Telecycle “The investigation was conducted... with Leonid Kanevsky” has long become the standard for documentary films about the crimes of the Soviet era, but some releases stand out even against the backdrop of the most notorious maniacs and serial killers. A special place in the memory of viewers is occupied by the episode dedicated to the tragic events that occurred on January 8, 1977 in the center of Moscow. The explosion at the Eliseevsky store on Gorky Street killed seven people and injured dozens of others, becoming one of the most resonant terrorist attacks in the history of the USSR.
Unlike the usual crime chronicles about everyday murders or thefts of socialist property, this case had a political background and international resonance. Leonid Kanevsky, in his signature style, restores the chronology of events, relying on declassified KGB archives and witness testimony. Terrorist act was committed during rush hour, when the popular grocery store was crowded with customers, making the consequences especially horrendous.
The atmosphere of fear that gripped the capital after the explosion contrasted with the official position of the authorities, who initially tried to hide the true causes of the incident. Leonid Ilyid Brezhnev I personally controlled the progress of the investigation, realizing that behind this was not just hooliganism, but a planned action of the nationalist underground. This episode of the program examines in detail how the investigative team managed to get on the trail of criminals who had nothing to do with the criminal world.
What makes this case unique is that the perpetrators did not seek personal gain and did not plan to rob the store. Their goal was political protest, expressed through the blood of innocent people. Kanevsky skillfully shows portraits of the organizers - people with higher education and a seemingly prosperous biography who decided to take the path of terror. It makes you think about the nature of radicalism and how ideas can turn ordinary citizens into killers.
Chronology of the tragic events of January 8, 1977
January 8, 1977 began for Muscovites as an ordinary day off, dedicated to celebrating the New Year according to the old style. People rushed to the shops for groceries, not suspecting that in a few minutes their lives would be divided into “before” and “after”. At 17:32 a powerful explosion occurred in the Eliseevsky store. Explosive device was placed in a plastic bag and left near the entrance, in the area of greatest concentration of people.
The power of the homemade bomb was about 800 grams of TNT, which turned out to be fatal for the confined space of a small shop. The shock wave knocked out shop windows, collapsed part of the ceiling and caused a fire. Stepan Zatikyan and his accomplices counted on the maximum number of victims, and they succeeded in achieving their terrible goal. Seven people died on the spot, and another 37 were injured of varying degrees of severity.
⚠️ Warning: The events described are traumatic in nature. The details of the explosion and its consequences may be difficult for impressionable people to perceive.
In parallel with the explosion in Eliseevsky, two more explosive devices went off in the metro at the Kurskaya station and in a train carriage between the Paveletskaya and Domodedovskaya stations. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the metro, there were only wounded. However, a series of explosions in different parts of the city showed coordination of actions terrorists. The intelligence services immediately realized that they were dealing with a well-covered group operating according to a single plan.
Initially, many versions were considered, including domestic conflicts and hooliganism. However, the presence of three explosions almost simultaneously ruled out an accident. An investigative team led by experienced KGB officers began to work out all possible connections and movements in the city center. Felix Bobkov, who oversees the fight against ideological sabotage, took the matter under personal control, understanding the political significance of the incident
Portrait of criminals: Armenian nationalists
The investigation quickly led investigators to the Armenian nationalist underground. Unlike the dissident movement, which was mainly limited to the dissemination of samizdat and kitchen conversations, this group switched to active action. The leader of the cell was Stepan Zatikyan - a person with a difficult biography, who has already had problems with the law for possession of weapons and anti-state activities.
Zatikyan and his accomplices, among whom were Shahen Nahapetyan and Zaven Baghdasaryan, created a legally clandestine organization. They did not just criticize the Soviet regime, but were preparing for an armed struggle to create an independent Armenia. Ideology of nationalism became for them a justification for any methods, including terror against their own people. Kanevsky in the program emphasizes that the criminals sincerely believed that they were “right,” considering the explosions a necessary step towards freedom.
- 🔴 Stepan Zatikyan - leader of the group, ideological inspirer, previously convicted of weapons possession and anti-Soviet agitation.
- 🔴 Shahen Nahapetyan - the direct executor who planted the bomb in Eliseevsky, an engineer by training.
- 🔴 Zaven Baghdasaryan - a member of the group, skilled in the manufacture of explosive devices and logistics.
- 🔴 Alexey Beklanyan - another member of the group who took part in the preparation of the actions.
It is important to note that the group members were not marginalized or people who had lost touch with reality. Many of them had higher education, worked in prestigious positions and led an outwardly prosperous lifestyle. However, inside them matured radical hatred to the existing system. Their motivation was based on a distorted perception of history and the desire to attract the attention of the world community to the “Armenian issue” by any means.
Psychological portrait of a terrorist
Psychologists note that individual terrorists or small groups often have an exaggerated sense of their own importance. They believe that only their actions can change the course of history, ignoring moral standards and the value of human life for the sake of a “higher goal”:
The progress of the investigation and the work of the intelligence services
The work of the investigative team in those days was carried out in conditions of the strictest secrecy and colossal pressure from above. It was necessary not only to find the perpetrators, but also to prevent new terrorist attacks, since the group might not be the only one. Operational activities included total control of telephone conversations, wiretapping of suspects' apartments and viewing of correspondence.
