INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A Russian court on Wednesday upheld the life sentence of Alexander Permyakov, who was convicted of injuring pro-Kremlin writer Zakhar
Prilepin and killing his driver in a car bombing in May 2023.Prilepin, a prominent Russian author and outspoken supporter of the war against
Ukraine, was injured in the attack, which killed his driver
Permyakov was sentenced in September on charges that included committing a "terrorist act," the state-run RIA Novosti news agency
reported.The court heard that Permyakov, who holds both Russian and Ukrainian citizenship, tracked Prilepin's movements and placed two
explosive devices under the road near the writer's home in the Nizhny Novgorod region
Permyakov reportedly admitted in court that Ukraine's SBU security service had promised him $20,000 for assassinating Prilepin.During the
appeal hearing, Permyakov's defense highlighted his cooperation with investigators, including providing information about a hidden weapons
stash and the location of an unexploded device
However, the court rejected the appeal, affirming that Permyakov would serve the first five years of his sentence in a prison, where
conditions are harsher than in a penal colony.Moscow has accused Ukraine of orchestrating multiple attacks and assassinations targeting
prominent figures inside Russia
Ukraine has not formally claimed responsibility for the attack on Prilepin, though SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk called the writer a "real war
criminal" in a televised interview.Maliuk claimed last year that the explosion left Prilepin with severe injuries, including damage to his
pelvis and legs, and suggested he had lost his genitals
Prilepin, however, denied the latter claim, stating that while he suffered numerous fractures and a serious head injury, other assertions
about his condition were false.The 49-year-old writer is known for his novels inspired by his service with Russian forces in Chechnya and
his membership in a banned nationalist group
He also fought alongside separatist forces in eastern Ukraine in 2014.After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Prilepin joined
other pro-Kremlin figures in calling for the dismissal of cultural elites they deemed unpatriotic
In January 2023, he signed a contract to serve with the Russian National Guard (Rosgvardia) in Ukraine.
