October 26, 2023

Show and Shell


Show and Shell
Members of the Wagner group training Belarusian troops. Wikimedia Commons.

Telegram channel Govorit NeMoskva reported that Wagner mercenary Alexander Raspravin, a convicted murderer, gave a talk to seventh-grade students at MBOU Vyezdnovskaya Secondary School in Nizhny Novgorod.

A now-deleted post on the school’s VKontakte page described how Raspravin “talked about the living conditions at the front, and how important and necessary the support of ordinary citizens is. That every drawing and letter that reaches the common soldier is important to them.” Raspravin also reportedly spoke of his own military awards, including his feat of rescuing “16 [members] of our military” from captivity. The post was exuberant in its praise for Raspravin, and described the event as well-received by students.

Raspravin was photographed showing pupils a portable missile launcher. In one photograph, a pupil held it aloft. Meduza described the launcher as a “man-portable anti-tank guided missile that resembles the U.S.-made Javelin model.”

In terms of Raspravin’s convictions, the Telegram post described Raspravin as “convicted of murdering a homeless man,” citing a report from the Arzamas District Court describing a man with Raspravin’s initials. This man, presumably Raspravin, killed a drinking companion in a brawl in response to unwanted sexual advances. The post said that Raspravin received 12 years in prison for the murder.

Meduza and Novaya Gazeta reported that Raspravin received six years in prison in 2010 for assaulting his grandfather, leading to his death, and another 11 years for killing an acquaintance in 2017. Meduza’s description of the 2017 killing seemed to corroborate the Telegram post, as both described Raspravin as having killed another man in a brawl after striking him 40 times. Meduza also reported that Raspravin was convicted of a further undisclosed felony in 2016.

You Might Also Like

President Bush and Putin's Chef
  • September 19, 2023

President Bush and Putin's Chef

Former President George W. Bush reveals that he met the infamous mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin two decades ago.
From Trenches to Schools
  • September 18, 2023

From Trenches to Schools

Russian soldiers returned from the war in Ukraine will give new practical courses on security and defense for schoolchildren.
Wagner Group Still Allowed
  • June 26, 2023

Wagner Group Still Allowed

After Wagner Group's uprising, the State Duma announced new regulations, but did not ban the organization.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

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...

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.

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.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

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.

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.

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.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

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