A Russian historian and Napolean enthusiast was sentenced to 12-and-a-half-years imprisonment on Friday for murdering and dismembering his young student lover.&nbsp;

A court in Saint Petersburg announced the sentencing of Oleg Sokolov on the charges of murder and the illegal possession of firearms, reports news agency AFP. &nbsp;

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"He was aware of his actions at the time of the crime," Judge Yulia Maximenko said while reading out the verdict, adding that the intent to kill came up "suddenly".

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The trial of Sokolov, a history lecturer and recipient of France's Legion d'Honneur in 2003, caused an uproar by the activists in Russia over the rising number of domestic abuse incidents.&nbsp;

The history lecturer was arrested in November 2019 after officials pulled him out of freezing Moika River in Saint Petersburg.

Sokolov during the time of his arrest was drunk and carrying a backpack containing a woman's arms.&nbsp;

He admitted his crime of killing 24-year-old Anastasia Yeshchenko, who was her former student and lover, but said that the murder was committed in the heat of the moment during an argument.&nbsp;

The historian's lawyer Sergei Lukyanov said he "does not agree" with the sentence but added that he will decide the future course of action after receiving a copy of the ruling.&nbsp;

A Russian historian and Napolean enthusiast was sentenced to 12-and-a-half-years imprisonment on Friday for murdering and dismembering his young student lover. A court in Saint Petersburg announced the sentencing of Oleg Sokolov on the charges of murder and the illegal possession of firearms, reports news agency AFP.

A Russian historian and Napolean enthusiast was sentenced to 12-and-a-half-years imprisonment on Friday for murdering and dismembering his young student lover. A court in Saint Petersburg announced the sentencing of Oleg Sokolov on the charges of murder and the illegal possession of firearms, reports news agency AFP. Also read | Russian historian who found Stalin-era graves is convicted "He was aware of his actions at the time of the crime," Judge Yulia Maximenko said while reading out the verdict, adding that the intent to kill came up "suddenly". Also read | Russia opens criminal probe into Alexei Navalny's ally over 'threat' The trial of Sokolov, a history lecturer and recipient of France's Legion d'Honneur in 2003, caused an uproar by the activists in Russia over the rising number of domestic abuse incidents. The history lecturer was arrested in November 2019 after officials pulled him out of freezing Moika River in Saint Petersburg. Sokolov during the time of his arrest was drunk and carrying a backpack containing a woman's arms. He admitted his crime of killing 24-year-old Anastasia Yeshchenko, who was her former student and lover, but said that the murder was committed in the heat of the moment during an argument. The historian's lawyer Sergei Lukyanov said he "does not agree" with the sentence but added that he will decide the future course of action after receiving a copy of the ruling.

Russian historian, who received France's Legion d'Honneur, sentenced for butchering girlfriend

A university in Saint-Petersburg on Thursday launched a centre to study domestic violence after a professor murdered and dismembered his girlfriend, sparking criticism of the school.

The Saint Petersburg State University, a prestigious school in Russia's second-largest city, this week fired historian Oleg Sokolov after he confessed to chopping up his former student lover Anastasiya Yeshchenko and disposing of her body.

It came under intense criticism from former students, who said the professor had a history of acting inappropriately and complaints were ignored -- charges the school denied.

On Thursday, the university said it decided to "create a research centre that will study the problem of domestic violence in its entirety."

The university called domestic violence "one of the most urgent social problems of modern times".

Domestic violence is a pervasive issue in Russia but efforts by activists to lobby for a specialised law against violence and protect victims have failed. Police do not normally intervene, even in severe cases.&nbsp;

The move by the university to establish the research centre follows accusations it has encouraged an atmosphere for sexual harassment and should have fired Sokolov long before the murder.&nbsp;

A petition to dismiss and investigate several university officials, including the head of its Institute of History where 63-year-old Sokolov worked, has gathered nearly 80,000 signatures.

Sexual relations between faculty and students were "common" at the institute, where the "system" was to "sleep with your instructors and only study the area of their speciality", wrote former student Yulia Balakhonova on Snob.ru website, where she works.

Sokolov "should have been fired long before the murder," she wrote.

Another former student Yulia Chernyavskaya posted a photo of her professor giving her an embrace and kiss on the cheek on Facebook, describing "ordinary sexism" in the department.

"Everybody knows that female students have given birth to the children of several history professors," she wrote, adding it was normal to hear comments about "lovely legs" or "wiggling butts" from lecturers, while one told jokes about rape.

A university in Saint-Petersburg on Thursday launched a centre to study domestic violence after a professor murdered and dismembered his girlfriend, sparking criticism of the school.

A university in Saint-Petersburg on Thursday launched a centre to study domestic violence after a professor murdered and dismembered his girlfriend, sparking criticism of the school. The Saint Petersburg State University, a prestigious school in Russia's second-largest city, this week fired historian Oleg Sokolov after he confessed to chopping up his former student lover Anastasiya Yeshchenko and disposing of her body. It came under intense criticism from former students, who said the professor had a history of acting inappropriately and complaints were ignored -- charges the school denied. On Thursday, the university said it decided to "create a research centre that will study the problem of domestic violence in its entirety." The university called domestic violence "one of the most urgent social problems of modern times". Domestic violence is a pervasive issue in Russia but efforts by activists to lobby for a specialised law against violence and protect victims have failed. Police do not normally intervene, even in severe cases. The move by the university to establish the research centre follows accusations it has encouraged an atmosphere for sexual harassment and should have fired Sokolov long before the murder. A petition to dismiss and investigate several university officials, including the head of its Institute of History where 63-year-old Sokolov worked, has gathered nearly 80,000 signatures. Sexual relations between faculty and students were "common" at the institute, where the "system" was to "sleep with your instructors and only study the area of their speciality", wrote former student Yulia Balakhonova on Snob.ru website, where she works. Sokolov "should have been fired long before the murder," she wrote. Another former student Yulia Chernyavskaya posted a photo of her professor giving her an embrace and kiss on the cheek on Facebook, describing "ordinary sexism" in the department. "Everybody knows that female students have given birth to the children of several history professors," she wrote, adding it was normal to hear comments about "lovely legs" or "wiggling butts" from lecturers, while one told jokes about rape.

Russian school to study 'domestic violence' after grisly murder

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Russian historian, who received France's Legion d'Honneur, sentenced for butchering girlfriend

Russian school to study 'domestic violence' after grisly murder