Ilya Romanov, a 46-years old Russian anarchist, was wounded on 26th of October 2013. According to authorities, this happened when a homemade bomb suddenly went off in his hands. The accident happened next to a building occupied by Russian Army draft office.
Local police stated that the homemade bomb exploded early in the morning on saturday in the hands of anarchist. His left hand was torn off. The man was placed in hospital.
Ilya Romanov was interrogated by the police. He claimed the “homemade explosive device” was in fact a firecracker.
Mass media were quick to report about police raid on Ilya’s apartement that turned up extremist literature and various chemical reagents used for manufacturing of explosive devices.
However, an alternate source claims that police failed to find anything of interest during the raid, instead cops confiscated an empty soda box, some elements of microscope belonging to Ilya’s 16 year old daughter, and a tin can with unknown white substance inside. However, police did confiscate an archive of oppositional press and Ilya’s personal letters (including letters from his time in prison during 2002-2012), his notebook and ID.
Ilya got involved in anarchist movement in late 80’s in Nizhni Novgorod, which was back then named Gorky. One of his first actions in Soviet era was publication of an anarchist leaflet, almost every copy of which ended up to KGB archives.
This is third time he is suspected of involvement in armed struggle. First time he was detained in Moscow in October of 1998, as a suspected member of underground armed group “New Revolutionary Alternative”. Eventually he was sentenced to involuntary treatment in mental hospital, and released in turn of year 2002.
Ilya did not spent long time in freedom, as already in December 2002 he was detained in Ukraine, as one of the suspected members of underground revolutionary organisation. Eventually he spent 10 years in prison. Charges against him included expropriations from jewelry stores and currency exchange offices, illegal trafficking of small arms, bombing of SBU (former KGB) office in Ukraine. 11 arrested were all tortured extremely heavy, 20 year old Sergey Berdyugin died from torture 1st of November 2003. Ilya declined all charges, claimed he was tortured both mentally and physically during pre-trial detention. He went on hunger strikes and cut his veins and neck with a razorblade in courtroom to protest inhumane treatment. He was released in December of 2012.
(originally translated here, few details added by avtonom.org)
You may donate to legal costs of Ilya via Anarchist Black Cross of Moscow, for guidelines check http://wiki.avtonom.org/en/index.php/Donate