Denis Gorin News Today

Having served their required time in the Russian army and having witnessed the horrors of war in Ukraine, thousands of criminals have returned to Russia as free men.

Russian president Vladimir Putin's decision to recruit fighters from prisons resulted in a string of crimes as they were freed after going back to their home areas

Grigoriy Povilaiko, 31, sentenced to 24 years for the savage rape and murder of Anna Koshulko, had served a year in prison before being released to fight in Ukraine -- and then returned home with a presidential pardon after just three months.

When families of the victims heard he had been released from prison to fight in Ukraine and had been pardoned by Putin they feared for their own lives until his grave was spotted.

A Russian serial killer pardoned by President Vladimir Putin in exchange for fighting in Ukraine was killed on the front lines, the independent Mediazona news website reported Thursday.

Europe News: Russian president Vladimir Putin has revived a Stalin-era practice by deploying convicted criminals, including murderers and cannibals, to Ukraine as

The Kremlin has recruited tens of thousands of prisoners for its "Storm-Z" units, including at least two cannibals.

Helsinki has accused Moscow of ushering migrants toward theior shared border through thick forests in the south to the rugged Arctic landscape in the north.

After two days of storms - and snow in the south - the ground has been left sodden and unsuitable for military manoeuvres

At least ten people have died as the storm sweeps across the country