Two men have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in the 2000 attack on Pskov paratroopers in Chechnya. The Southern District Military Court sentenced Aslanbek Kazanchev and Anzor Batyrov, both residents of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, to 17 and 14 years in prison respectively.

Kazanchev and Batyrov were found guilty of participating in a gang, armed rebellion, and the attempted murder of military personnel. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation reported the sentencing on its Telegram channel on July 30. They will serve their sentences in a strict regime colony.

The investigation established that the two men participated in the attack on February 29, 2000, as part of the gang led by Shamil Basayev and Ibn al-Khattab.

The attack on the servicemen of the 6th company of the 104th regiment of the 76th Pskov Airborne Division took place on February 29, 2000, near the village of Ulus-Kert in the Shatoysky district of Chechnya. 84 Russian servicemen were killed in the 16-hour battle, including 13 officers. Four more were wounded. The ages of the deceased ranged from 18 to 37 years old.

Law enforcement officers have identified more than 40 people allegedly involved in the armed rebellion. The identification of other individuals involved in the Basayev and Khattab gang is ongoing.