Rising crime among ex‑soldiers shakes Russian society

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Russia has been grappling with an increased crime rate among former soldiers. There is significant concern about criminals recruited into the Wagner Group directly from penal colonies who have returned to society due to amnesty.

Such is the case of Aleksandar Tiumakov, who shortened his 2016 sentence by fighting in the Wagner Group. At that time, he was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in a penal colony for robbery and the murder of a minor. However, he was released from prison in 2022 and was immediately sent to the front.

Tiumakov was sentenced for petty theft. In February 2016, he received 10 years and 10 months in prison for robbery, property destruction, and the murder of a minor or another defenceless person. In December 2022, he was called up to the Wagner Group and, after serving in Ukraine, returned home with three medals, according to journalists from "Nastojaszczeje Wriemia".

Now, Tiumakov will go back behind bars. According to the Telegram channel "Siren," he violated and then murdered a 32-year-old mother of three children on the bank of a river in the village of Anuchino. His cruelty did not stop there, as he reportedly placed the woman's body in a car and set it on fire.

During the investigation, the former Wagnerite reportedly confessed to the charges, explaining the crime as the result of an argument. He allegedly knew the woman well, but that did not stop him from committing the horrific act. As a result, the District Court in the Anuchinsky district sentenced him to seven years in a high-security penal colony. It seems likely he will return to the front soon.