Russian women living in fear as convicted murderers freed to fight for Wagner return

Concern that convicts re-entering society after stints in Ukraine will bring wave of murder, rape and domestic violence'

The 2020 murder of Vera Pekhteleva, by her ex-boyfriend, was so gruesome that even in Russia, where violence against women often goes under the radar, it caused a media outcry.

Vladislav Kanyus spent hours torturing Pekhteleva before she died; neighbours repeatedly called police to report horrifying screams coming from the neighbouring apartment, but the police did not show up. At trial, it emerged there had been 111 injuries on Pekhteleva's body.