Overview

• The Oktyabrsky District Court of St. Petersburg ordered pre-trial detention for Vladimir Savchenko and Igor Sofronov until 25 November.
• Both men face charges under Part 3, Article 238 of the Criminal Code over unsafe products that allegedly resulted in the deaths of multiple people.
• Savchenko was detained on 29 September and has admitted guilt, while defense teams sought softer measures including house arrest.
• Investigators say the suspects, together with earlier detainee Alexey Illarionov, sold alcohol-containing liquid stored at a Trubnikov Bor warehouse that was later distributed in Slantsy and Volosovo, where fatalities occurred.
• Prosecutors say overall arrests in the related probes have reached 13, and regional officials report 19 alcohol-related deaths in September, including eight confirmed methanol cases, with one person in critical condition.