An ex-convict fighter in Putin‘s war went on the rampage with an accomplice killing six after being freed from jail, say law enforcement in Russia.
The bodies of five men and one woman with stab and serious burn wounds were found in two separate houses blitzed by fire in a village in northern Russian region, Karelia.
Igor Sofonov, 38, a hardened criminal, had been recruited to serve in Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
His alleged accomplice – who had also served jail time for serious crimes – was named as Maxim Bochkarev, 37.
Both men have been detained initially for two months on suspicion of murder, the Russian Investigative Committee said. A video shows them being taken by armed police into court where they were remanded in custody.
Igor Sofonov (pictured), 38, went on the rampage with an accomplice killing six after being freed from jail, say law enforcement in Russia
Sofonov (pictured in grey), who is a hardened criminal, had been recruited to serve in Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine
The bodies of five men and one woman with stab and serious burns wounds were found in two separate houses blitzed by fire in a village in northern Russian region, Karelia
Bochkarev and Sofonov are reported to have previous convictions for murder, rape, robbery, and drugs.
Russians have expressed deep alarm about former convict fighters in the war being pardoned by Putin as a reward for fighting then allowed home after serving at the frontline.
Investigators suspect the two houses were set on fire in a bid to hide the massacre, with footage showing the gutted homes following the blaze.
The dead in one house in the village of Derevyannoye included Konstantin Lonin, 42, his brother Dmitry, 47, and Vladimir Sergeenko, 76.
In the same house was a woman named only as Svetlana, 38.
In the other house, on Friendship Lane, the bodies of Vladimir Tereshchenko, 70, and his son Artyom, 39, were found.
Artyom’s children had jumped from windows when the intruders broke in, and went to raise the alarm with their grandfather in a neighbouring house.
The children are now safe but their grandfather was killed along with his son when he later came to the scene.
Sofonov’s alleged accomplice – who had also served jail time for serious crimes – was named as Maxim Bochkarev (pictured), 37
Sofonov and Bochkarev (pictured together) have been detained initially for two months on suspicion of murder, the Russian Investigative Committee said
Investigators suspect the two houses were set on fire in a bid to hide the massacre, with footage showing the gutted homes following the blaze
The dead in one house in the village of Derevyannoye included Konstantin Lonin, 42, his brother Dmitry, 47, and Vladimir Sergeenko, 76
In the same house was a woman named only as Svetlana, 38
In the other house, on Friendship Lane, the bodies of Vladimir Tereshchenko, 70, and his son Artyom, 39, were found
‘According to the preliminary version, the cause of the incident was a long-standing conflict on domestic grounds,’ reported Karelia News.
It is unclear if Sofonov was serving for the mercenary army Wagner Group – as some reports suggest – or Putin’s regular army.
He was freed from the war and allowed home in spring, said reports.
Both suspects were in a state of ‘extreme intoxication’ when they were detained, according to reports, and the accomplice was described as a ‘strong, tall, wiry man’.