At around 13:55 p.m. EEST on 13 August 2006, another explosion occurred on a trolleybus stopped just outside the Prychernomorye shopping center in Tiraspol. Two people were killed and ten were injured as a result of the blast. [5] [6] The explosion was determined to have been caused by an RGD-5 grenade fitted with a UZRGM fuse. [5] [2] Two additional unexploded grenades were also found inside the bus. [5] Authorities immediately offered a 10,000 dollars reward for information regarding the perpetrator of the bombing. [5] [7]
Aftermath and trial
On 15 August 2006, member of Transnistria's Supreme Council (parliament) Valerian Tulgara declared to the international community that the bombings of 6 July and 13 August did not reflect the usual state of affairs in Transnistria. He accused the perpetrators of both attacks of attempting to discredit Russia's role in the region. [8] The Transnistrian government also made promises to increase security on trolleybuses, including fitting new security cameras into the vehicles. [9]
On 4 October 2006, the prosecutor's office of Transnistria released a statement announcing that a 49-year-old resident of Slobozia, Kapustin Sergey Vladimirovich, had been arrested in connection with the bombing. [2] Subsequent investigation revealed that the attack was not an act of political terrorism. Instead, it emerged that Vladimirovich had intended to take revenge on the leadership of his employer, Rustas LLC, after being demoted from his position as foreman to security guard. His demotion had been made due to health concerns. [10]
During his trial, Vladimirovich explained that he had planned to install a tripwire at the entrance to the Rustas office, which would ignite the grenades. [10] He had modified the grenades himself. [2] The grenades were placed in a cardboard box disguised as a cereal box. However, while on board the trolleybus, Vladimirovich realized he had travelled in the wrong direction and would not reach his workplace. He exited the bus at the next stop, but possibly due to his modifications, the grenades ignited. He discarded the explosives inside the trolleybus before fleeing, causing the subsequent explosion. [10]
Following these findings, and despite the prosecution's initial request for a 25-year sentence, Vladimirovich was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment on 19 March 2007. [10] [11] During sentencing, Vladimirovich read a letter to the judge, stating: "Dear judge, I deeply apologize to all those affected for the harm and grief that I have brought. [...] I also ask you to take into account that 25 years is too long; it is better to sentence me to death. I don't want my family to suffer. I didn't want this. I couldn't even accomplish what I actually intended." [11]
