In Tashkent, four individuals have been detained in connection with a criminal case regarding the deaths of Russian citizens at a hotel.

As part of the investigation into the deaths of Russian journalist Inessa Paperna and two other individuals from poisoning at a hotel, the owner of the hotel, two boiler salesmen, and the plumber who installed the boiler have been detained. According to documents obtained by Kun.uz, the boiler was outdated and was installed improperly.

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According to sources from Kun.uz close to the investigation, hotel owner A. Khujakulov, boiler sellers Z. Jamoldinov and A. Yusupov, as well as plumber N. Kurbonov, have been charged under Article 186, Part 4, Clause "a" of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan (Manufacturing, storage, transportation or sale of goods, performance of work or provision of services that do not meet safety requirements, resulting in loss of life). They have been placed in custody as a preventive measure.

Court documents reviewed by Kun.uz indicate that Z. Jamoldinov and A. Yusupov were engaged in the sale of heating boilers. Together with hotel owner A. Khujakulov and plumber N. Kurbonov, they installed a boiler at the "Karaman Palace Hotel." However, the mentioned boiler was outdated, having exceeded its operational lifespan, and had undergone structural modifications: the siphon was removed from the condensate drainage system.

Therefore, the condensate drainage pipe was connected directly to the sewage system without a siphon. Additionally, the chimneys of the gas equipment were installed in violation of technical and regulatory requirements, and the boiler was operated without prior inspection of the chimneys.

Details of the deaths of Russians and a citizen of Uzbekistan in a Tashkent hotel

On October 20, 2024, there was a carbon monoxide leak from the heating boiler at the "Karaman Palace Hotel." This resulted in the deaths of three individuals: 47-year-old Russian journalist Inessa Papernaya (a staff member of the publication Lenta.ru), her 45-year-old companion Maxim Radchenko, and 48-year-old citizen of Uzbekistan Khushnud Udekov.

According to the forensic examination report, the cause of death was acute poisoning from carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide, leading to asphyxiation.

A comprehensive technical examination conducted by the Republican Center for Forensic Expertise named after K. Suleimanova established:

the heating boilers installed in the hotel were outdated and had exceeded their operational lifespan.
Changes were made to the boilers' design: the siphon in the condensate drainage system was removed, and the condensate pipeline was connected directly to the sewage system.
Non-compliance with ventilation and air conditioning requirements led to the carbon monoxide leak.

Timeline of Events

Papernaya and Radchenko stayed at the hotel in the Mirabad district of Tashkent. On October 20, they did not appear for breakfast. No one answered the hotel staff's calls. When the door to their room was forced open, the bodies of Papernaya and Radchenko were found in the bathroom. In another hotel room, Khushnud Udekov was found dead.

It was previously reported that signs of carbon monoxide poisoning were found in Papernaya's blood.