Russian Soldier Hijacks Gasoline Truck and Drives in Moscow's Center

The 19-year-old man dreamed of serving in the army

The fate of 19-year-old serviceman Sergey Zavitayev has attracted a lot of attention in the Russian press lately. Sergey served in a salute battalion on the outskirts of Moscow. One day he hijacked a gasoline tanker truck from his elite military unit and drove almost into the center of Moscow. This incident stands out from numerous news reports about desertion.

Some Russian media outlets have called the young serviceman a "suicidal bomber" who intended to make his way all the way to the Kremlin. It has recently been reported that the young man will probably be sentenced to lifetime imprisonment. Sergey's mother, Elizaveta Zavitayeva, left for Moscow on May 11th to see her son, hoping to find out all the answers.

Sergey Zavitayev did not suffer from hazing and was not an undisciplined individual either. Sergey is a very good young man, who loves his parents, and he dreamed of serving in the army. The serviceman's mother has already talked to her son and to military commissar Colonel Mikhail Skobelev. Sergey explained that he did not want to serve.

The Office of the Military Prosecutor of the Moscow military district has instituted criminal proceedings in connection with Sergey Zavitayev's actions - hijacking a vehicle and using violence against the authorities. Sergey may be sentenced to up to three years in prison for hijacking a gasoline truck, while the punishment for the second charge can be as high as ten years. Sergey slammed the truck into a police car with two officers inside. Fortunately, they were not seriously injured.
At present, Sergey Zavitayev is to undergo a thorough medical examination at the Institute of Court Psychology. Specialists want to study such an inappropriate action. When they come to a conclusion, criminal charges will be brought against Sergey Zavitayev. 

Alexander Sysoyev