Nearly 500 Victims: How Russian Soldiers Returning from Ukraine Continue to Kill and Maim - Вёрстка

How Russian Soldiers Returning from Ukraine Continue to Kill and Maim

An increasing number of civilians are suffering at the hands of soldiers returning from Ukraine’s «special military operation» (SVO). In the 2.5 years since the war began, almost 500 civilians have become victims of these veterans. According to «Verstka’s» calculations, at least 242 people have been killed. Another 227 have been gravely injured, suffering life-threatening wounds. The number of victims continues to grow, primarily involving relatives and acquaintances of the soldiers, with most crimes being domestic, often fueled by alcohol consumption. Notably, ex-convicts, according to «Verstka,» commit these crimes more frequently than other military personnel, and women are disproportionately affected. This issue is indirectly confirmed by a recently released guide created by Russian NGOs outlining behavior guidelines for relatives of war participants.

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More than 200 people died at the hands of soldiers returning from Ukraine’s war

Over the past 2.5 years at least 242 people have been killed, and another 227 have survived after suffering serious injuries, according to data compiled by «Verstka» from open sources. The victims of these crimes hail from 80 regions of the Russian Federation and the unrecognized region of South Ossetia.

In its investigation «Verstka» analyzed data on military crimes gathered from media reports and Russian court records. In addition to over 50 previously reported cases of wartime participants involved in civilian deaths, court websites revealed more than 350 criminal cases under the following charges: «Murder,» «Causing death by negligence,» «Causing death by exceeding the limits of necessary self-defense,» «Intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm,» «Infliction of grievous harm while exceeding self-defense limits,» «Negligent infliction of grievous bodily harm,» «Violations of traffic laws and vehicle operation,» and «Inciting the use of narcotics, psychotropic substances, or their analogs.» Crimes where the involvement of the suspect or defendant in the war could not be confirmed were not included in the analysis.

The dataset compiled by «Verstka» includes only crimes committed by participants of the «Special Military Operation» who returned to Russia (and one in the unrecognized region of South Ossetia). It includes 246 pardoned or conditionally released ex-convicts and 180 soldiers. Based on this data, over the past 2.5 years, Ukrainian war participants have committed at least 211 «fatal» crimes:

• 114 murders (Article 105 of the Russian Criminal Code), resulting in 139 deaths;
• 64 cases of grievous bodily harm (Article 111), which led to the deaths of 64 people;
• 20 traffic violations (Article 264), causing 31 fatalities;
• 5 cases of negligent manslaughter (Article 109), with 5 victims;
• 2 cases of inciting drug use (Article 230), which resulted in the deaths of two minors;
• 1 case of murder while exceeding the limits of self-defense (Article 108).

«Verstka’s» calculations show that of the 125 pardoned or conditionally released war participants who went on to commit another murder or fatal harm, 54 had prior convictions for similar crimes. Additionally, 3 had previous convictions for rape. The most common crime in the updated dataset remains the intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm, endangering life. Returning militaries have committed at least 220 such crimes, resulting in 64 deaths. Another 158 victims were left with injuries, some of which led to permanent disability.

An additional 66 survivors sustained severe injuries as a result of attempted murders, excessive self-defense, negligence, and traffic violations.

Where are the most dead and injured at the hands of Russian veterans

The Russian regions with the highest number of deaths caused by war participants are:

1. Kostroma Region: 15 deaths (13 of them from a fire at the «Polygon» club, started by soldier Stanislav Ionkin);
2. Moscow Region (including Moscow city): 11 deaths;
3. Rostov Region: 11 deaths;
4. Krasnodar Region: 10 deaths;
5. Krasnoyarsk Region: 9 deaths;
6. Perm Region: 9 deaths;
7. Zabaykalsky Region: 8 deaths.

