More than 190 criminal cases were opened against pardoned fighters of PMC “Wagner”.

In 2023, more than 190 criminal cases were instituted against former prisoners who were pardoned for participating in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine as part of PMC “Wagner” after their return to Russia. “Verstka” gives such data in its study.

Journalists calculated that most of the ex-prisoners who served in the PMC are tried on charges of theft – 83 cases, violation of traffic rules – 27 cases, as well as on drug charges – 23 cases and murder or attempted murder – 20 cases. In addition, cases have been opened against the mercenaries under the articles of causing serious harm to health, car theft, assault or insulting a representative of the authorities, fraud, protection of people and rape.

The publication notes that in most cases pardoned prisoners are assigned fines, forced labor or conditional terms. Real terms of imprisonment are appointed only when people died as a result of the crime. “Vyortka” also clarifies that in some criminal cases there are not one, but several criminal articles. The publication reports that ten mercenaries are tried at once on two or three criminal cases, and one on six.

“Vyorstka” notes that the real number of criminal cases against former prisoners pardoned after participating in the war in Ukraine may be higher. The Russian authorities are trying to hide the fact that the defendants participated in hostilities.

On December 21, Alexander Tyutyn, a former fighter of PMC “Wagner”, was detained in St. Petersburg on charges of organizing a contract killing. In 2021, the court already sentenced him to 23 years in prison for the murder of four people and the attempt to organize the murder of his niece. Tyutyn fought in Ukraine and received a medal for bravery from PMC “Wagner”.

At the end of November, it became known about a resident of Saratov who was sentenced to 20 years for murder, who returned from the war in Ukraine and again ended up in a pre-trial detention center on the charge of intentionally causing serious harm to health with the use of a weapon.

• After the start of the war with Ukraine, Russia regularly releases murderers, rapists, and those convicted of other serious crimes. Relatives of those killed and injured protest, but to no avail.
• By November, according to journalists’ estimates, Russian President Vladimir Putin pardoned at least 17 people previously convicted of murder. All of them participated in the war in Ukraine and returned from the front to freedom. Some have already committed new crimes.