MOSCOW, January 19 (RAPSI) – A court has issued an arrest warrant in absentia for two men allegedly involved in killing a crime lord Vyacheslav “Yaponchik” Ivankov in July 2009, the press service of Russia’s Investigative Committee reports.

Astamur Butba and Nugzar Papava have been charged in absentia with murder committed by an organizaed group and illegal keeping of weapon and put on the international wanted list.

Four other defendants, Ilya Simonia, Dzhambula Dzhanashia, Murtaza Shadaniya and Kakha Gazzayev, are currently in detention. 

According to the investigation, Ivankov, the so-called “thief-in-law,” who at the time was the top boss in the criminal hierarchy, was murdered on July 28, 2009.