The Russian regions with the highest number of severely injured victims are:

1. Irkutsk Region: 10 victims;
2. Krasnodar Region: 10 victims;
3. Rostov Region: 9 victims;
4. Moscow Region (including Moscow city): 9 victims;
5. Bashkortostan: 8 victims;
6. Nizhny Novgorod Region: 8 victims;
7. Stavropol Region: 8 victims.

The actual number of such crimes is likely higher than what «Verstka» uncovered. Civil courts do not publish all decisions on the cases they review, and in many instances, court rulings do not mention the presidential pardons granted to ex-convicts or the defendant’s participation in the war.

Additionally, there are cases where, after the publication of verdicts against war participants, the court documents are edited to remove information about state awards, or the verdict text is deleted entirely from the public record.

Ex-convicts kill more frequently than other soldiers — and they are more likely to kill women

In the spring of 2023, Wagner Group fighter Vladimir Tolokonnikov traveled with his stepson to Kabardino-Balkaria to meet with his commander. Along the way they encountered a group of unfamiliar men and women, to whom Tolokonnikov offered to show clips of him «interacting normally with children, teaching them patriotism.» He had recorded the videos on the frontlines in Ukraine.

The group declined to engage with the soldier, at which point a drunken Tolokonnikov, along with his stepson, broke into the strangers’ guest house and shot them with a pistol. One man died, and another was wounded. Tolokonnikov was sentenced to 17 years in a maximum-security prison for the crime. At the trial his commander testified that Tolokonnikov had twice volunteered for the war but had avoided direct combat both times, resulting in his dishonorable discharge from the unit.

«Verstka’s» calculations show that over the past 2.5 years returning war participants have committed 114 murders. These incidents have resulted in 139 deaths. Among the victims are:

• 85 people were killed by 75 ex-convicts;
• 54 people died as a result of violence inflicted by 39 military personnel.

One-third of all victims were women: 32 out of 85 (38%) were killed by ex-convicts and 17 out of 55 (31%) were killed by soldiers, including 3 minors in the first group and 2 in the second. It is crucial to note that 5 of the 17 women killed by soldiers were not deliberate targets but accidental victims of a fire set by soldier Ionkin at the «Polygon» nightclub. This distinction makes the statistics even more striking: 38% of the victims of ex-convicts were women, compared to 22% among military volunteers and contract soldiers, according to «Verstka’s» analysis.

Prison terms for former convicts range from 6 to 14 years in maximum-security facilities, while military personnel have received sentences of 7 to 10 years. In cases of particularly brutal murders or the killing of multiple victims under Article 105, Part 2 of the Russian Criminal Code, life sentences were imposed. For example, ex-convict Viktor Budin was sentenced to 19 years in a maximum-security prison for the murder of two elderly neighbors. Grigory Starikov became the first to receive a life sentence for killing three acquaintances.

In three cases were the murders accompanied by theft, in another three by rape, and one instance by kidnapping. Most of the crimes, however, remain domestic and are often fueled by alcohol consumption. Alcohol and drugs played a role in at least 36 cases involving pardoned ex-convicts and in 17 cases involving soldiers.

Victims of war participants are most often close relatives or acquaintances

In March 2023, combat veteran Vasily Kim killed his biological mother during an argument and severely beat her husband. Kim had grown up in an orphanage and a foster family but sought to reconnect with his birth family. He first met his mother just before the war, and upon returning home to Yakutia he decided to visit her. During a drinking party Kim, under the influence of alcohol, recalled how his mother had abandoned him, his brother, and their five sisters. He struck her over ten times in the head with his fists and stabbed her several times. He then finished the attack with an axe: seven blows — one for each abandoned child. Kim was sentenced to 12 years in a maximum-security prison.

