Kremlin Frees Convicted Killer to Join Ukraine Conflict

Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, a former police officer convicted for his involvement in the 2006 murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya, has been released early from prison in exchange for fighting in the war against Ukraine. Khadzhikurbanov, who was sentenced to 20 years, received a pardon and is now serving as a commander under contract with the Russian Defense Ministry. His lawyer believes that justice has prevailed as he claims Khadzhikurbanov was not involved in the murder. This release follows a pattern of high-profile murder convicts being pardoned as Russia empties its prisons to support its war efforts. The murder of Politkovskaya, who exposed human rights abuses in Chechnya, remains unsolved, with those who ordered the killing unidentified.