From War Hero to Murder Suspect: The Tragic Story of a Wagner Soldier

Ivan Rossomakhin, a convicted murderer who was released from prison to join the Wagner private military company and fight in Ukraine, was arrested within days of returning home on suspicion of killing an elderly woman. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has recruited heavily from Russian prisons, with inmates promised a pardon and other benefits in exchange for a contract. Prigozhin has commented on the case, saying that his company is willing to assist law enforcement in relation to any of its former fighters. Wagner is known for its ruthless tactics and has been accused of war crimes in Africa, Syria, and Ukraine.