Russian war veteran detained for raping library worker and burying her alive

Police in the Vladimir region, in central Russia, have detained a man suspected of raping a local woman and burying her alive, regional channel Zebra TV revealed late last month.

The body of the 54-year-old woman was found buried in woodland in the village of Krasny Kust, independent media outlet Dovod reported on Saturday, citing sources. It said that traces of violence were found on the woman’s body, with an autopsy revealing the presence of soil in her lungs, meaning she had been buried alive.

Dovod named the victim as Lyudmila Fomina, an employee at the local library. The village group on Russian social media platform Odnoklassniki confirmed the news of Fomina’s death, without specifying the cause.

“Lyudmila Fomina died tragically. She wasn’t just a devoted library employee, but also an indispensable friend and member of our club. Lyudmila devoted her life to culture, organising many events that touched people’s hearts,” their tribute to the victim said.

The suspect is a 22-year-old man from the village who was home on leave from the war in Ukraine, according to Zebra TV. It is alleged that the soldier assaulted Fomina near her home on 18 May, and then dragged her to a deserted area. The following day, he took the victim into the woods and buried her, thinking she was dead.

Zebra TV said the man, who was known to the police, was previously suspected of raping a minor.