A 37-year-old military deserter identified as Vladimir has been arrested in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod Oblast on suspicion of killing three women and dismembering their bodies, according to local media reports.
Russian television network REN TV reported on its Telegram channel that the suspect had been hiding from law enforcement officers following his escape from a military unit. The Ministry of Internal Affairs had previously published video footage showing police officers detaining the fugitive.
According to investigators, the killings began on October 3 after the suspect argued with his domestic partner at the residence where she had been concealing him following his flight from the military. During the argument, Vladimir struck the woman on the head several times with a crowbar, inflicting fatal injuries.
Following the initial attack, the suspect traveled to the home of his partner's mother and daughter and told them about the crime. When both women stated that they intended to report the incident to law enforcement agencies, Vladimir attacked them with the same crowbar, beating them both to death.
Investigators stated that the suspect subsequently dismembered all three victims, packed their remains into plastic bags, and placed them inside a rented automobile with the intention of transporting them to a nearby forest.
Regional Location and Media Sources
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast is a federal subject located in western Russia within the Volga Federal District, situated roughly 400 kilometers east of Moscow. The region takes its name from its administrative center, Nizhny Novgorod, which sits at the confluence of the Volga and Oka rivers and ranks as the fifth largest city in Russia.
REN TV is a major private television network based in Moscow that broadcasts news, entertainment, and investigative programming across the country. In Russia, many news outlets rely heavily on messaging platforms such as Telegram to publish real-time crime reports and official law enforcement updates.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs, abbreviated as MVD, is the federal government agency that oversees police operations, criminal investigations, and public order throughout Russia. Under the Russian Criminal Code, military desertion during active service is a serious felony that carries heavy prison terms alongside charges for violent offenses.
