Part of the Russian Population Justifies the Actions of the Khachaturyan Sisters

Almost half of Russians (41 percent) justify the actions of the Khachaturyan sisters, who killed their father last year after years of enduring physical and sexual abuse. This was revealed by a survey conducted by the Levada Center, as reported by RBC.

The percentage of those justifying the sisters' actions was notably higher among women, at 47 percent, compared to 41 percent of men. Approximately 30 percent of respondents do not justify the sisters' actions, while another 30 percent were undecided.

Sociologist Kaina Pipia suggested that women tend to support the sisters more due to their greater frequency of encountering issues related to violence.

The survey also aimed to clarify perceptions among Russians regarding family violence. The majority agreed that the definition aligns with "inflicting serious physical harm" (kicking), "violence without serious physical damage," as well as sexual acts against a spouse's or partner's will.

Results indicated that women have a broader understanding of family violence.

It is worth recalling that Mikhail Khachaturyan, aged 57, was found dead in his Moscow apartment in July 2018, with numerous injuries on his body. His daughters, Maria, Angelina, and Kristina Khachaturyan, aged 17, 18, and 19, have been detained.

It has been noted that the deceased, Mikhail Khachaturyan, subjected the three sisters to physical and sexual abuse for years. The sisters' defense and the public argue that the girls' actions were of a self-defense nature and cannot be viewed as a premeditated group crime.