War veterans often direct their aggression toward those closest to them — family, neighbors, and acquaintances. For instance, in January 2024, war veteran Igor Bogatnov visited his father, who was playing loud music at home. Annoyed by the noise, an argument ensued. In a fit of rage, Bogatnov grabbed a knife from the table and stabbed his father five times, including a «fatal blow.» He left the apartment but called a neighbor on his way out, asking her to check on his father. For this murder the Ulyanovsk court sentenced Bogatnov to 8.5 years in a maximum-security prison. He had already been serving a 22-year sentence since 2017 for robbery and two previous murders.

Ex-convict Grigory Negachi from the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug killed his partner. He became jealous during a drinking party. After a guest had left, Negachi stabbed the woman multiple times. He was sentenced to 10 years in a maximum-security prison. Before this, in 2022, he had been serving an 8‑year sentence for stabbing an acquaintance out of jealousy over his partner.

«Verstka» also reported on ex-convict Kirill Smirnov who killed his friend’s mother; Alexander Kuzmin who beat and stabbed his girlfriend to death; and Artyom Yegorov who murdered his childhood friend.

The reasons behind these killings often stem from old grudges or new conflicts, sometimes fueled by discussions about the Ukrainian war. For instance, ex-convict Vyacheslav Savelyev from Tatarstan killed his nephew during a drinking party. The nephew had defended the Ukrainian Armed Forces after Savelyev shared stories about his time in Ukraine. Savelyev retorted that «they weren’t people, they were animals.» The argument escalated, and a drunken Savelyev fatally stabbed his nephew. He was sentenced to 7.5 years in a maximum-security prison.

Wagner Group member Sergei Gomzhin brutally murdered his uncle during a family gathering after an argument about his service in the war. Drunk at the time, Gomzhin hit the victim more than fifty times on the head and body, struck him with a log, and then stabbed him twice in the neck. The Krasnodar court sentenced Gomzhin to 9 years and 10 months in a maximum-security prison.

Another ex-convict, Dmitry Desyukevich, killed an acquaintance who had occasionally offered him a place to stay. During a drinking party, the host insulted the Wagner Group, prompting Desyukevich to strangle him with a cord. He was sentenced to 7 years in a maximum-security prison. Previously, Desyukevich had been serving a 20-year sentence for a double murder, and the court had twice denied him parole, but he was released after enlisting to fight in the war while still in prison.

Alcohol incites aggression among war veterans

Dmitry Reznychenko who had been pardoned after serving six months on the frontlines returned to his fiancée Ella in the Krasnodar region. The couple celebrated his return for several days, drinking heavily, until one-day Reznychenko called out from the balcony, asking passersby to call an ambulance. He was unable to use his phone or leave the apartment due to injuries to his hands. When emergency services arrived, they forced open the door and found Reznychenko, drunk, along with the body of his fiancée. The ex-convict claimed that he had found her unconscious in the bathroom and attempted to revive her by pressing on her chest with his knee, as he could not use his hands. However, an autopsy revealed that the victim had died from a rupture of the small intestine caused by blunt force trauma. Half of her ribs were broken, and her abdomen, kidneys, and pancreas had been severely damaged. Reznychenko admitted guilt and was sentenced to 7 years in a maximum-security prison.

The charge of «intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm resulting in death» remains a common offense among «special military operation» veterans. Over the past 25 years, returning soldiers have committed 64 such crimes, with 64 victims. Two-thirds of these violent cases involved former convicts.

Alcohol was involved in two-thirds of these cases. There were 30 incidents among ex-convicts and 11 among other military personnel. However, courts did not consistently treat alcohol as an aggravating factor, considering it in only eight cases involving ex-convicts and two cases involving soldiers.

Women are much less likely to become victims of grievous bodily harm resulting in death: 6 out of 44 cases involved ex-convicts, and 5 out of 20 involved other soldiers.

Sentences for mercenaries recruited from prisons range from 4 to 12 years in maximum-security facilities, while other soldiers have received sentences of 4 to 10 years.

Only 3 out of the 64 cases involved robbery; the majority of these incidents were domestic violence committed against the war participants’ close circle.

