V. Putin to personally oversee the case of private Sychyov

President V. Putin has taken up the case, unprecedented in cruelty, of abuse of a private soldier by elder servicemen at a tank academy in the city of Chelyabinsk. He directed the Minister of Defense "to give all possible assistance to the Prosecutor General's Office in fully investigating the criminal case".

The President also told Minister of Defense Sergei Ivanov "to submit proposals on legal and organizational matters to improve formative work in the army and navy." Besides, the President instructed the Ministry of Defense "to provide assistance to the family of the victimized soldier, Andrei Sychyov, in particular in resolving its housing problems".

The family of the soldier, who had his legs and genitals amputated after having been brutally attacked by his older mates, wants to take the case to court and claim compensation. The family is also reported to be consulting with lawyers about whom to sue – the Ministry of Defense or someone else, and the amount of the compensation.

Meanwhile, chairman of the commission for public control of the activities of law-enforcement authorities and force structures, and reformation of the judiciary-legal system of the Russian Public Chamber, lawyer Anatoli Kucherena, is going to visit the military unit in Chelyabinsk and personally look into the case of private A. Sychyov. He told so journalists before a meeting of the Council of the Public Chamber on January 30.

"I propose to objectively look into what has happened, speak to the officers, the suspects, the victims and their parents and make a report", he said. A. Kucherena plans to arrive at Chelyabinsk tonight.