Kathrine Frich
Moscow has turned to an unconventional source of manpower: prison colonies.
Thousands of inmates have been offered reduced sentences or pardons in exchange for military service on the front line in Ukraine.
This is a policy that has drawn criticism from human rights groups and families of victims alike.
Arrest in Siberia
One such case has now resurfaced in Yakutsk, Siberia. Independent outlet
The Insider reported that 38-year-old Viktor Savvinov has been detained on suspicion of committing another homicide.
Savvinov had previously been sentenced in 2020 to 11 years in prison for murder. He was later released after signing a contract with Russia’s Defence Ministry to serve in Ukraine.
A violent history
After returning from the front in 2024, he was accused of killing two more people, including 64-year-old Valentina Fyodorova, who was reportedly attacked with an axe in her home.
He received a 20-year sentence in autumn 2024 but was again allowed to leave custody in July 2025 after signing a second military contract.
According to The Insider, Savvinov was hospitalised with war injuries in September 2025 before allegedly deserting and making his way back to Yakutsk.
He has now been arrested again in connection with another suspected killing. Authorities have not disclosed further details about the latest case.
Rising concerns
The case comes amid broader concerns over crime trends in Russia.
Data cited by the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation claim nearly 628,000 serious crimes were recorded in 2025, the highest level in 15 years.
Some observers link the rise to the return of former inmates recruited for military service, though Russian authorities have not formally acknowledged such a connection.
Sources: The Insider, Lindependent.
