September 18, 2025

Murderer Released or No?


Murderer Released or No?
Jail cell. The Russian Life files.

On September 13, Russian government news outlets began reporting that neo-nazi Yevgenia Khasis, convicted for the infamous murder of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and Novaya Gazeta journalist Anastasia Baburova, was released. However, the veracity of the reports came into question after independent media found that the murderer may still be in prison.

On January 19, 2009, 34-year-old Markelov and 25-year-old Baburova were shot in central Moscow. The then-29-year-old Nikita Tikhonov and 24-year-old Evgenia Khasis were detained for the murder. The couple were part of the ultranationalist group BORN ("Fighting Organization of Russian Nationalists"). In 2011, Tikhonov was sentenced to life in prison. Khasis received an 18-year sentence, which was later reduced to 17 years. In 2015, Ilya Goryachev, another BORN leader, was also sentenced to life in prison for organizing the murders of Bubarova and Markelov, among other crimes.

Citing court documents, state-run RIA Novosti broke the news that Evgenia Khasis had been released from a Mordovian women's penal colony after 16 years in prison. The outlet said that the far-right activist was put on unsupervised probation at the end of August. TASS, another state news agency, said law enforcement confirmed her release. However, Khasis' lawyer, Alexei Pershin, told TASS that he did not know whether his client was free, but was aware that her sentence had run its course.

Mediazona, an independent media outlet, claimed that the interpretation of the court documents was erroneous. According to Russian law, the penitentiary system must file for prisoners' administrative supervision at least two months before their release. Therefore, RIA Novosti likely misinterpreted the lawsuit that the Mordavian Penal Colony filed to establish unsupervised probation for Khasis as her release from prison. Pershin told Mediazona that he found out about his client's alleged release through "Telegram channels." The newspaper estimated that the ultranationalist activist will likely be released in November 2025.

Dmitry Arganovsky, another lawyer representing Khasis, later told Mediazona and TASS that his client is still in prison. RIA Novosti later published that Khasis is still in prison, citing law enforcement.

In 2024, Khasis petitioned to be sent to Russia's war in Ukraine as a soldier.

You Might Also Like

Economy in Crisis?
  • September 13, 2025

Economy in Crisis?

A recent report summarized the potentially perilous state of the Russian economy.
Hourly Taskmaster Rise
  • September 07, 2025

Hourly Taskmaster Rise

Russians looking to get a little extra cash on the side can become "specific assistants." And the marketplace is booming.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals
[INVALID]
[INVALID]
[INVALID]

Some of our Books

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955