Pressure to 'extort' a debt of $8,000 from Ms. K. Patrushev ordered these actions to be carried out in the interests of Pronichev, who at that time was the head of the security agencies of Karelia, and is now the deputy director of the FSB. I preferred to attend to my direct official duties, not carrying out Patrushev's illegal instruction.
December 1995 Incident
In December 1995, during operational measures conducted under my leadership as part of my functional duties, the 3rd Department of the USB FSB RF and the RUBOP GUVDs of Moscow caught red-handed about 30 people in one of the capital's banks while they were collecting money through extortion to conduct combat operations in Chechnya.
Those caught included:
4 field commanders of Salman Raduev
Employees of the GRU GS MO RF, MVD, and FSB RF who were covering up their criminal activities.
The detainees confessed to committing extortion; information was obtained about:
The commission of a number of murders in Moscow and Chechnya.
The torture of our soldiers in Chechnya.
Illegal arms trafficking.
The location of weapons depots and militant rest bases in Moscow, the Moscow region, and the Tver region.
Aftermath and Release
However, only a few people and one field commander nicknamed 'Hero' were brought to criminal responsibility, whom Raduev exchanged in December 1996 for three Penza OMON officers.
The rest, by order of Patrushev, Barsukov, and Kovalev (respectively deputies and the director of the FSB RF), were released, including:
'Tourist,' who was involved in arms supplies to Chechnya under the patronage of the General Staff.
'Abdul,' who later appeared in Moscow on the eve of the 'Nord-Ost' terrorist attack.
Personal Investigation
Regarding me, at Patrushev's initiative, an internal investigation was instigated so that I would not investigate the activities of the criminals and the persons covering for them.
On December 16, 1995, in accordance with order No. 0213, I was suspended from my main work for allegedly abusing my official powers while detaining criminals.