Man accused of murdering Stavropol Vice-Mayor arrested

The Leninsky District Court of Stavropol has placed the man accused of killing Zaur Gurtsiev, First Deputy Mayor of Stavropol, and his acquaintance into custody.

The respective court has been quoted today by the “Interfax”, citing the court's press service. "The man accused of murdering Zaur Gurtsiev, First Deputy Mayor of the city of Stavropol, has been remanded in custody for one month and 24 days, that is, until July 29," the report says.

The man is charged under Part 2 of Article 105 (murder of two persons committed in a generally dangerous manner by prior conspiracy) and Part 1 of Article 222.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (illegal acquisition, transfer, storage, transportation and carrying of an explosive device), the report has added.

The above Part 2 of Article 105 provides for up to life imprisonment.

The report posted in the court's website specifies the accused person as "citizen Kh". "According to investigators, on May 28, 2025, during a meeting of earlier acquainted citizens G. and P. near a multi-story residential building in Stavropol, a homemade explosive device, presumably located in a shoulder bag carried by citizen P., was detonated. As a result of the explosion, citizen G. and citizen P. died in place. Investigators believe that citizen Kh. was involved in the commission of these crimes, which is confirmed by the provided materials," the report states.

This was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 9, 2025 at 09:59 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.