In this episode of From Russia with Fear, we look at three criminal cases that reveal very different faces of violence and punishment in Russia. A former Wagner mercenary with seven convictions is now wanted by the Interior Ministry after criticizing military commanders. Two men receive 22 and 19 years in prison for preparing attacks on migrants and people from the Caucasus. And prosecutors demand a life sentence for Alexei Gaskov, who has admitted involvement in at least ten murders and is also accused of years of sexual abuse. These cases are not connected, but together they raise the same question: why does punishment in Russia seem so different depending on who the state considers useful, dangerous, or politically important?
In this episode of From Russia with Fear, we look at three criminal cases that reveal very different faces of violence and punishment in Russia.
A former Wagner mercenary with seven convictions is now wanted by the Interior Ministry after criticizing military commanders. Two men receive 22 and 19 years in prison for preparing attacks on migrants and people from the Caucasus. And prosecutors demand a life sentence for Alexei Gaskov, who has admitted involvement in at least ten murders and is also accused of years of sexual abuse.
These cases are not connected, but together they raise the same question: why does punishment in Russia seem so different depending on who the state considers useful, dangerous, or politically important?