Ksenia Kirillova
Independent Russian media outlet Vot Tak posted an article on September 8 containing statistics on the criminal activities of veterans of Russia’s war against Ukraine. While Russian President Vladimir Putin touts these returning veterans as the “new elite” of Russia, reports show that there are hundreds of criminals among them (see EDM, March 13). An uptick in violence in Russia has been exacerbated by the return of former prisoners from the front who, upon coming home, have returned to their previous criminal activity, including rape and murder. Since the beginning of 2024, no fewer than 15 people—including children—have been murdered by these veterans (Vot-tak.tv, September 8). Numerous cases of rape and attempted rape have been reported, including a case of a 70-year-old woman who was attacked in Moscow by a 25-year-old veteran in July (MK.ru, July 18). Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, not only has there been a growth of violence, but also it has transitioned to a fundamentally different level (see EDM, January 29, February 29). Numerous shootouts have occurred in Moscow, and the army is increasingly merging with organized crime. The growing violence in Russian society will only increase as the long war continues, further contributing to Russia’s rupture.
This uptick in violence in Russian society has become so serious that even the Russian government has discussed the issue. According to statistics from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, more serious crimes were committed from January through August 2024 than during the past 13 years (Deutsche Welle–Russian service, September 12). On September 18, there was a massive shootout not far from the Kremlin, which left seven people wounded, including three police officers. The incident arose from a conflict between the married owners of the “Wildberries” company, one of which was supported by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. he other secured the patronage of Suleiman Kerimov, a member of the Federation Council and “shadow cardinal” of Dagestan (Kazkaz.Realii, September 19). As a result, an attempt to split up a family business turned into a large-scale, 1990s-style reorganization of the spheres of influence between two competing clans (Novaya Gazeta–Evropa, September 18).
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