Timur Kacharava

21.08.1985 - 13.11.2005

Timur was an active member of St. Petersburg's hardcore punk and anarchist community, and our dear friend. On the evening of November 13, Timur became the victim of a nazi attack. After a Food Not Bombs action on Vladimirskaya square Timur and a few other kids went to a Bukvoyed bookshop on Ligovsky prospect. Around 7 p.m. he and his friend Max "Zgibov" Zgibai were smoking outside when they were attacked by a group of 8 to 10 nazis. Timur suffered multiple stab wounds in the neck. Zgibov is in the hospital in a stable condition with five stab wounds.

The ambulance arrived in about ten minutes. By then Timur was dead due to heavy blood loss. Zgibov was taken to the Mariinsky Hospital. The police are investigating the incident; they have some suspects. There's a graffiti on the wall next to the place where Timur was murdered, and there are candles, pictures, and flowers his friends placed as a tribute.

Timur was a founding member of the St. Petersburg political hardcore punk band Sandinista! which formed in 2003. He was the musical leader, writing most of the music and playing lead guitar. The band's debut s/t MCD is to be released on Moscow's Old Skool Kids Records; the same label released a DVD of Old Skool Kids Fest in September 2004 which features several songs by Sandinista! In the Summer of 2005 Timur also joined the local d-beat hardcore band Distress. He returned to St. Petersburg from a Scandinavian tour with Distress just a few days before being murdered.

Timur took an active part in the anarchist activities in the city, such as Food Not Bombs group and Epitsentr infoshop. He was also active in day-to-day confrontation with nazis in the streets. He was a fourth year student of philosophy in St. Petersburg State University, and a committed vegan.

Zgibov was Timur's bandmate in Sandinista! in 2004-2005. Before that Zgibov played bass in hardcore punk band Svinokop and also is a singer and bassist in grind band Potom Budet Pozdno, along with running his own tape label Ni Esperas.

For U.S. readers: Timur is seen on the Out Cold live in St. Petersburg DVD dancing, and his voice saying "Old school hardcore isn't about windmills, dude" is in fact heard as the intro to the film.

Timur will be loved and remembered by everyone who knew him. He is especially missed by his parents and girlfriend Lyubava.

Sandinista! website:
www.myspace.com/sandinistaxspbhc