For example, ex-convict Anatoly Suvorov from Kostroma Region attended a birthday party for his son, hosted by his former partner. During the party she quarreled with her new partner, and Suvorov, attempting to intimidate him, stabbed him in the stomach, saying, «So what now?» The man was hospitalized and later died. Suvorov was sentenced to 8.5 years in a maximum-security prison.

Conflicts can also be triggered by discussions about the Ukrainian war. For example, Andrei Mogilevsky, a member of the elite «maroon berets» from Sverdlovsk Region, was celebrating Navy Day while drinking with a new acquaintance. He mentioned that he planned to return to the frontlines, to which his companion responded that he worked for Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and that «I hate everything about your SVO.» Enraged, Mogilevsky grabbed a pair of scissors and stabbed the man 13 times, resulting in his death. Mogilevsky was sentenced to 8 years in a maximum-security prison.

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War participants have caused 20 traffic accidents that resulted in 31 deaths

In October 2023, drunk contract soldier Maxim Tyutyunnikov sped through Rostov-on-Don in his Nissan Almera, reaching nearly 140 km/h. At a crossroad he hit a pedestrian crossing at a green light and fled the scene. The victim was taken to a hospital but died shortly afterward. A military court sentenced Tyutyunnikov to 5.5 years in a settlement colony.

Over the past 2.5 years, war participants have committed at least 40 traffic violations and vehicle-related offenses, 26 of which resulted in fatalities. In 17 cases, war participants were intoxicated at the time of the crime, and in 16 instances, they lacked valid driver’s licenses. These accidents claimed the lives of 31 people, while another 22 suffered severe injuries. Notably, 11 of the 31 victims were passengers in the cars driven by the offenders.

Ex-convicts were responsible for roughly one-third of these offenses — 13 out of 40 accidents, 4 of which resulted in fatalities. One such case involved ex-convict Nikolai Sterlikov who caused a fatal crash in Buryatia. Drunk and without a valid license, Sterlikov was speeding when he lost control and crashed into a tree. His partner, a mother of five, who was sitting in the passenger seat was killed. Sterlikov was sentenced to 6 years in a settlement colony.

More than two-thirds of the traffic violations were committed by soldiers with no prior convictions. Sixteen of these incidents were fatal resulting in the deaths of 26 people.

In one case, former soldier Vladimir Peretoka violated traffic rules in the Stavropol Region, crashing his work truck into a car. Three of the car’s passengers, including an 18-month-old child, were killed. Peretoka was sentenced to just one year in a settlement colony.

Soldiers receive lenient sentences for negligent manslaughter

Evgeny Makarov, a member of the military volunteer unit «BARS‑4,» was given only a suspended sentence for killing a friend during an illegal hunt for Siberian roe deer in Zabaykalsky Region. Makarov accidentally shot his acquaintance twice, but he was convicted under Article 109 of the Russian Criminal Code for causing death by negligence.

This new category of «fatal» crimes committed by war veterans was uncovered by «Verstka» in court records. These crimes have claimed five victims: two at the hands of ex-convicts and three at the hands of other military personnel.

Punishments for such crimes have ranged from suspended sentences and restrictions on freedom to community service. The harshest sentence was handed down to Alexei Osipov from Chuvashia who received 8 months in a general-regime colony. During a street altercation he punched an acquaintance in the face, causing the man to fall and hit the back of his head on the pavement. The victim suffered a traumatic brain injury and later died due to a brain hemorrhage.

Ex-convict Nikolai Dazhin from Tomsk Region received only a one-year restriction on his freedom for a similar crime. During a conflict on the porch of a house Dazhin punched his opponent in the face, causing the man to fall and hit his head on the concrete steps. The victim later died in the hospital.

