Putin pardons jailed 'war hero' who fed rape victims to dogs after mincing their bodies

Vladimir Putin has pardoned a convicted rapist and murderer who fed his victims to dogs before making mates with a cannibal in jail, thanks to his war efforts in Ukraine

A monstrous sex beast and murderer has been pardoned by Vladimir Putin. Russian axeman Alexander Maslennikov, 38, raped and killed two women before mincing their flesh in a meat grinder and feeding their human remains to dogs.

With 18-and-a-half years still left to serve in a high security jail, Maslennikov was released to join the war effort in Ukraine only to be rushed back injured. Following treatment at a St Petersburg hospital, the 38-year-old met and married a younger woman who was oblivious to his brutal past. When all was revealed, she demanded an immediate divorce.

Despite his horrific crimes, Putin has pardoned Maslennikov, and wiped the man’s criminal record and jail sentence, and he is official regarded as a “hero” and part of Russia’s “new elite”.

Maslennikov had been convicted for killing two women sales assistants Daria Labutina, 29, and Olga Shaposhnikova, 28, who he invited to hit flat for pizza after meeting them at a karaoke bar in Volzhsky, Volgograd region.

He testified that he had sex with Daria - and then killed her in the bathroom. Afterwards he matter-of-factly went to eat pizza and smoke with Olga who was initially unaware her friend had been murdered.

After she refused to have sex with him, he tied her up and gagged her – smoking and drinking next to her as she pleaded in vain for her life.

Forensic evidence showed Olga died from strangulation. Maslennikov stabbed her repeatedly after death. He then went to buy an axe, file, spade, and plastic bin bags. Prosecutors told the court the DNA of both women was found on a meat grinder in his kitchen.

Local reports citing law enforcement said that he fed some meat to dogs. He chopped up the corpses with an axe and took them to a forest area where he dug a grave, breaking the spade in the process.

One of the women had been cut into 20 pieces. There are now fears for women in Moscow after he moved to the city.

When he served at the war, Maslennikov befriended cannibal Dmitry Malyshev, 36, who earlier reports said had been pardoned by Putin. A sinister picture shows the two killers together while taking part in the war.

Malyshev was jailed for frying the heart of one of the three men he killed, which he seasoned with herbs and cooked with vegetables before eating. He filmed his sickening dismemberment of the victim, a migrant, aged 46, as well as the cooking and eating of his human meal.

Earlier he had gunned down two businessmen with a machine gun.

Malyshev was jailed for 25 years for “murder of two people with particular cruelty as part of a criminal gang, banditry, theft and illegal trafficking of weapons and ammunition, preparation for the murder of police officers, robbery and eating the heart of the last [third] victim”.

But he was freed to fight for Putin in the war under a scheme which has allowed murderers and rapists along with other hardened criminals to fight in the bloody war unleashed by the dictator.

Now he is back in home village Rakhinka despite acute concerns of local people.

If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story, contact Victim Support for free, confidential advice on 08 08 16 89 111 or visit their website, Home - Victim Support.