Nikita Lytkin's letter (translated.)

"I have been here in the pre-trial detention center for a year and a half, I have experienced a lot and changed my mind a lot. I thought about my life, remembered my childhood, my mother, my childhood friends. And I realized that once upon a time, when I was a child, I was happy after all. 

Then, in the 6th grade, I met Artyom and moved to another class. That time was the beginning of my end. There were no friends in the new class, my childhood friends had somehow all moved away, my classmates did not accept me, they humiliated me. I didn't want to do anything anymore—I didn't want to study, I didn't want to go to training, and I didn't want to live, to be honest. I couldn't tell my mom, I thought it was a shame, and she'd go to school to figure it out. 

I got angry at everyone, lost faith in myself, people, and justice. I shared it only with Artyom. He supported me in everything, and he also had problems at home with his mom and at school. Now I remember everything and I think I was a fool. I should have lived a different life, ignored the bullying and humiliation, and proved in a different way that I was not a sucker and was worth something. Take up my studies, return to the wrestling section. Now I understand that by killing weak and defenseless people, I showed my weakness again and proved nothing to anyone. 

I am guilty in front of people and I am ready to be punished. I feel bad when I think about what I've done. Sometimes I see myself as if from the outside and I don't believe it was me. If it were possible to change everything and start living anew, I would never repeat these crimes. 

Lytkin, November 2012"