Three Russian citizens – Mazurchuk Aleksandr (born 1972), Veselov Pavel (born 1985), Shypanov Viktor (born 1983, Russian) and Ukrainain Salikhov Artur (born 1982) stood trial on September 10 for armed robbery. — Photo from Khánh Hoà Newspaper

KHÁNH HOÀ — The People’s Court of Khánh Hòa Province on September 10 handed down heavy prison sentences to four foreign nationals from Russia and Ukraine convicted of armed robbery at a mobile phone shop in the coastal city Nha Trang of the south-central province Khánh Hoà.

Mazurchuk Aleksandr (born 1972) and Veselov Pavel (born 1985), both Russian citizens, received 18 years in prison each. Shypanov Viktor (born 1983, Russian) and Salikhov Artur (born 1982, Ukrainian) were sentenced to 13 years each. All four were convicted of robbery.

According to the indictment, the men became acquainted while living in the formerly Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province, now part of HCM City.

In early 2024, in need of money, Aleksandr and Pavel recruited Artur and Viktor to commit a robbery.

After scouting Nha Trang, Aleksandr identified a mobile phone shop in Bắc Nha Trang Ward that was often only secured by a roller shutter at night, while the glass door inside was usually not used, so the whole group went to Nha Trang to execute their plan.

In the early hours of April 22, 2024, the group staged the raid. Armed with gloves, masks, and a knife, three men broke into the shop while Aleksandr stood watch outside.

When they found a staff member asleep inside, three of the men assaulted him, tied his hands and feet, taped his eyes shut, and threatened him with a knife before fleeing with 85 electronic devices — including smartphones, tablets, headphones — and one million Vietnamese đồng in cash. The stolen goods were valued at more than VNĐ692 million (US$27,000).

The group later burned their clothes and helmets to destroy evidence and returned to HCM City, where they planned to sell the stolen property.

On April 25, police caught Viktor and Artur trying to sell a stolen phone. A search of their hotel turned up more stolen devices. Pavel initially fled but was arrested in January 2025.

Court records show the men had prior convictions. Pavel had been punished nine times for theft, assault, robbery, and disorderly conduct. Artur had a conviction for theft, while Viktor had served five years in prison in Ukraine.

Each defendant’s family later compensated VNĐ95 million. — VNS