Yuri Budanov

Yuri Budanov
Budanov in the courtroom on his trial
Born(1963-11-24)24 November 1963
Khartsyzk, Soviet Ukraine, Soviet Union
Died10 June 2011(2011-06-10) (aged 47)
Moscow, Russia
Cause of deathAssassination by gunshot
AllegianceRussia
Service / branchArmoured Troops of the Russian Ground Forces
Years of service1987 2003
RankGuards Colonel (stripped)
Unit160th Guards Tank Regiment
Battles / warsFirst Chechen War, Second Chechen War
Awards (stripped)

Yuri Dmitrievich Budanov (Russian: Ю́рий Дми́триевич Буда́нов, IPA: [ˈjʉrʲɪj ˈdmʲitrʲɪjɪvʲɪdʑ bʊˈdanəf]; 24 November 1963  10 June 2011) was a Russian military officer convicted for the kidnapping and murder of Elza Kungayeva in Chechnya.

Budanov was highly controversial in Russia: despite the conviction, Budanov enjoyed widespread support of Russian households as polled by public opinion. At the same time, he was broadly hated in Chechnya, even by the pro-Russian Chechens. In December 2008, a court in the south Russian Ulyanovsk Oblast granted a petition for early release. After eight years in prison (of the ten years he was sentenced), he was released on parole on 15 January 2009.

On 10 June 2011, Budanov was shot dead in Moscow.