Pardoned, Armed, and Untouchable? Russia’s Troubling Cycle of Violence

BLOOD, FEAR, AND DIRTY MONEY: THE CRIMES SHAKING RUSSIA

A father is murdered during a violent home invasion in the Moscow region, leaving his 13-year-old son fighting for his life. In Balashikha, a teenager allegedly terrorizes young children inside an elevator before disappearing. Meanwhile, investigators detain a waste-management executive accused of massive tax fraud, and police uncover a shadow banking network that moved hundreds of millions of rubles through fake companies. In this episode of From Russia with Fear, we examine how violent crime, youth aggression, corruption, and financial fraud continue to undermine public trust and safety across Russia. From deadly attacks on ordinary families to schemes involving public money, these stories reveal the darker side of a system struggling with accountability and law enforcement.

A Deadly Argument and a Child Abduction

A man is killed after a dispute over loud music in Krasnoyarsk Krai. A fifth-grade boy is kidnapped and tied up in a garage over accusations of stealing a vape. A powerful regional vice governor is arrested after police allegedly discover narcotics in his hotel room. And a Russian military colonel is sentenced to prison for corruption, bribery, and using conscript soldiers for unauthorized labor. In this episode of From Russia with Fear, we examine four cases that reveal a troubling pattern across modern Russia: violence, abuse of authority, corruption, and a growing lack of accountability. From deadly shootings and crimes against children to scandals involving senior officials and military commanders, these stories show how ordinary people often pay the price when those with power act without consequences.

When Violence Comes Home

In this episode of From Russia with Fear, we look at four disturbing cases that show how violence spreads through Russian society — from war and failed punishment to domestic abuse and online predation. A convicted rapist who went to war instead of serving his sentence returns and kills his former wife and her seven-year-old daughter. In Tuva, a 14-year-old boy is murdered after defending younger children. In Ussuriysk, a woman barely survives a knife attack by her partner. And in Moscow, police detain a man accused of posing online as a teenage girl to contact underage boys. These stories are not isolated nightmares. They are failures of protection — and warnings ignored too late.

War Comes Home: Bombs, Pardons, and Family Violence in Russia

In this episode of From Russia with Fear, we look at three disturbing stories from Russia: a car bombing in Balashikha near a military-linked neighborhood, the life sentence of SVO veteran Artem Buchin for the murder and sexual assault of his ex-wife and her seven-year-old daughter, and the case of elderly parents in Novosibirsk accused of strangling their alcoholic son. Together, these stories show how violence spreads from war and prisons into homes, streets, and ordinary families.

Power Without Consequences: Inside Russia’s Culture of Impunity

A former FSB lieutenant colonel sentenced to 18 years for organizing a contract killing walks free after signing a military contract. A senior Russian Defense Ministry official is arrested in the latest corruption scandal to hit the military bureaucracy. And an investigator receives only a suspended sentence after illegally declaring a mother of two wanted and having her detained for refusing to sign a protocol. In this episode of From Russia with Fear, we examine three cases that expose the blurred lines between power, corruption, and accountability in modern Russia. From a failed assassination carried out with a rocket launcher to bribery inside the Defense Ministry and abuse of authority by law enforcement, these stories reveal a system where those entrusted with enforcing the law often find themselves accused of breaking it.