A scientist who made important contributions to agricultural sciences in Russia's Sverdlovsk region has died following an act of violence. Nikita Zezin, a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and director of the Ural Federal Agricultural Center, passed away in a hospital in Yekaterinburg on July 22.
The incident took place on July 13 in the experimental fields. While Zezin and his assistant Aleksandr Shanin were inspecting the fields, they noticed children aged 8 to 10 damaging the planted areas with ATVs. The scientists approached the children, called their parents, and informed them that they would bring them to the institute to be handed over.
Assault and death
At around 6:00 p.m., four off-road vehicles pulled up in front of the institute. According to Vyacheslav Vegner, a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Sverdlovsk Region, an athletic man who got out of one of the vehicles and identified himself as 'Arkasha' directly attacked Nikita Zezin. Vegner described the moment of the assault, saying, 'Everything happened amid shouting and threats.'
After Zezin lost consciousness, the attackers then turned on Shanin, an Afghanistan war veteran, and spat in his face. A short time after the assault, the 67-year-old scientist died. Legislator Vegner stated that Zezin's 'heart couldn't take it.'
According to Telegram channels Baza and 112, which are close to security forces, the official cause of death was recorded as a heart attack. However, Zezin's relatives believe the attack was triggered by the assault.
Investigation launched
Russia's Investigative Committee announced that a criminal investigation had been launched into the assault on Nikita Zezin in Yekaterinburg. The committee did not disclose under which criminal article the case is being conducted.
Zezin's scientific legacy
Nikita Zezin, a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, had pioneered the resumption of corn cultivation research in the Ural region and the breeding of winter triticale (a rye-wheat hybrid). The scientist authored over 260 scientific articles, monographs, and books.