Another case included in «Verstka’s» dataset involves Aliyer Akhmetov, a serviceman from Astrakhan Region, who committed manslaughter while exceeding the limits of self-defense. On New Year’s Eve 2024, Akhmetov was at home celebrating with his uncle. After a night of drinking, the two argued, and the uncle threatened him, shouting, «I’ll kill you!» Akhmetov responded by grabbing a knife. The uncle died before the ambulance arrived. The victim had a criminal record and had previously attacked Akhmetov. A military court sentenced Akhmetov to 1.5 years of restricted military service, with 15% of his salary withheld.

War veterans receive suspended sentences if victims survive

In addition to the roughly 200 fatalities, «Verstka’s» dataset includes two hundred victims who sustained severe injuries as a result of crimes committed by returning war participants. The majority of those injured were harmed by ex-convicts — 124 out of 227 victims. These individuals suffered life-altering injuries, some leading to permanent disability, though they survived.

For instance, Wagner Group fighter Igor Gorbunov from Altai Region brutally assaulted his partner after she woke him up, seeking intimacy. The woman suffered a closed-head injury, fractures, and a skull displacement, along with a brain contusion. Gorbunov was sentenced to four years of a suspended sentence.

According to «Verstka’s» dataset, over the past 2.5 years returning participants of the war in Ukraine have committed at least 227 crimes involving serious harm to life and health in Russia. This includes:

• 156 cases of life-threatening grievous bodily harm (under Article 111 of the Russian Criminal Code), affecting 158 people;
• 32 attempted murders (under Article 30, Part 3, and Article 105, Part 1), involving 35 victims;
• 25 traffic accidents (under Article 264), which severely injured 26 people;
• 3 cases of exceeding the limits of necessary self-defense (under Article 114), causing serious injuries to 3 victims;
• 2 cases of negligent infliction of grievous harm (under Article 118), affecting 2 people.

Most cases, aside from traffic accidents, are linked to domestic conflicts. Alcohol was involved in two-thirds of these cases (111 out of 164). At times, disputes about the war itself also serve as a trigger.

The most frequent offense in the category of grievous bodily harm falls under Article 111 of the Russian Criminal Code, which covers intentional infliction of serious injury. There were 58 criminal cases under the first part of this article, 91 under the second, and 7 under the third.

Victims of crimes under Part 1 of Article 111, as «Verstka’s» analysis shows, often suffer from various forms of traumatic brain injury, skull and facial fractures, brain hemorrhages, spinal damage, or broken ribs, as well as injuries and ruptures of internal organs.

In one case, ex-convict Sergey Vlasov beat an elderly man allegedly over an insult. The victim sustained six rib fractures, a punctured lung, bilateral hemopneumothorax, and extensive emphysema of the head and torso. The man fell into a coma and, upon recovery, could not recall the day of the attack. Vlasov was sentenced to a suspended sentence of 3 years.

Nearly half of such cases (22 out of 57) under Part 1 of Article 111 resulted in suspended sentences, according to «Verstka’s» analysis.

More than half of the crimes under Article 111 were committed using «weapons» — ranging from knives, bottles, and sticks to crowbars, axes, frying pans, and scissors — which led to even more severe consequences. For example, «special military operation» participant Alexander Chulkov from Nizhny Novgorod Region, in a fit of jealousy over his girlfriend, struck his rival in the face with a set of keys. The man lost an eye and was left disabled. Chulkov was sentenced to five years in a general-regime colony. However, he did not immediately serve his sentence, as he was placed on the federal wanted list but remained free for some time, frequenting saunas while awaiting appeal.

Prison terms for war participants convicted of similar «non-lethal» crimes under Article 111 generally range from one to six years, according to «Verstka’s» analysis. One of the harsher sentences — six years in a general-regime colony — was given to contract soldier Dmitry Glushkov. While on leave, Glushkov returned to his home in Krasnodar Region, where he visited a neighbor who was disabled and had no hands. During the visit Glushkov began demonstrating chokeholds on his mother and the neighbor, for which the latter insulted him. Enraged, Glushkov struck the woman several times on the head and body, resulting in facial fractures, broken ribs, and a brain contusion.

