In October 2024, Maksim Fedorchenko—a convicted felon with a history of mental illness—was sent to the frontlines in Ukraine as part of Russia’s assault units. Instead of fighting the enemy, he murdered 11 of his own comrades in cold blood. He threw a grenade into a bunker, then opened fire on the survivors. In this episode of From Russia with Crime, we uncover the shocking details of Fedorchenko’s past—schizophrenia, alcohol abuse, domestic violence—and ask how a man like this got a weapon and a uniform. We examine the Russian military’s disturbing pattern of recruiting violent criminals and the deadly consequences that follow.
In October 2024, Maksim Fedorchenko—a convicted felon with a history of mental illness—was sent to the frontlines in Ukraine as part of Russia’s assault units. Instead of fighting the enemy, he murdered 11 of his own comrades in cold blood. He threw a grenade into a bunker, then opened fire on the survivors. In this episode of From Russia with Crime, we uncover the shocking details of Fedorchenko’s past—schizophrenia, alcohol abuse, domestic violence—and ask how a man like this got a weapon and a uniform. We examine the Russian military’s disturbing pattern of recruiting violent criminals and the deadly consequences that follow.