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Returning Russian Soldiers Kill or Injure Over 1,000 Inside Russia, Report Finds
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Russian soldiers returning from the war in Ukraine have killed or injured more than 1,000 people inside Russia since the full-scale invasion began nearly four years ago, according to a review of court rulings by the exiled news outlet Vyorstka, published on December 9.
At least 551 people died in incidents involving veterans of the so-called “special military operation .” Of these, 274 were murdered, 163 died after suffering severe bodily harm, 78 were killed in road accidents, and another 36 died in other criminal cases, including drug-related offenses.
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More than half of the deaths—163 people—were caused by former prisoners who had fought in Ukraine. In addition, 465 people were seriously injured but survived, with many sustaining permanent disabilities. Again, former inmates accounted for over half of these cases, totaling 252 victims.
Most incidents arose from domestic disputes, roughly half of which involved alcohol or drugs. In many cases, victims were relatives or acquaintances of the perpetrators.
Courts tried the former soldiers under a variety of criminal statutes, including attempted murder, infliction of grievous bodily harm, excessive self-defense, traffic violations, and murder.
Of more than 700 judicial decisions reviewed by Vyorstka, fewer than 10% did not cite participation in the Ukraine war as a mitigating factor. In roughly 90% of cases, courts reduced sentences based on state awards, combat-veteran status, injuries, “military merits,” or similar distinctions. Nearly a quarter of rulings also referenced the alleged “unlawful” or “immoral” conduct of victims as grounds for leniency.
Judges frequently overlooked alcohol as an aggravating factor: in 486 cases involving intoxication, courts failed to acknowledge alcohol or drug use in 326 instances.
Vyorstka noted that the true number of crimes committed by returning soldiers may be significantly higher, as military garrison courts have largely stopped publishing decisions related to such cases since the start of the war. Courts also often redact identifying details or remove information about defendants’ wartime service, and in some cases, rulings are deleted after publication.
The total pool of returning veterans remains relatively small. Russian authorities say no more than 140,000 service members have returned to civilian life so far, while Russian leader Vladimir Putin stated in September that more than 700,000 Russian troops are currently deployed in Ukraine.
Previously, Sergei Mironov, leader of the “A Just Russia” party, said that participants in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine should work with schoolchildren on a regular basis as part of basic military training classes, sharing their frontline experience, Kommersant reported on November 25.
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