A woman named Olga Stepanova, aged 60, has been taken into custody following the deaths of 19 individuals caused by consuming counterfeit vodka. An additional victim is currently in critical condition at a hospital. Authorities in the Leningrad region of Russia are investigating Stepanova for her involvement in the distribution of fake alcohol. Her husband is reportedly engaged in military activities in Ukraine under Vladimir Putin’s leadership.
The suspect is accused of supplying moonshine to a 78-year-old man named Nikolai Boytsov, who then sold the illicit vodka for 90 pence per bottle. Both Stepanova and Boytsov have been apprehended by local law enforcement. Boytsov is facing charges of poisoning his 75-year-old wife with the counterfeit alcohol.
The prevalence of ‘bootleg’ spirits has been on the rise in Russia due to escalating alcohol prices amidst the ongoing war, particularly impacting elderly individuals. The Interior Ministry has confirmed the detention of a Gostisti resident for allegedly selling alcohol-containing substances.
Reports indicate that methanol was detected in the blood of eight deceased individuals. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of sudden deaths among others. Tragic accounts reveal the dire consequences of consuming the fake vodka, with one victim, Yuri Spiridonov, succumbing to the toxic effects shortly after declaring his impending death.
The death toll linked to the tainted vodka now stands at 19, with one individual in critical condition receiving intensive care. Boytsov has a history of involvement in illicit alcohol trading. In a separate incident in August, a group of tourists tragically passed away from methanol poisoning after unknowingly purchasing counterfeit alcohol at a popular resort in Sochi, Russia.
Among the victims, one individual reportedly went blind and suffered fatal kidney failure after ingesting fake Chacha, while two female tourists died from methanol poisoning upon returning home. Two suspects, identified as Olesya, 31, and Eteri, 71, appeared in a Sochi court on suspicion of distributing the counterfeit alcohol. The Russian Interior Ministry issued a stern warning advising against the consumption of alcohol products of unknown origins to prevent further tragedies.