, not imagining life without military service. Having made a mistake, having lost control over his behavior, he broke the law. He not only suffered the legal punishment for the crime he had committed, but also paid for it with his life. Despite the irreparable act he committed, in the eyes of many people he remained a respected person.
“He died in the medical unit of the colony from cardiac arrest. He always had health problems, the defense tried to get him released due to illness, but unsuccessfully, ”Magomedova said.
In May 2013, by the verdict of the Moscow City Court, Yusup Temerkhanov was convicted of Part 1 Art. 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and part 1 of Art. 222 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 15 years in prison for the murder of Yuri Budanov, as well as for possession and carrying of firearms.
In September 2014 lawyer Murada Musaev reported that Yusup Temerkhanov was taken to the hospital at the colony in a serious condition. “Doctors first assumed a stroke or a brain tumor, then a malignant tumor in one of the abdominal organs, then tuberculosis. We consistently ruled out all these diseases by means of all kinds of CT scans and MRI scans,” the lawyer said. The defender insisted on the transfer of the convict from the prison to a regular hospital.
Budanov case
The commander of the 160th Guards Tank Regiment, Yuri Budanov, was arrested on March 27, 2000 on charges of kidnapping, rape and murder of an eighteen-year-old Elsa Kungaeva.
Colonel Budanov, who went through the First Chechen campaign and had several wounds, was awarded the Order of Courage in January 2000.
According to the materials of the preliminary investigation, at about one in the morning on March 27, Budanov arrived in the village of Tangi in an infantry fighting vehicle. Together with the military Grigoriev And Lee Yong Show he entered the house of the Kungaevs, where Elza Kungaeva was with four underage brothers and sisters. On Budanov's orders, Grigoriev and Lee Yong Shou wrapped Kungaeva in a blanket and placed her in a BMP. Then Kungaeva was taken to the territory of military unit 13206 to the premises where Budanov lived.
The colonel himself explained that in the area where the regiment was located, female snipers were operating on the part of the militants. Budanov interrogated Kungayeva, although, according to his testimony, her relative was not among the suspects, but her relative. During the interrogation, the officer strangled Kungaeva and then ordered the body to be buried. A few hours later, Budanov came to Acting Commander of the West Group, Major General Valery Gerasimov and wrote a confession.
A friend of Elza Kungayeva, for whose kidnapping and murder Yury Budanov was convicted, holds a photograph of the murdered woman. Photo: RIA Novosti / Said Gutsiev
“If he had not been convicted, there could have been big trouble”
During the entire investigation and trial of Budanov, the question of his mental state remained open. On December 31, 2002, the North Caucasus District Military Court found Budanov insane and released him from criminal liability. On February 28, 2003, the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation annulled the decision, sending the case back for a new trial.
Forensic psychiatrist of the highest qualification category, Doctor of Medical Sciences Fedor Kondratiev who participated in the examination Andrey Chikatilo and other serial killers, in an interview with Neskuchny Sad magazine he stated: “I spent many hours talking with him and I am still absolutely convinced that he was in a state of temporary mental disorder at the time of the crime. This state was provoked by a Chechen woman, who told him that she would wind the intestines of his daughter on a machine gun, and grabbed her weapon. And his daughter just had a birthday. But the court appointed a second examination, when she repeated my conclusion - the third. And the third examination made the same conclusion. Then they appointed an examination in Chechnya. There, psychiatrists decided that he could be responsible for his actions, and he was convicted. Of course, if he had not been convicted, there could have been big troubles, new terrorist attacks, attacks on psychiatrists, but I repeat: I am sure that we have made the right conclusion.”
Pardons and threats
On July 25, 2003, Budanov was found guilty under three articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation: Art. 286, part 3 (“Exceeding official authority”), art. 126, part 3 (“Kidnapping”) and art. 105, part 2 ("Deliberate murder under aggravated circumstances"). By partial addition of punishments, the court sentenced Budanov to 10 years in prison. In accordance with Article 48 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, Yuri Budanov was deprived of the state award - the Order of Courage - and the military rank of "colonel".
Yury Budanov, charged with the murder of Chechen woman Elza Kungaeva, at a trial in the North Caucasus District Military Court in the city of Rostov-on-Don. Photo: RIA Novosti / Sergey Venyavsky
Even after Budanov ended up in the colony, passions continued to boil. For example, petitions for clemency submitted to convicts provoked violent protests from human rights activists and the Chechen public.
Ramzan Kadyrov, who in 2004 held the post of Deputy Prime Minister of the government of Chechnya, stated at a meeting of commanders of law enforcement agencies: “Even in war, killing and violence against civilians is a crime. We do not allow the possibility of the release of the criminal. If Budanov is pardoned, we will find an opportunity to reward him according to his merits.”