However, prison terms for grievous bodily harm tend to be longer in cases of «non-lethal» crimes prosecuted under attempted murder charges. In such cases war participants typically receive sentences ranging from 5 to 11 years in maximum-security prisons. The severity of the sentence often depends on the brutality of the crime or whether it was accompanied by another offense.

For instance, «SVO veteran» Alexey Pakaykin from Penza region was sentenced to 7 years in a maximum-security prison for attempted murder, death threats, and theft. While intoxicated he threw his ex-wife off the fourth floor during an argument. Nineteen-year-old conscript Kirill Demin from Karelia received an 8.5‑year sentence for assaulting a 15-year-old girl. After a night of drinking Demin decided to take a morning walk, during which he encountered the schoolgirl. Feeling an «urge to kill someone,» he grabbed her by the throat and began strangling her, but fled the scene after being scared off by passersby.

The harshest sentence for attempted murder was handed down to ex-convict Alexander Tretyak in Krasnodar region. During a robbery Tretyak attempted to strangle a woman with a rope on the street. He was sentenced to 11 years in a maximum-security prison for the crime.

Participation in the war serves as a mitigating factor in sentencing

In December 2023, ex-convict Mashallah Verdiyev had a heated argument with his partner over her drinking habits. He had previously been violent toward her, but this time, after she insulted him, he struck her four times across the face. She fell, hitting the back of her head on a TV stand. Believing she was merely asleep, Verdiyev placed her on the bed. Hours later, she died from a traumatic brain injury. The court took into account Verdiyev’s service in the war and the fact that he had received the «Medal for Bravery,» sentencing him to 5.5 years in a maximum-security prison. His partner became his second victim — he had previously served a 13-year sentence for the murder of a 79-year-old pensioner but was released after enlisting to fight on the frontlines.

Of the 292 published sentences analyzed by «Verstka,» judges considered participation in the war as a mitigating factor in 85% of the cases. Even in the case of Grigory Starikov, who received a life sentence, his war participation was mentioned. In some instances, instead of military service, judges cited the defendant’s state awards or «participation in the Russian Armed Forces» as mitigating factors.

Another reason to reduce sentencing was the «unlawful behavior of the victim.» Courts took this into account as a mitigating factor in one-third of the cases.

Courts frequently disregard alcohol as an aggravating factor when issuing sentences. Both for pardoned ex-convicts and military personnel, intoxication was considered in less than one-third of cases. Of the 126 sentences involving intoxication reviewed by «Verstka,» courts took alcohol or drug use into account in only 34 cases involving pardoned or conditionally released ex-convicts while it was ignored in the remaining 92 cases. Among the 74 sentences handed down to professional soldiers and volunteers, alcohol was considered an aggravating factor in only 21 cases and overlooked in 53.

For example, the court overlooked intoxication in the case of pardoned ex-convict Alexey Yegelsky from the Krasnodar Region. After sustaining injuries on the frontlines, Yegelsky was discharged and returned to Yeysk, where he wandered the city. At the Church of Archangel Michael he met a fellow parishioner who offered him shelter in an abandoned house. On New Year’s Eve Yegelsky returned to the house after a walk and found his neighbor severely drunk. He asked why the man had gotten so intoxicated, only to be met with a crude response, «What the fuck do you care?» Angered, Yegelsky struck the man on the head and slapped him several times «to knock some sense into him» before leaving. The next day Yegelsky found the man dead — the cause of death was determined to be a closed-head injury, though no alcohol was found in the victim’s blood. The court considered Yegelsky’s health as a war veteran and sentenced him to just 4.5 years in a maximum-security prison. Notably, since 2023, Yegelsky had been serving a 10-year sentence for the murder of his partner, but he was released after signing a contract with the Ministry of Defense.

Cover art: Alisa Kananen

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