DUSHANBE, February 19, Asia-Plus  -- A group of young men numbering five persons have been detained in Dushanbe on suspicion of having attacked servicemen of Russian military base deployed here with the purpose of robbering, Asia-Plus has learned at the Ministry of Interior (MoI).  

The source at a MoI said that a criminal ring led by a 25-year-old Suhrob Rahmonov had been active in the Giprozem area, where the headquarters of the Russian military base is stationed.  “Mainly, Russian servicemen became robbery victims,” the source said, adding that two such cases were reported in January alone.  

“On January 17, they attacked Russian serviceman Konstantin Glavin,” said the source, “The assailants beat him and seized 400 somonis and mobile phone,” said the MoI source, “On January 30, Russian serviceman Vyacheslav Cherkasov also became victim of them; they beat him and seized his mobile phone.”  

The source added that the detainees are suspected of having committed ten such crimes.  Criminal proceedings have been instituted against them and an investigation is under way.