At the moment of the shot I was in the reception room of the Secret Department of the regional committee. The first shot rang out, I threw down my papers, opened the door leading to the corridor, and saw a person with a Nagan in his hands who was screaming, waving the revolver over his head. I pushed the door almost closed. He shot again and fell. After that the Secret Department employees and I left the reception room and entered the corridor. In the corridor, on the floor, opposite the door to Comrade Chudov’s office, lay Comrade Kirov face down, and in back of him, one meter behind, lay the person who had shot him, on his back, with his arms spread out wide.

In the corridor a lot of people had already gathered, including Comrades Chudov, Kodatsky, Pozern [all secretaries of the Leningrad regional party committee] and others.

Medical help was immediately called. The shooter began to stir, to raise himself off the ground. I detained him and began to search him, bringing him into a separate room /no. 493, Information Department/. At the same time other comrades carried the wounded Kirov into his office….