Although I know and feel your help and support, I understand that our war isn’t a part of your everyday life. I’m always grateful for your support and pray that you all are safe and, most importantly, far away from Russian terrorists. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case any more and I have a very serious warning: Russia has now officially brought its terrorists, murderers and rapists closer to your homes.

Not in the sense that Russia is threatening the world with famine or nuclear strike — which it is — but Russia’s convicted serial killers, murderers and rapists that were recruited in prisons and managed to survive six months on the battlefield have now been officially released. With honour, money and an international passport. A passport that in 2023 still gives them visa-free entry into more than 80 countries. Russian murderers can now be anywhere, and I’m terrified for you.

Since 24 February 2022 when Russia started raining missiles on our land and hordes of murderers, rapists and terrorists began wreaking havoc everywhere and anywhere, Ukrainians have been living through their worst nightmares. Real life feels like something Stephen King dreamed up. And this Russian hellhole has now spilt over our borders and into your lives.

Passports for killers

We all knew that Russia was recruiting criminals from prisons to kill in Ukraine, but never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined Russia giving them international passports and encouraging them to explore the world. It is sickening.

All of this unfolded just a couple of days ago when an infamous Russian serial killer recruited by the Wagner Group was spotted at an exclusive resort in Turkey.

You probably know that the Wagner Group has been used in Russian military operations in many countries. It has now been labelled a Transnational Criminal Organisation by the US. 

Over the past year, Wagner has been recruiting prisoners in large numbers after Russia lost most of its regular army and desperately needed new blood before announcing a mobilisation. International intelligence sources state that there are about 50,000 Wagner fighters in Ukraine, with about 80% of its troops being recruited from prisons.

Now, back to our horrifying new reality: a couple of days ago, journalists identified a recruited Wagner Group mercenary, Alexander Tyutin on a sunny street in Turkish Antalya. Tyutin was imprisoned for 23 years after hiring a killer who slaughtered a family of four, including two children.

He was recruited during the summer and returned unharmed from the war late in December. Just a few weeks later, he boarded a plane and flew to another country. A country that had no idea a dangerous killer was coming there to enjoy the cash that he got for slaughtering more people in Ukraine.

Here is a summary of his crime from a journalist’s investigation:

“Tyutin was detained in 2018 when attempting to hire a killer to kill his niece over an inheritance argument. The investigation uncovered that back in 2005 he hired a killer to kill a whole family: his business partner, his wife, 11-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter were shot and killed with an AK assault rifle. The family was then slaughtered with an axe to make sure they were dead. In 2021, a jury trial unanimously found Tyutin guilty and sentenced him to 23 years in prison.”

Visit Daily Maverick’s home page for more news, analysis and investigations

After this information got out and a few more presidential pardons for criminals were made public, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s administration made such information classified. So, as of now, you won’t know if these murderers, serial killers and rapists are now living abroad before something triggers a new killing spree in them. Some of these criminals were extremely hard to catch, sentence and imprison.

Let me give you a few more examples. Another criminal recruited by Wagner was 34-year-old Anatoliy Salmin, who bashed his friend on the head with a rock and then drowned him. Salmin is alive, well and free to travel wherever he pleases.

Another identified Wagner “hero” is Sergiy Molodtsov. Fortunately for all of us, he didn’t make it out alive from Ukraine. He was sentenced for brutally killing his mother, breaking her jaw and most of her bones. He was buried with honours as a national hero.

I want to ask you to think about your safety and the safety of your family — especially if your country has a visa-free regime with Russia.  

Russia now recruits as soldiers true terrorists, murderers and rapists. Unfortunately, my country knows that from experience. I really don’t want you to have that experience. DM