The Leningrad Regional Court will hold its first hearing on August 13 in the criminal case of Pyotr Zhilkin, who is accused of sexually abusing and murdering nine-year-old Pasha, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
The upcoming judicial proceedings will take place under strict conditions, with members of the public and journalists barred from attending the courtroom. Under Russian criminal procedure, hearings involving sexual violence or offenses committed against children are held behind closed doors.
The case stems from the abduction of nine-year-old Pasha earlier this year in Saint Petersburg, the second-largest city in Russia.
Abduction and investigation details
According to investigative records, Zhilkin forced the child into his car on January 30, 2026, outside a hypermarket located on Tallinn Highway in Saint Petersburg before driving away from the commercial area.
Inside the vehicle, Zhilkin subjected the young victim to violent sexual assault. In an effort to conceal the crime, he subsequently wrapped adhesive tape around the boy's head and face before throwing him into a nearby body of water.
Emergency services and investigators located Pasha's body several days later, found frozen into the ice of the waterway where he had been submerged.
Law enforcement authorities carried out a large-scale inquiry prior to referring the case to trial. Investigators questioned more than 80 witnesses and ordered over 70 technical and forensic expert evaluations to gather evidence against the defendant.
Confession and criminal penalties
During questioning, Zhilkin admitted guilt for the sexual assault and murder of the child. A formal psychological and psychiatric examination subsequently concluded that the accused was sane at the time of the offense and legally fit to face criminal prosecution.
Zhilkin faces a potential sentence of life imprisonment if convicted of the charges against him. Life detention represents the maximum legal penalty for aggravated murder and child abuse under the Russian penal code.
The Leningrad Regional Court hears major criminal trials and appellate cases across the surrounding Leningrad Oblast, an administrative region located in northwestern Russia bordering Saint Petersburg.