The key point in the investigation was working with the intelligence apparatus and analyzing Zatikyan’s connections. Investigators managed to get on the trail of the group thanks to a thorough study of the environment of the nationalist leader. KGB officers found that members of the group were actively communicating with foreign radio stations and trying to establish channels for the supply of weapons. This confirmed the version about the preparation of a series of large actions.
The arrest of the suspects was quick and efficient. The operation to neutralize the group was carried out simultaneously at several addresses to exclude the possibility of destruction of evidence or resistance. During searches they were found explosives, detonators, nationalistic literature and lists of mothballed cells. These finds became irrefutable evidence of the guilt of those arrested.
☑️ Stages of investigation of a terrorist attack
The trial of the group members also took place behind closed doors, although details of the case later became public. The investigation had overwhelming evidence, and the denial of the criminals made no sense. Verdict for the organizers and perpetrators of the terrorist attack was clear - capital punishment, which was carried out.
Technical details: explosive device
The issue “The Investigation Conducted” pays attention to the technical side of the crime. The explosive devices used by the terrorists were homemade, but were highly effective. The main damaging element was shock wave and the fragments that filled the bags.
A mixture based on saltpeter and other available components was used as an explosive. Despite the primitiveness of manufacturing, the power of the charges was calculated correctly to cause maximum damage in crowded places. Engineering knowledge Nahapetyan made it possible to create reliable detonators that were triggered by a timer.
| Explosion site | Device type | Power (approx.) | Consequences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shop "Eliseevsky" | Package with explosives | ~800 g in TNT equivalent | 7 dead, 37 injured, destruction |
| Metro "Kurskaya" | Fuse bag | ~500 g in TNT equivalent | No casualties, wounded, panic |
| Metro train (between stations) | Disguised device | ~500 g in TNT equivalent | No casualties, damage to the carriage |
The examination showed that under slightly different circumstances (for example, if the explosion had occurred in a crowded subway car during rush hour), the number of victims could be in the hundreds. Fortunately, terrorists failed to implement their plan in full, but even what happened came as a shock to society.
Security experts note that even in the 70s, the level of protection of public places was low. Today, video surveillance and access control systems significantly complicate the conduct of such actions, but the vigilance of citizens remains the main security factor.
Trial and verdict
The trial of the Armenian nationalists took place in Yerevan, where the case was transferred due to territoriality, although the investigation was conducted in Moscow. The process was closed, which was due to the secrecy of many materials and the desire of the authorities not to stir up ethnic hatred. Supreme Court considered the case on an expedited basis, relying on KGB materials.
The defendants behaved differently at trial. If Zatikyan tried to take full responsibility and made political speeches, then other members of the group admitted their guilt and expressed repentance. However, the crime committed was too serious to count on leniency. Soviet justice was adamant on terrorism issues.
⚠️ Attention: The article contains historical facts. The use of capital punishment in the modern legal framework of the Russian Federation is impossible, since there is a moratorium on the death penalty.
As a result, Stepan Zatikyan, Shahen Nahapetyan and Zaven Baghdasaryan were sentenced to death. The sentence was carried out in 1979. The remaining members of the group received long prison sentences in maximum security colonies. This case was one of the last when terrorism in the USSR was punishable by capital punishment in such a demonstrative manner.
Historical context and consequences
The tragedy at Eliseevsky became a wake-up call for the Soviet leadership. It showed that nationalist movements in the republics of the USSR are not limited to cultural demands, but can develop into bloody terror. After these events, control over dissidents and nationalist groups throughout the Union increased.
For ordinary citizens, this day became a reminder that even in the “safest country in the world” such a threat is possible. The Eliseevsky store was restored after the explosion and continued to operate, becoming a symbol of the city’s resilience. However, the memory of the victims is preserved in archives and in projects such as “The Investigation Was Conducted.”
Leonid Kanevsky in his release emphasizes that there is no “correct” terrorism. Regardless of the slogans under which civilians are killed, criminals remain criminals. Historical memory reporting such events is necessary to prevent the recurrence of tragedies in the future.
The case of the explosion at Eliseevsky became a turning point in the fight of the Soviet intelligence services against nationalist terrorism and demonstrated the state’s readiness to react harshly to any manifestations of extremism.
Why was the case heard in Yerevan and not in Moscow?
According to the criminal procedure code of that time, the case was often transferred to the place where the crime was committed or the place of residence of the accused, if this did not threaten the safety of the investigation. In this case, taking into account the nationalist motive and the Armenian origin of the defendants, it was decided to hold the trial in Yerevan in order to demonstrate to the local population the inevitability of punishment. However, key investigative actions were carried out by officers of the allied KGB in Moscow.
Were there other similar terrorist attacks in Moscow in the 70s?
The series of explosions on January 8, 1977 was unique in its scale and coordination. Although there were isolated acts of terrorism in the USSR (for example, the hijacking of an airplane in 1970 or the assassination attempt on Brezhnev), the coordinated attack on three targets in the center of the capital occurred for the first time and was the only one of its kind before the collapse of the Union.
What happened to the store after the explosion?
The Eliseevsky store was seriously damaged. Shop windows were smashed and interiors were damaged. However, thanks to the efforts of restorers and trade workers, the store was quickly put in order. After some time, it began to accept customers again, returning to its status as the country's main gastronomic showcase.