Alexey Pichugin terminates his lawyers’ services

July 7, 2021

Former Yukos staffer Alexey Pichugin terminated the services of his lawyers, whom he has retained for many years. Novaya Gazeta reports that, according to its sources, Alexey  was forced to do so.

This occurred shortly before Pichugin was taken from the “Black Dolphin” Orenburg lifer colony and brought to Lefortovo jail [in Moscow]. The transfer is apparently related to the investigators’ attempt to interrogate Pichugin in a criminal case against Mikhail Khodorkovsky regarding organizing murders and attempted murders. Pichugin has already faced numerous demands to testify in that case, but had always refused.

His former lawyers are not saying exactly how the representation was terminated and how the retainer agreements were cancelled.

“I am not currently representing Pichugin and am not his lawyer. No details. I have no other comments,” said Pichugin former defense attorney Ksenia Kostromina to Novaya Gazeta. She represented him starting in 2003.

Dmitry Kharitonov, who also represented Pichugin until recently, told Novaya Gazetathe same thing, also declining to provide any more detail.

Novaya Gazeta writes that in all likelihood Pichugin is currently represented by appointed counsel. It’s not known for sure what’s happening to him or what state he is in. Neither the Investigative Committee nor Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service are commenting on the situation at this point.

Source: Novaya Gazeta