March 07, 2024

Former Prisoner, War Participant Commits Murder, Again


Former Prisoner, War Participant Commits Murder, Again
Members of the Wagner group training Belarusian troops.
  BelTA Agency, Wikimedia Commons

On the night of February 24 in the Yakut village of Kutana, an ex-convict, who fought in Ukraine and received a pardon for his participation in the war, killed a 34-year-old man and a 64-year-old woman. The latter had won the "Best Teacher of Russia" competition.

According to the daughter of the murdered teacher, the alleged perpetrator had been convicted three times previously, with his latest conviction in 2020 resulting in a nine-and-a-half-year prison sentence for a brutal murder. Despite being released in 2023, his family was not eager to see him return to his native village of Kutana.

The victim's daughter explained that the killer had been seen wandering the village drunkenly on February 23. Despite being reported to the authorities, he was not arrested but instead escorted outside the village. He later returned, engaged in a conflict with a 34-year-old resident, and ultimately killed him with a crowbar. He then avenged the teacher for reporting him to the police.

He left the woman with severe injuries before fatally striking her with an ax and setting fire to her home in an attempt to cover his tracks. He was later apprehended.

Residents of Kutana expressed concerns over the possibility of the perpetrator, if convicted, returning to the village and committing further crimes.

This incident is part of a concerning trend, as similar cases have emerged involving former prisoners who participated in the Russian war in Ukraine. In September, Oleg Grechko, previously incarcerated for murder, set his sister ablaze in Zavolzhye, near Nizhny Novgorod. Another instance occurred in Rostov-on-Don, where a former convict, previously convicted of murder, committed another homicide upon returning from the war.

The situation underscores broader societal issues, particularly in light of recent remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding veterans of the war. Putin announced a special training program, "A Time for Heroes," aimed at developing a new elite-level class in Russia. The program will be available for military personnel and veterans with higher education and management experience.

You Might Also Like

  • February 10, 2024

"I Breathed a Sigh of Relief"

The war has increased cases of domestic abuse, yet in one instance things went in an entirely different direction.
Two Years
  • February 22, 2024

Two Years

Putin has gotten nothing he wanted from his War on Ukraine.
$10,000 for a Fake Injury
  • December 05, 2023

$10,000 for a Fake Injury

Russian soldiers use bribes to buy vacations and the opportunity not to participate in assaults.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
The Little Humpbacked Horse

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
22 Russian Crosswords

22 Russian Crosswords

Test your knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history and society with these 22 challenging puzzles taken from the pages of Russian Life magazine. Most all the clues are in English, but you must fill in the answers in Russian. If you get stumped, of course all the puzzles have answers printed at the back of the book.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955