The killer of 9-year-old Pasha from St. Petersburg gave a penitent interview to journalists.

      May 14, 2026 18:42 Incidents The family of the boy Pasha, who died in St. Petersburg, did not believe the words of the accused in his murder, Petr Zhiltin. Recently, he gave an interview to journalists directly from the pre-trial detention center and told his version of the events that occurred in the winter of 2026.

      Recall that 9-year-old Pasha from the Gorelovo area disappeared at the end of January. Hundreds of volunteers searched for him in shopping centers, basements, and wastelands, but the police confirmed the worst fears - the boy was killed. His body was found in a non-freezing body of water in the suburbs of St. Petersburg.

      The investigation claims that 38-year-old builder Zhiltin killed the boy. During the interrogation, he said that he lured the child into his car when the boy was washing the headlights in the parking lot of a large shopping center in the south of the city. Zhiltin hit Pasha, then took him home, tied him up with tape, and transported the body out of the city.

      In the interview, Zhiltin admitted that he feels terrible and wants to atone for his guilt. He described what happened as follows: allegedly, the boy asked for permission to warm up in the car, and then began to blackmail him, demanding 500,000 rubles, otherwise he would tell his parents that the uncle had been bothering him. Zhiltin claims that he wanted to take Pasha to the police but got scared and started hitting him.

      "I don't know how to live on... I would like to apologize to the parents and say that I want to atone for my guilt before them. I never wanted this, I don't understand how it could happen," Zhiltin's words are quoted by "KP-Petersburg."

      Nikita Sorokin, a lawyer representing the interests of the murdered boy's family, stated that, in his opinion, the accused's speech could have been prepared by his lawyer.

      "I watched the video posted in the media. A clear defense position is evident. Whether it is right or not, I will not comment. But the desire to go for a lighter charge is obvious from the fact that there is a refusal from previous testimonies," noted the lawyer.

      He points out that the accused is retracting previous testimonies, claiming that there was no intent to kill, and that it was an accident he did not foresee. Zhiltin is also trying to justify his actions by saying that he wanted to stop the illegal actions, realizing their unlawfulness.

      "This is all a desire to reduce the sentence that may be imposed if he is found guilty by the court," says Sorokin.

      Earlier, the Investigative Committee reported that it is checking the detainee for involvement in other similar crimes. Interestingly, in his interview, Zhiltin categorically denied the fact of sexual violence against the boy, however, in the same material, there is a part of the interrogation where he gives confessional statements. The man now faces life imprisonment.

      The NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on the main events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+