Convicted murderers and hitmen who were pardoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin after fighting in the army in Ukraine are back in St Petersburg and “won’t hold back,” a senior investigator in the city has said.

In 2022, at the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the former leader of the Wagner private military company, offered prisoners a chance to earn a clean record and gain release after six months of service on the battlefield. Under this arrangement, nearly 50,000 Russian prisoners were sent to the front lines. Many died, but others were released back into society. After Prigozhin's death in 2023, the Russian military assumed control of the programme, before gradually phasing it out in 2024.

Yuri Yashkov, a senior official responsible for investigating high-profile crimes for the Investigative Committee in St. Petersburg, told the local outlet Fontanka that law enforcement is now closely monitoring some former convicts.

Some of those involved in severe violent crimes are now integrating back into society, including some taking up jobs such as taxi driving, Yashkov said.

The investigator raised concerns about the potential threat posed by these individuals, noting that while some of the released persons have reached out to law enforcement and pledged to avoid trouble, not everyone has been as cooperative.

“We know who is being released. Infamous hitmen are already roaming the city, calling us, promising not to misbehave,” he said. “But that's with those who had contact, who cooperated. Not all released individuals do this. I try to keep an eye on some notorious individuals who I know are definitely dangerous.”

The situation is complicated by the sheer number of these individuals, making comprehensive monitoring a significant challenge, Yakov noted. In particular, he noted one former convict, now working as a taxi driver, whose photographs have been distributed to operatives to alert them of potential risks to public safety.

“Honestly, I'm scared for the clients,” he said. “I’ve sent his photos to all operatives. I don't believe he's reformed and won't do something. Such a type of person [is] prone to violence.”

In the last two years Russian media has reported that several individuals pardoned for their involvement in the conflict in Ukraine have committed new crimes upon returning home, including rape and murder. The investigative group Sirena has identified at least 37 of these individuals as being linked to homicides.