Eight additional individuals are currently hospitalized due to poisoning. Local residents in Gostitsy village confirmed that they knew some of the deceased.
Nineteen people have tragically died in Russia`s Leningrad Region after consuming counterfeit alcohol. Eight more individuals are receiving hospital treatment for severe poisoning. According to Irina Volk, an official representative of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, a resident of Gostitsy village was selling diluted spirits to his neighbors.
Investigation Details
Initial reports indicate that a 79-year-old resident of Gostitsy village was involved in selling illicit alcohol to locals. The victims were predominantly elderly, with ages ranging from 42 to pensioners. Gostitsy is situated near Slantsy, a significant district center close to the Estonian border. The deceased were described as socialized individuals leading ordinary village lives, not marginalized. Two individuals have been detained in connection with the incident: the 79-year-old pensioner and his 70-year-old acquaintance, reportedly a speech therapist from a local kindergarten. The woman is suspected of supplying the man with alcohol, which he subsequently diluted. Police searches at the man`s home uncovered canisters, various empty bottles (including vodka and less expensive whiskey), and other containers used for bottling. These items were stored in unsanitary conditions, including a dusty attic. The counterfeit alcohol was sold for 150 rubles per bottle, a price significantly lower than the official minimum of 349 rubles for a 0.5-liter bottle of vodka this year.
Local Perspective
A Gostitsy resident, who personally knew two of the deceased, disclosed that locals had been purchasing the illicit alcohol from the pensioner for many years, primarily driven by the desire for economy compared to store prices. She stated that previous sales by the same individual had not resulted in such tragedies. While acknowledging the general trust in the seller, she suspected that this particular batch might have been of substandard quality. She expressed frustration that this long-standing illegal trade was widely known within the community but only prompted decisive action from law enforcement after the fatalities occurred. The resident described the victims she knew as normal, working individuals who would occasionally drink, but also actively maintained their gardens and drove when needed.
The two suspects detained in connection with the mass poisoning incident in the Leningrad Region could face up to four years in prison, as confirmed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth