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Russian Court Upholds Sentences Of Racist Group


MOSCOW -- Russia's Supreme Court today upheld the sentences given to members of a racist group in the city of Barnaul, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

The regional court in southern Siberia's Altai Krai sentenced a group of young men to long prison terms for murder and attacks on non-Slavic people in Barnaul in 2007.

The group, which was led by teenager Aleksei Kelber, called itself "Odin's Wolves." Kelber called himself "Odin" after the god from Scandinavian mythology.

Members of the group considered themselves representatives of a higher Aryan race.

In 2007 they killed two people of Altai and Azeri origin.

They also attempted to kill two Tuvans and a Tajik, and severely beat a Chinese person the same year.

Investigators found black masks, excerpts of statements made by Adolf Hitler, and nationalist literature in members' apartments.

Kelber was sentenced to 23 years in prison, while other group members received jail terms of between eight and 19 years.
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