Overview

• Russia's Investigative Committee said forensic exams found high or lethal methanol levels in six additional bodies from the Leningrad region.
• Authorities now count 25 alcohol-related deaths in September, expanding on earlier reports of 19 fatalities centered in the Slantsy District.
• The newly confirmed cases involved bodies delivered between September 10 and 17 from the Volosovsky District, according to investigators.
• Prosecutors have opened a criminal case, with investigators reporting three suspects detained and earlier police statements noting two local residents held.
• Local and state outlets have reported alleged suppliers and producers linked to the bootleg spirits, while officials highlight a recurring pattern of methanol poisonings tied to illicit alcohol in rural areas.