Nevertheless, at the end of 2008, Budanov's next petition for clemency was granted. In January 2009, he was released.
Shooting in the center of Moscow
Despite the fact that the figure of Budanov was popular in nationalist circles, he did not engage in political activities. With the help of army friends, he got a job as the head of the passenger car fleet of the State Unitary Enterprise "EVAZHD" (for the operation of high-rise buildings).
Yuri Budanov was demonstratively killed, in broad daylight, not far from the center of Moscow. On June 10, 2011, he arrived at the notary's office, located at house No. 38/16 on Komsomolsky Prospekt, in order to issue consent for the departure of his minor daughter abroad.
The killer fired six bullets at Budanov, four of which hit his head. He had no chance of surviving. The killer and his accomplice fled the scene in a car.
For the authorities, the murder of Budanov became no less of a problem than the murder of Elza Kungayeva, committed by him. If in Chechnya many considered the massacre of Budanov a triumph of justice, then in other regions there were many who wanted to take revenge again, now for the murdered colonel. This could be prevented only by the prompt disclosure of a new crime.
He laughed as he listened to the verdict
On August 30, 2011, a certain Magomed Suleimanov was detained, who in fact turned out to be Yusup Temerkhanov, a native of Chechnya. The suspect refused to cooperate with the investigation. According to law enforcement agencies, Temerkhanov, whose father died during the counter-terrorist operation, decided to take revenge on Budanov for this. Temerkhanov did not know the specific killers of his father, and decided to deal with the one who "had hated all of Chechnya."
On July 6, 2012, the Main Investigation Department of the TFR in Moscow brought a final charge against Temerkhanov under paragraph “l” of Part 2 of Article 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to this document, the defendant killed a former colonel in the Russian army "on the grounds of political, ideological, racial, national or religious hatred or enmity, or on the grounds of hatred or enmity against any social group." In addition, he was charged with illegal arms trafficking (Article 222 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). On April 29, 2013, the jury of the Moscow City Court found Temerkhanov guilty of the murder of Budanov. As already mentioned, on May 7, 2013, Yusup Temerkhanov was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The verdict was met with laughter.
The death of Temerkhanov puts an end to this whole story. At least, I would like to hope so.
Colonel Yuri Budanov (biography is presented in the article) is one of the most controversial figures of our time. Someone perceives him as a hero, dedicating poems and songs, and someone as a rapist and murderer who mocked a defenseless Chechen girl on his daughter's birthday. What is known about this person today?
The path to the army
Yuri Dmitrievich Budanov, whose biography is devoted to the article, is a native of Ukraine. His homeland is the small town of Khartsyzsk, which is located on the territory of the Donetsk region. The boy was born in 1963, on November 24, in a military family. He was engaged in sambo, received the title of CMS. He grew up as an ordinary teenager who dreamed of serving in the army. He was called up in 1981, passing urgently on the territory of Poland.
Not finding himself in civilian life, in 1987 he entered a military school. I chose tank, which is located in the Ukrainian Kharkov. The tanker was Dmitry Ivanovich, Budanov's father. Upon graduation, the young man served in Hungary. The collapse of the USSR found him in Belarus, where the officer made a difficult decision for himself - not to swear allegiance to the newly appeared republic, but to return to Russia.
He continued his service in Transbaikalia, where for 10 years he had no complaints, on the contrary, he was ahead of schedule promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He entered the military academy, graduating in 1999.
Was there any participation in the First Chechen campaign?
Did Yuri Dmitrievich Budanov take part in the hostilities? The biography of the officer was collected by the press literally bit by bit. According to media reports, already in the First Chechen War, Budanov was wounded, having received a severe concussion. In 1999, two more will be added to it - already during the Second Chechen War.
Today, information has been published about the available documents, according to which Budanov did not take part in the first military campaign, and the information about the shell shock in January 1995 is false. At the moment, his medical book is lost, which could shed light on many things. According to the latest version, this is the work of Budanov himself, who tried to hide a certain diagnosis when submitting documents for admission to the military academy.
Yuri Budanov: the colonel saves the special forces
Since October 1998, the officer has been appointed commander of the 160th armored regiment, which since December was transferred to the united Siberian military district. Since the autumn of 1999, his regiment has been quartered in Chechnya, where it carried out orders regarding the neutralization of large gangs in the Argun Gorge and Khankala.
