It is not uncommon for prisoners released from the war in Ukraine to return and reoffend, then return to the front and avoid a second punishment.
This leaves some police officers devastated. “Four years ago we locked him up for seven years,” police officer Grigory told the Novaya Gazeta website.
“And he again stood before me and said, ‘You can do nothing, officer. This is our time. It is the time of those who shed blood in special military operations.’”
Russian courts have routinely used participation in the war with Ukraine as a reason to hand out lighter sentences.
However, many cases do not even make it to court. Moscow has introduced a new law banning “mistrust of the Russian military,” which has left some victims of crimes committed by veterans fearful of reporting them.
Olga Romanova, head of prisoner rights NGO Russia Behind Bars, said the perception of impunity was driving up crime rates.
“The main result is that there is a gap between crime and punishment in the public mind. If you commit a crime, you are not sure whether you will be punished,” she told the BBC.
The number of serious crimes registered in Russia increased by almost 10% in 2023, and the number of soldiers convicted of crimes more than doubled in the first half of this year compared to the same period the previous year.
Sociologist Anna Kuleshova argues that violence is becoming increasingly acceptable in Russian society, especially because criminals can now avoid punishment by engaging in war.
“There is a tendency to legitimize violence. The idea that violence is a norm, whether it be school violence, domestic violence, interpersonal violence, or conflict resolution methods, will spread.
“This is promoted by the militarization of society, the shift towards conservatism and the romanticization of war. Violent crimes committed within the country are being atoned for by the violence of war.”
Igor Eidman, Olga Romanova and Anna Kuleshova were all interviewed by the BBC from outside Russia.
