Primary suspect in murder of Russian judo champion detained 

31-year-old Elshan Gakhirmanov had been put on a wanted list shortly before being detained.

Law enforcement officers have detained the primary suspect in the murder of Russian judo champion Evgeny Kushnir.

Elshan Gakhirmanov, 31, was placed on a wanted list shortly following Kushnir’s murder, which allowed the media to spread his photo across the internet and national television. Reports then claimed that he was in Togliatti’s Avtozavodsky district, and he appeared injured. Law enforcement officers detained him shortly thereafter.

Evgeny Kushnir, 27, was found dead in a pool of blood at the cafe while his friend was hospitalized with various injuries. It was later reported that the two men came into conflict with an unknown gang, which resulted in Kushnir being killed. The Investigative Committee of Russia in the Samara region launched a criminal investigation into the murder and arrested several suspects.

Kushnir was a respected regional champion in Judo, having earned the the title of Master of Sports in Judo. In 2019, Kushnir became the champion of the Samara region in the 81kg division.

The Russian judoka’s death comes shortly following the death of 34-year-old Sergey Chuev, a Master of Sports in Greco-Roman wrestling, who was allegedly attacked and killed by six men for trying to stop them harassing his girlfriend.