Why do many perceive Budanov as a hero? This is due to the battle near Duba-Yurt at the end of December 1999, where the reconnaissance group under the command of art. Lieutenant Shlykov ("Nara") was ambushed by militants. The special forces advanced to save the assault detachment "Taras", which allegedly came under fire at the Wolf's Gate. Subsequently, it turned out that the fighters of Art. Lieutenant Tarasov did not transmit any distress calls. It was an action radio game.
"Nara" could not help neither the artillery (there was poor visibility due to thick fog), nor the fighters of other assault brigades that came under fire. Having lost three units of armored vehicles, more than 10 people were killed and 40 wounded, the reconnaissance group could have been completely destroyed if it were not for the tanks of the battalion of V. Pakov from the 160th regiment of Yu. Budanov.
Details and consequences of the rescue
Vladimir Pakov in two cars (a third joined in the evening) headed for the Wolf's Gate, without a direct order. That is why the personnel of the crews consisted exclusively of officers. Subsequently, it turned out that other units could also provide assistance, but the commanders were afraid of punishment for unauthorized actions, unlike Yuri Budanov.
The colonel saves the dying reconnaissance group, taking responsibility for himself. It was with his consent that Vladimir Pakov, who learned about the tragedy, went to help the special forces. Tankers were stationed just three kilometers from the battlefield.
According to the participants in the battle, without the help of the T-62 and Budanov's officers, the remnants of the Nara would not have been able to get out of the ring of fire near the Argun Gorge on their own. The detachment of militants was completely destroyed only a few weeks later.
The special forces had the impression that the massacre became possible due to the betrayal of the command. This fact was not officially confirmed, but the savior was declared a service discrepancy. Be that as it may, in January 2000, Yu. Budanov was nevertheless awarded the Order of Courage. There is evidence that he was presented for this award twice, but the officer was not destined to receive it a second time.
Tragedy March 26, 2000
This ill-fated day radically changed the future of Yuri Budanov. The Colonel became a father for the second time. His little daughter was born, who was named Catherine. Alcohol appeared on the table of the regiment commander and his deputy I. Fedorov. The roaming officers first gave the command to shell the peaceful village, but Lieutenant Bagreev did not obey the order. Then Budanov decided to deal with Elza Kungayeva, a Chechen woman who turned 18 shortly before the incident.
She, according to the colonel himself, was suspected of allegedly fighting as a sniper on the side of the militants. The BMP crew was ordered to deliver the girl to the location of the regiment. During many hours of interrogation, Budanov strangled Kungaeva, breaking her back. After that, the body, according to him, was handed over to the soldiers. Those abused her, which was proven by a forensic examination.
Budanov's arrest
Already on the 27th it became known: Colonel Yuri Budanov was arrested. The biography of the hero ended there, the investigation began and a lengthy trial of the criminal, which he was recognized by the North Caucasian District Court. The ex-commander of the regiment was charged with three crimes:
- excess of official authority;
- kidnapping;
- murder.
Initially, participation in rape was also presented. Subsequently, the charge was dropped, and the guilt of a soldier named Yegorov was proven. Surprisingly, by a lucky chance, he managed to avoid punishment, because the State Duma declared an amnesty. In January of the following year, Budanov's case was referred to a military court, and the hearing itself began in February.
Officer's testimony
What version of what happened is presented by Colonel Yury Budanov himself? The biography of his subsequent period of life is well described in the media. Both his testimony at the trial and the stories of eyewitnesses, including cellmate Oleg Margolin, with whom the former officer had been talking for a long time, were studied.
According to him, the owner of the house (Kungayeva's father) kept weapons, and his daughter repeatedly went to the mountains to shoot from a sniper rifle. It was hot during the interrogation, so Budanov unbuttoned and put his holster on the table. The girl confessed her hatred of the feds and confirmed the assumption of the regiment commander.
He was about to hand her over to the scouts, as she grabbed the pistol lying on the table. At the same time, she threatened Budanov that she would find his little daughter in order to "wind her guts on a machine gun." The combat commander, in a state of passion, later confirmed by an examination, strangled Kungaeva. When he came to his senses, the officer took the body out to the soldiers so that they would bury it. During the exhumation, it turned out that for some time the girl was still alive. During her lifetime, she was subjected to bullying and violence.
The court's decision
For many, Yuri Budanov is a hero of Russia. The biography of the ex-colonel testifies: in July 2003, he was found guilty on three counts and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
It must be admitted that during the proceedings, a commission of experts in December 2002 issued a verdict of the officer's insanity. The consequences of his shell shock, according to experts, could lead to a partial loss of control over his actions.
