Media: Russian serial killer killed months after joining military

Vagan Safaryan, known as the “Astrakhan Strangler,” has been killed while serving on the front line, according to a report by SHOT.

The 64-year-old, a resident of Astrakhan, reportedly died in the summer of last year during nighttime combat operations, approximately two months after signing a military contract. According to the report, Safaryan came under fire while carrying out assigned tasks.

He was serving in an assault unit, similar to another convicted killer referred to as the “Zelenograd Chikatilo,” Gritsenko, who also recently died on the front line. Safaryan’s body was not immediately identified, and he was later buried in Astrakhan.

Safaryan was convicted of three murders. He committed his first killing in the 1990s while outwardly appearing to be a family man, and managed to conceal the crime for years. A double murder involving a mother and daughter linked to him was only solved in 2024.

“By that time, Safaryan had already served 19 years for another murder, was released, and was actively looking for a younger, attractive woman on dating websites. But Safaryan did not manage to enjoy himself with the girls. He was imprisoned again. Not wanting to serve another sentence, he asked to be sent to the ‘special military operation’,” SHOT writes.

By Tamilla Hasanova