Putin frees murderer who kept girlfriend's body on balcony

In Russia, Alexander Golubev was sentenced to prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Viktoria Kurman, after committing the crime in 2022. He strangled Viktoria, a 23-year-old computer graphics designer, and concealed her body in a green plastic barrel on the balcony of their flat in Veliky Novgorod. Viktor's mother, Olga Lishefay, discovered a foul odor emanating from the barrel and alerted the police, leading to the tragic discovery of her daughter's remains. After serving only three months of his sentence, Golubev was unexpectedly released from prison to participate in the war in Ukraine. His case raised numerous concerns regarding justice and the rehabilitation of violent offenders sent to fight in a conflict. While most might assume that his incarceration would entail a full criminal sentence, the war effort led to unusual measures where convicted murderers were effectively drafted into military service. Footage of Golubev surfaced showing him reenacting the crime, offering chilling details about how he killed Viktoria out of fear she would uncover his infidelity. The act of strangling her and leaving her body so grotesquely stashed in a barrel highlighted the severity of the crime, which many in the community and beyond felt had not been adequately punished. Following his release, reports indicated that Golubev was not deployed to the front lines as one might expect; instead, he boasted about being stationed in a relatively safe area where he was responsible for administrative tasks, indicating a lack of direct consequence for his earlier actions. Viktoria's mother expressed her shock and despair upon learning of Golubev's release and his apparent absence of remorse. He even reached out to Viktoria's friend, discussing how he did not care about the murder, framing it as a trivial matter compared to his military service. Under Russian legal provisions, if he survives the military service, his murder conviction could potentially be expunged from his record, effectively erasing his past crime. This situation has ignited debate about morality, justice, and the broader implications of sending violent offenders to fight in wars, along with the societal impacts of their actions before and after their time in prison.