The case could have ended in compulsory treatment, but a few months later this decision was overturned by the Supreme Court of Russia. The colonel was stripped of his military ranks and government awards, and was banned from holding leadership positions for the next three years. The former officer was sent to the colony of the city of Dimitrovgrad (Ulyanovsk region) to serve his sentence.
Serving the sentence
In May 2004, former Colonel Yury Budanov filed a petition for pardon for the first time. He sent it personally to V. Putin, but soon withdrew. Presumably, because of the position of R. Kadyrov, the president of Chechnya, who called the former officer an enemy of his people.
In the same year, a second petition followed, submitted by Budanov to the regional commission. Under it was the signature of Vladimir Shamanov, the then governor, in the past - the commander of the grouping of troops of the RF Ministry of Defense in the Chechen Republic. The commission returned the military awards and military rank to the colonel. However, participation in the satisfaction of the petition for a pardon of the governor received publicity. This led to a scandal, after which the petition was again withdrawn.
In early 2007, Budanov filed a request for parole directly to the court. And he was refused, because he considered: "the prisoner did not repent of his deed." There were several more requests, but only in December 2008 a positive decision was made. The court of Dimitrovgrad finally admitted: the criminal repented and fully atoned for his deed. The release of Budanov took place in January 2009. He spent nearly 9 years in prison.
Life on the loose
Ex-Colonel Yuri Budanov arrived in Moscow, where his family was waiting for him. Thanks to the patronage of General Shamanov, he was given an apartment not just anywhere, but in one of the houses of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation. He managed to meet with his father, who was seriously ill, but waited for his son to return from the colony. Soon he died.
Budanov got a good job, dealing with the passenger car fleet of the State Unitary Enterprise "EVAZHD". However, a month after his return, the Investigative Committee at the Chechen Prosecutor's Office announced an investigation into the involvement of the former colonel in the murder and abduction of three more people in the Shali region.
According to them, witnesses pointed to Budanov after stories about him on television. Subsequently, the number of victims in this criminal case increased to 18. It was only in June 2009 that it was announced that the involvement of the former officer in the disappearance of civilians was not confirmed.
Yuri Budanov: biography, cause of death
It was 2011. On the calendar - June 11. Together with his wife Svetlana Budanov, he approached the notary's office, where the spouses had to draw up documents for the 11-year-old Ekaterina to travel abroad. The couple has two children. The eldest Valery at that time was already 23.
Here, on Komsomolsky Prospekt, a bloody murder will be committed, which will be described in detail by CCTV footage. After a telephone conversation on the porch of the house, Budanov went to the central part of the courtyard, followed by a man whose identification mark was a baseball cap.
At 12:04, several men ran out to the sounds of gunfire. Five shots were fired. Three were aimed at the head, two at the body. Yuri Budanov had no chance to survive. The perpetrator was found on the identikit. It turned out to be a Chechen named Yusup Temirkhanov, whose father died at the hands of the Russian military. The man called the main motive for the murder - revenge. His photo is shown below.
The funeral of the ex-colonel
Surprisingly, experts do not really believe in the Chechen trace, although R. Kadyrov, with his statements, actually gave indulgence to anyone who would deal with the murderer of 18-year-old Kungayeva. Yuri Budanov himself warned about this (biography, cause of death are described in this article). The ex-colonel told his cellmate that he was not afraid of the revenge of the girl's relatives, but of those who want to erase the shameful pages of the events in Chechnya.
The former officer was buried at the Novoluzhinsky cemetery, located on the territory of Khimki. He was escorted on his last journey, paying military honors, although none of the official representatives of the Ministry of Defense was present at the coffin. Several thousand people, among whom were many former and current officers, accompanied their comrade-in-arms in complete silence, not allowing the funeral to turn into a political rally.
A few words about family
Until the end of her life, her wife Svetlana, who gave her husband two children, passed the whole way of life with her husband. When Budanov was in the Rostov-on-Don pre-trial detention center, she and her children visited him twice a month, although she was forced to move to Ukraine and live with relatives. Only in recent years has the family been provided with housing on a rental basis. Svetlana does not hide the fact that she had to accept the help of many people, including General Shamanov.
Having witnessed the crime, she was under the protection of the state. The colleagues of her ex-husband did not leave her in trouble, providing all kinds of support. They say: about people like Budanov, they say: "Soldiers are respected, enemies are afraid."
The eldest son Valery is a graduate of the Suvorov Military School. He received a law degree, works in the bar. Since 2011, he has been a member of the LDPR.
The youngest daughter Catherine is still ahead. In March, the girl celebrated her eighteenth birthday. For a family, an example of a real hero is their father, Colonel Yuri Budanov. His biography will be rewritten, they believe, and the name of the Russian officer will definitely be rehabilitated.