Sergey Khadzhikurbanov, one of the organizers of the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, has been released early from prison to fight against Ukraine. Officially, his 20-year sentence was supposed to expire in 2034. This information was reported by the Russian media "Baza."
According to journalists from "Baza," Khadzhikurbanov began serving as the commander of a reconnaissance unit at the end of 2022. According to a source from the publication, he "repeatedly went behind enemy lines, performing specific tasks typical for reconnaissance soldiers" with his unit. Shortly thereafter, Khadzhikurbanov rose to the rank of battalion commander, indicating his significant military skill.
After six months of serving in the Russian Armed Forces, Sergey Khadzhikurbanov extended his contract with the Ministry of Defense. "Baza" was unable to determine his current rank, but journalists learned that he has already been released from punishment for his involvement in the murder of Politkovskaya.
Sergey Khadzhikurbanov, a former operative in the fight against organized crime, was arrested in 2007 on charges of organizing the journalist's murder. In 2009, a jury found him not guilty. Later, he was again detained in a case involving extortion of money from Sergey Pavluchenkov, another organizer of Politkovskaya's murder. In 2014, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.