Victim's family in fear

Multiple murderer released from prison for the second time

This is where the former Wagner fighter went on the rampage after returning home - a surveillance camera filmed the multiple murderer Ivan Rossomachin as he attacked cars with an axe.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/vk.com/vp_tv, spltnk)

A Russian murderer who had been released from prison for military service in the Ukraine had killed again back home. Now he has been released from prison for a second time: instead of spending 23 years in a high-security prison, the 29-year-old simply signed up for military service again. The family of the last murder victim lives in fear.

"Grandma's murderer escaped punishment for his crime - again - and went to war to fight," Anna Pekarewa told the BBC. She is the granddaughter of 85-year-old Yulia Byuskich, who was raped and then killed by 29-year-old Ivan Rossomakhin. He had attacked the elderly lady in her own home. 

Here you can see a picture of the 85-year-old Russian woman who was killed:

This is not the first time that the 29-year-old had snuffed out a life. When Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, he was already behind bars for murder. But he seized the opportunity when the Wagner Group recruited prison inmates for the war - and swapped his cell for the front line. In return, he was pardoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin after his military service.

Sentence increased due to "extreme brutality"
However, Rossomakhin's newfound freedom did not last long after his return home: when he returned to the Vyatskiye Polyany district, he killed 85-year-old Julia and was found guilty of this crime in April. The sentence of 22 years in a high-security prison was later increased to 23 years - the court found that the crime was committed with "extreme brutality".

However, as the granddaughter now reports, the multiple murderer only served one week of this sentence. The prison warden informed the family that Rossomachin was released on August 19. "My first reaction was horror. I read the forensic reports and know what this person did to my grandmother. It's outrageous that he was released again," explains Anna.

The letter from the prison director states that the prisoner was released under a special Russian law. This allows the military to recruit convicted prisoners for use on the front line. "The fact that this is happening in the 21st century ... there are no words to describe what is happening!" said the murder victim's granddaughter, shocked.

Victim's family fears revenge from granny murderer
This is by no means the first time that pardoned Russian soldiers have committed crimes again after their return. There are more and more reports of returnees being imprisoned again for brutal acts. Anna fears that her family will be in extreme danger if Rossomakhin is released again.

"If he comes back, he will try to take revenge on us - for our efforts to get him a life sentence." She announced her intention to leave the country - other family members want to go into hiding.