The Second Western District Military Court has sentenced Chechen MMA fighter Lamberd Akhyadov to 28 years in prison. According to the court’s verdict, he will spend the first seven years in a prison facility, and the remaining 21 years in a high-security penal colony.
Akhyadov was convicted of the murder of an officer from the Moscow Administrative Road Inspectorate (MADI), involvement in terrorist activities, attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, and the use of violence.
The murder occurred on the evening of 31 December 2022 on Moskvoretskaya Embankment in Zaryadye Park. According to the investigation, Akhyadov mistook the MADI inspector for a police officer and stabbed him at least 15 times, killing him on the spot.
Akhyadov allegedly intended to seize the inspector’s service weapon and carry out a shooting spree on New Year’s Eve. Shortly after the attack, he was apprehended and reportedly used pepper spray against the arresting officers during his detention.
Investigators claim that while in Turkey, Akhyadov joined the terrorist organisation Islamic State, which is banned in Russia, and pledged allegiance to it.
The defence argued that Akhyadov suffered from mental illness. His lawyer stated that the fighter had an acute polymorphic psychotic disorder with symptoms of schizophrenia, which may have impaired his ability to understand and control his actions. The defendant himself claimed that voices of a jinn (an evil spirit in Islamic belief) urged him to commit the murder. He admitted to the killing but denied any terrorist motive. He also expressed regret for his actions and apologised to the victim’s family.
Psychiatric evaluations in the case were contradictory. One concluded that Akhyadov did suffer from a mental disorder, while another found him sane. Ultimately, the court, following a second forensic psychiatric examination, ruled that Akhyadov was sane and not in need of compulsory treatment.
During the trial, the prosecution requested a life sentence (the first four years in prison, the rest in a special regime colony), as well as compensation of over ₽3 million ($38,000) to the victim's family — a claim that the court upheld.
Before ending up in the courtroom, Akhyadov was a professional MMA fighter. From 2013 to October 2019, he competed in the featherweight division and participated in 14 bouts, winning nine and losing five.
His career began in semi-professional leagues such as PLMMA in Poland, where he secured victories by submission and knockouts. Twice in 2014, he won matches in the first round. In February 2016, he won by unanimous decision at the ACB 30 tournament, and in February 2017, he repeated that success at ACB 53 in the Young Eagles division.
Akhyadov’s last professional fight took place in October 2019 in Grozny.
Elizaveta Chukharova
