December 29, 2025

If You Fight in the War, We'll Forgive You


If You Fight in the War, We'll Forgive You
Jail cell. The Russian Life file.

On December 27, Mediazona reported that a soldier from Kaluga stabbed a woman 42 times over an insult. Even though the court issued a 10-year sentence for murder, his participation in Russia's War on Ukraine was considered a mitigating circumstance.

Before being deployed, Alexey Aulov had run-ins with the law. In 2019 and 2020, he was issued administrative penalties for drunk driving. In 2022, he received a fine for theft.

According to court documents, Aulov and an unnamed female acquaintance visited a man. All of them drank alcohol. The soldier decided to drive with the woman to a nearby village, but noticed the tires of his Volkswagen Golf were flat. Aulov called his brother, who changed the tires on the car.

The soldier then drove while intoxicated, with his brother and an acquaintance in the car. Aulov stopped the car near a forest to urinate. The woman got out of the car with him, while his brother remained in the vehicle. A few minutes later, a commotion ensued, and the woman screamed for help, saying, "What have you done?" Aulov responded, "Close your eyes!" 

Aulov's brother became frightened, exited the vehicle, and ran away. A short while later, Aulov called his brother and asked to meet at his uncle's house. The soldier told him not to talk about what happened, because it would be bad for the family. Aulov asked his brother to help him bury the woman's body, but he refused.

Shortly afterward, police apprehended the murderer at his uncle's house. The former soldier attempted to hide in the cellar. The body of the woman was found 17 meters (56 feet) from the highway. 

According to Aulov, he and the woman had a conflict on the side of the road over an insult. Aulov pulled a utility knife and stabbed her 42 times. The woman was found with stab wounds in her heart, lungs, neck, and elsewhere.

A medical examiner determined that Aulov has an "emotionally unstable personality disorder, which is explained by the consequences of participating in military actions." Aulov confessed to committing the murder. The judge's decision read, "Participation in the [war] and the sincere repentance of the defendant are recognized by the court as circumstances mitigating punishment."

Women's rights groups in Russia have denounced a spike in domestic violence and femicide (murder motivated by gender) in soldiers returning from Russia's war in Ukraine.

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.
In Loo of Drones
  • December 28, 2025

In Loo of Drones

Russia's new head of drone warfare has no military background, but lots of experience in plumbing.
Imprisoned for a Playlist
  • December 24, 2025

Imprisoned for a Playlist

A Moscow professor was sentenced to three years in prison for adding Ukrainian songs to his Vkontakte playlist.
Murderer Released or No?
  • September 18, 2025

Murderer Released or No?

Conflicting accounts emerge whether a notorious convicted murder has been released.
Returning Home to Kill
  • April 29, 2024

Returning Home to Kill

More than 100 persons have been killed by returning Russian soldiers since the beginning of Russia's War on Ukraine.
Violence Comes Home, Too
  • April 22, 2023

Violence Comes Home, Too

A man from Nizhny Novgorod fought in Ukraine. When he returned to Russia, he killed his wife.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

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.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

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.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

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