The Murder of Singer Igor Talkov. Russian Court Issues Verdict After 34 Years.

Former concert director Valery Shlyafman has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for the murder of singer Igor Talkov in 1991. The court in Saint Petersburg issued the verdict in absentia.

Shlyafman had been suspected of Talkov's murder for over 30 years. In 1993, the investigation into the case was halted. However, in 2018 it was reopened due to changes in legislation and judicial practice. It is now possible to consider a case in the absence of the accused and issue a verdict in absentia. Shlyafman was arrested in 2022, and the trial began in 2024.

Talkov was shot during a concert in Saint Petersburg in 1991. According to the investigation, he had a quarrel with the security guard of singer Aziziza, Igor Malakhov, and after the fight, Shlyafman accidentally shot Talkov. After this, Valery Shlyafman moved to Israel, where he obtained citizenship. Russia tried to extradite him, but without success.

Igor Talkov was known for his political songs and sang about the problems in Russia. His son is also involved in creativity and publicly expresses support for the occupiers at the front.

It is also worth mentioning that the Dnipro theater 'We Believe' has resumed showing the play 'To Forget Herostratus' by Grigory Gorin. However, this has sparked criticism among some viewers.

This verdict is the result of a long investigation that lasted over 30 years. It confirms the importance of justice and the inviolability of the law. In the Talkov case, the guilt of the concert director who had been hiding for a long Time was established. This reminds us that no crime will go unpunished, regardless of how long the criminal has evaded justice. Protecting the rights of victims and imposing penalties on the guilty is an important step forward in the work of law enforcement agencies.