Putin has pardoned a maniac who dismembered young girls.
Oleksandr Maslennikov, convicted of murdering and dismembering two young girls, has been released after receiving a pardon from Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Maslennikov, who was previously sentenced to 23 years in prison, signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense in 2023. This later became the basis for his release.
Currently, as reported by Russian media, Maslennikov, found guilty of killing two victims whom he brutally dismembered in 2017, has settled in Moscow. The reasons for his pardon have not been officially explained, but it may be linked to his military contract, where Russian authorities are seeking to utilize individuals with various criminal backgrounds to bolster their ranks.
Two maniacs set out to fight against Ukrainians
It is known that Maslennikov (on the right in the photo) signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense and went to the front in Ukraine alongside Dmytro Malyshev, a cannibal who killed and ate the heart of his victim. Both former prisoners have become part of the "Storm V" unit fighting against Ukraine.
The atrocities committed by both murderers recently sparked widespread outrage, and their cases are often cited among the most brutal killings in Russia. In 2017, Maslennikov, after being released from prison where he served time for rape, robbery, and banditry, arrived in Volzhsky and met Olga Shaposhnikova and Daria Labutina at a local karaoke club. He invited them to his rented apartment, where he murdered and dismembered them. After burying the bodies in a forest strip, Maslennikov fled and was apprehended in the Moscow region.
Ten years ago, Malyshev killed a native of Tajikistan, cut out his heart, cooked it, and ate it while filming the entire act. Prior to this, as a member of a criminal group, he shot two businessmen to steal their car. Malyshev and his accomplices also planned to kill police officers in order to obtain weapons for future attacks, but their ambush failed.
Maslennikov and Malyshev are two of many prisoners who have been given the opportunity to serve in the Russian army in exchange for a pardon or conditional release. Malyshev, who was convicted of murder and cannibalism, stated that he went to fight out of a desire to protect "traditional values."
"I understood why I was going and where I was going. How would you feel if they taught your little daughter in primary school how to properly put on a condom? Or if men were walking down the street licking each other? Is that okay for you? For me, it's abnormal," he said.
On the front, the ex-prisoner was wounded twice. He was hospitalized.
"During the assault, a grenade hit me. My jaw is broken, there are shrapnel in my knee and left arm, and my left eardrum burst," Malyshev recounted.
Meanwhile, Putin continues to use prisoners to replenish the ranks of the Russian army. It is known that the Kremlin fears worsening public sentiment in the event of an additional wave of mobilization. Meanwhile, losses in the Russian forces are significant - every day there are one to two thousand casualties.
Who else has Putin pardoned
Earlier reports indicated that a pardon from Russian leader Vladimir Putin was granted to cannibal Denis Gorin from Sakhalin after participating in the war with Ukraine. The court established that he committed at least four murders and, in two cases, ate the remains of his victims. Gorin's neighbors claimed that his victims numbered 13.
Additionally, Putin pardoned Mykola Oholobyak, a resident of Yaroslavl, who was convicted in a case involving the ritual murder of four teenagers. The bodies of the victims were dismembered, with some parts consumed. Oholobyak also went to fight against Ukraine and served for six months in the "Storm Z" unit. He returned home after being injured, resulting in him becoming disabled.